Pink Floyd have scored a major holiday milestone, as Wish You Were Here has been crowned this year’s Official Christmas Number 1 album in the UK.
The achievement comes thanks to the album’s newly released 50th-anniversary reissue, which arrived in both digital and physical formats. The expanded release features six previously unheard alternate takes and demo recordings, offering fans a deeper look into one of rock’s most celebrated albums.
The chart-topping moment carries special significance: Wish You Were Here also reached Number 1 when it was first released back in 1975, making this a rare full-circle return to the summit exactly 50 years later.
With the new chart victory, Pink Floyd now hold the record for the longest gap between a band’s first and most recent Number 1 albums, spanning more than five decades. The group surpasses the previous record held by The Beatles, whose chart-topping albums were separated by just under 50 years.
This marks Pink Floyd’s second Number 1 album of the year, following the success of Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII, a remastered release tied to the band’s iconic early-’70s live performance film. The dual triumph makes 2025 the first year the band has claimed two chart-toppers within the same calendar year.
Holiday chart success isn’t entirely new territory for the group. While this is their first Christmas Number 1 album, Pink Floyd previously dominated the festive singles chart in 1979 with “Another Brick in the Wall (Pt. 2).”
Beyond the main chart, Wish You Were Here also leads the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and the Official Record Store Chart, confirming strong demand across both physical formats and independent record shops.
Five decades on, Pink Floyd’s legacy continues to resonate — and dominate — across generations
SOURCE: Music News