52 years ago today, Pink Floyd dropped Dark Side of the Moon, and it’s still a timeless masterpiece that holds up to this day. Back in ‘73, it was rare for an album to use synthesizers and electronic elements the way this one did. You could argue that Pink Floyd kicked off a new wave of psychedelic rock with this album, blending deep philosophical themes with mind-bending soundscapes. But even when you listen to it today, you wouldn’t guess it was from the ‘70s; it still feels like it could’ve been released in the last decade.
This album isn’t pop, hard rock, or disco. It’s… well, Dark Side of the Moon. It transcends genre, era, and whatever else you think music is supposed to be. Even if you weren’t deep into progressive rock, this album found you. Maybe it was through that one friend in high school who thought he was a philosopher after one too many hits from his “tobacco” pipe. Or maybe it was just sitting in the background of life, subtly changing how you thought about time, money, and mortality. Every teenager who listened to this album back then was trying to figure “it” out–and that still applies today.
Because that’s what Dark Side does—it makes you think. About life. About wasted time. About that conversation you had with your best friend decades ago, when the world felt wide open and the future was one big who the hell knows? It was the soundtrack for dreamers, stoners, and anyone staring out their bedroom window wondering what comes next.
Speaking of stoners, it used to be popular to listen to this album with a haze of smoke. But here’s the kicker: you didn’t need to be high to feel the full effect. One guy on Reddit put it best:
“I didn’t need to smoke weed to have that album kick my ass.”
Amen, my friend.
By the way, I’d recommend you listen to this tracklist all the way through – NOT shuffled.
Side 1
Side 2
It’s hard to pick a favorite track from this album. The “Great Gig in the Sky” hits you in the gut with those wailing vocals. “Brain Damage” taps into that creeping feeling that life might just be a little too much sometimes–and of course, it reflects on Syd Barrett’s real mental breakdown. And my personal favorite: “Time.” That one’s a brutal reminder that you blink, and suddenly, you’re not that high school kid anymore, decades down the road, wondering where it all went.
Even if someone’s never listened to Pink Floyd, they’ve seen the album cover. That prism? That’s tattooed on rock culture. Kids today wear the T-shirt without even knowing what it is.
So, here’s to The Dark Side of the Moon. Fifty-two years later, and it still speaks to us like an old friend who knows all our secrets.
If you have 43 minutes to your commute to work, put this album on. Let it turn that long drive into something deeper—your own personal time machine.
Stay cosmic,
Sam
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