Exactly 50 years after its original release in 1975, Pink Floyd has announced a special 50th-anniversary edition of their legendary album Wish You Were Here. Scheduled to arrive on December 12 through Sony Music, Wish You Were Here 50 offers fans a fresh look at one of the band’s most iconic and influential records.
This anniversary release includes multiple discs filled with rare material. At the heart of the collection are six never-before-heard alternate versions and demos, providing a completely new perspective on Pink Floyd’s eighth studio album. These unreleased tracks give longtime listeners a reason to revisit the classic in an entirely different way.
Wish You Were Here 50 will be available in several formats, including 3LP, 2CD, Blu-ray, digital editions, and a Deluxe Box Set. The digital version will feature the original 1975 album, now presented in a brand-new Dolby Atmos mix by James Guthrie, who has worked with Pink Floyd since 1979’s The Wall. It also includes 25 bonus tracks: nine rare studio recordings and 16 live performances captured by renowned bootlegger Mike Millard during the band’s April 26, 1975, show at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. This concert audio is being officially released for the first time, meticulously restored and remastered by Steven Wilson.
The Blu-ray edition also offers three of the band’s original concert screen films from the 1975 tour, along with a short film by Storm Thorgerson. Fans who opt for the 3LP or 2CD versions will receive the original album along with the nine bonus studio tracks.
The Deluxe Box Set is the most expansive option, including all 2CD, 3LP (on exclusive clear vinyl), and Blu-ray materials, plus an additional clear vinyl LP of Live At Wembley 1974. It also comes with a replica Japanese 7″ single of “Have A Cigar” backed with “Welcome To The Machine”, a hardcover book featuring never-before-seen photos, a comic book tour program, and a Knebworth concert poster. Exclusive 50th-anniversary merchandise and limited-edition items will also be available here.
To mark the announcement, Pink Floyd has released a previously unheard early demo of “Welcome To The Machine”, originally titled “The Machine Song”. This version, now known as “The Machine Song (Demo #2, Revisited)”, is shorter than the final track and gives fans a taste of what they can expect from the anniversary edition.
Other rare recordings in the collection include “The Machine Song (Roger’s Demo)”, the very first home demo that Roger Waters brought to the band, and a newly uncovered instrumental version of “Wish You Were Here” that highlights David Gilmour’s pedal steel guitar. For the first time, a complete version of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 1-9)” will also be released, seamlessly joining the two halves of the song with a brand-new stereo mix by James Guthrie.
Since its debut, Wish You Were Here has been a fixture on countless “greatest albums of all time” lists. The multi-platinum record was Pink Floyd’s first to hit No. 1 on both the U.S. and U.K. charts, making it the band’s fastest-selling album. Following the groundbreaking success of 1973’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, which catapulted Pink Floyd to global superstardom, Wish You Were Here served as the band’s profound and personal response to the pressures of worldwide fame.
In 2025, the fascination with Pink Floyd remains as strong as ever. Earlier this year, the restored version of their landmark 1972 film Pink Floyd At Pompeii – MCMLXXII became a worldwide box office success. The accompanying live album debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. Albums chart, marking the group’s first chart-topping release in eleven years and their seventh overall. Critics and fans praised the film, with The Guardian describing it as a “mesmerically peculiar portrait of a band on cusp of greatness.”
Even five decades later, Wish You Were Here continues to resonate deeply with listeners. This special anniversary edition not only celebrates the album’s enduring legacy but also gives fans an unprecedented opportunity to explore a pivotal moment in Pink Floyd’s history.
