In few days Pink Floyd will release the first new piece of music in 20 years and even before the release the album is breaking records. Amazon is reporting that Endless River is now the most pre-ordered album in history of the company.
Not bad for the band that released their first album in 1967 and as mentioned above, didn’t release any live new music since 1994’s outstanding The Division Bell.

The whole thing becomes more impressing when you realize that Endless River is described as a "swan song" for band’s late keyboard player Richard Wright, and comprises instrumental, ambient music. It is based on twenty hours of unreleased material the band wrote, recorded and produced with Wright during sessions for Pink Floyd's The Division Bell. So in many ways, it’s not even, what you’d call a “proper album”.
Thinking of state of music business anno 2014 there are so many aspects to this story (and this album) that are quite interesting.
First off all – people do buy music (even thou this album too will be available for streaming on different streaming services).
Second of all, people didn’t lose interest in Pink Floyd after 20 years of silence.

Sales record are not indication of quality, but it’s surprising that the music so peculiar (an it this very case a bloody instrumental ambient music) can compete (and defat?) the mainstream oriented popular music.
What it all boils down to, however is that it’s pointless to compare quality and quantity, but it is fun when someone plays with the “natural order”, without even trying it. And it’s kind of fun when quality and quantity unite into one. I didn't have a chance to hear Endless River yet, but based from the band’s previous 14 albums, it’s promising.

Regardless – few days before the release the album is already leaving a significant impact on many levels, and for this very story … it made me smile.

Endless River artwork by Ahmed Emad Eldin &  Stylorouge