More than five decades after redefining progressive rock, Pink Floyd’s music continues to reveal hidden corners of its legendary catalog. Now, a new compilation titled 8‑Tracks is set to shine a spotlight on some of the band’s most iconic songs — while also bringing back a rare recording that many fans have never heard in its original form.
The compilation is scheduled for release on June 5 and brings together eight songs from the band’s classic 1970s era. These tracks span several of Pink Floyd’s most influential albums, highlighting the period when the group cemented its reputation as one of the most ambitious and imaginative forces in rock music.
What makes this collection especially intriguing is its final track: a full-length version of “Pigs on the Wing” from the 1977 album Animals. On the original release, the song appeared in two brief acoustic fragments that opened and closed the album. The new compilation restores a version that joins both parts together, creating a single continuous piece of music.
That extended version includes a guitar solo performed by Snowy White, a musician who later joined Pink Floyd as part of their touring lineup during the band’s In the Flesh tour in 1977. The solo originally appeared only on the rare 8-track tape edition of Animals, meaning most listeners never encountered it when the album was released.
The story behind that recording is surprisingly spontaneous. When White first visited the studio to meet the band, he was invited to try playing something over one of Roger Waters’ songs. According to White, Waters casually suggested adding a guitar solo to “Pigs on the Wing.” White picked up a guitar — reportedly David Gilmour’s famous white Stratocaster — listened to the song once and then recorded the solo almost immediately.
Remarkably, the version that ended up on the 8-track release was completed in a single take.
White later admitted that at the time he didn’t even know much about Pink Floyd’s music. Coming from a blues background, he initially felt disconnected from the band’s progressive rock sound. Still, that brief studio moment produced a recording that would quietly become one of the most elusive pieces in Pink Floyd’s official discography.
The rest of the 8-Tracks compilation showcases songs that helped define the band’s golden era. Among the selections are classics such as “Money,” “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2,” “Comfortably Numb,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “Time.” The album also reaches back to earlier ’70s releases with tracks like “One of These Days” from Meddle and “Wot’s… Uh the Deal” from Obscured by Clouds.
All of the songs have been newly edited together by producer Steven Wilson so that the album flows as a seamless listening experience rather than a typical compilation. The result is intended to present Pink Floyd’s music as a continuous journey — echoing the band’s long-standing focus on albums as immersive works rather than simple collections of songs.
The release will be available on 180-gram black vinyl, with some retailers offering special colored editions for collectors.
Taken together, 8-Tracks acts as both a celebration of Pink Floyd’s most famous music and a rediscovery of a small but fascinating moment in the band’s history. For longtime fans, the return of that rare Animals recording offers another glimpse into the creative spontaneity that often shaped the group’s recordings — and proves that even after decades, Pink Floyd’s catalog still has secrets waiting to be heard.
