David Gilmour says Pink Floyd were never progressive rock

Pink Floyd in 1971 — (Image credit: Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images)

Guitarist David Gilmour has insisted that Pink Floyd were never a progressive rock band. Gilmour made the remarks during a recent interview with popular YouTuber Rick Beato.

"We didn't talk about style, and I've never talked about progressive rock, or thought that we were – whatever – progressive rock,” says Gilmour. “To me, progressive rock is very, very serious players who can really do their stuff.

"I think we were doing it long before the term progressive rock, and I think I was probably a grumpy old man in my 20s. You know, sort of, 'Nah, that's not us.'

“The whole idea of labelling – it's become more essential in this day and age. But I'm not keen on it."

Despite Gilmour's protestations, Pink Floyd's name regularly crops up when fans name a hypothetical "Big Four" or "Big Six" of progressive rock, alongside bands like Yes, Genesis, ELP, Jethro Tull, King Crimson and Rush, while drummer Nick Mason was happy to accept the "Prog God" award at the Progressive Music Awards in 2017.

Other winners of the Prog God award include Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel and keyboardist Tony Banks, Yes frontman Jon Anderson, guitarist Steve Howe and keyboardist Rick Wakeman, ELP drummer Carl Palmer and Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson.

Earlier this month, Gilmour told Rolling Stone that fans wouldn't have long to wait for a follow-up to 2024's Luck And Strange album.

"I’m slowly building up towards a new album, and I have quite a bit of material that is in some sort of formative stage," he said. "That’s what’s keeping me busy at the moment."

David Gilmour: The Studio Interview 2025 - YouTube

Watch On

Artists

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.