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Atom Heart Mother

by Pink Floyd

Released: October 02, 1970

Progressive rock, experimental rock

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Experimental Album.

The Album

"Atom Heart Mother" is the fifth studio album by Pink Floyd, released on October 2, 1970, in the UK and October 10 in the US. The album cover, designed by Hipgnosis, features a Holstein cow in a pasture, with no text or band name—a departure from traditional album art. Despite this, "Atom Heart Mother" showcases Pink Floyd's experimentation with orchestration and reflects a period of transition in their musical style.

Inside the Recording

It was recorded at EMI Studios and marked the band's first number one album in the UK, reaching number 55 in the US.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

The title track is a 23-minute suite co-composed…

The title track is a 23-minute suite co-composed by the band and collaborator Ron Geesin, featuring orchestral arrangements and a choir.

The cover art, characterized by its simplicity, aimed…

The cover art, characterized by its simplicity, aimed to move away from the psychedelic imagery associated with the band.

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Essential Tracks

Atom Heart Mother

"Atom Heart Mother" is the fifth studio album by Pink Floyd, released on October 2, 1970, in the UK and October 10 in the US.

If

"Atom Heart Mother" is the fifth studio album by Pink Floyd, released on October 2, 1970, in the UK and October 10 in the US.

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Explore the Album

Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother

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Then

Reception

The album has two sides: the first devoted to the title track and the second featuring three individual songs from band members, ending with the sound effects piece "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast." While commercially successful, the album received mixed reviews from the band members, particularly Roger Waters and David Gilmour, who expressed dissatisfaction with it.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Atom Heart Mother" is the fifth studio album by Pink Floyd, released on October 2, 1970, in the UK and October 10 in the US. It was recorded at EMI Studios and marked the band's first number one album in the UK, reaching number 55 in the US. The album cover, designed by Hipgnosis, features a Holstein cow in a pasture, with no text or band name—a departure from traditional album art.

The title track is a 23-minute suite co-composed by the band and collaborator Ron Geesin, featuring orchestral arrangements and a choir. The album has two sides: the first devoted to the title track and the second featuring three individual songs from band members, ending with the sound effects piece "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast."

While commercially successful, the album received mixed reviews from the band members, particularly Roger Waters and David Gilmour, who expressed dissatisfaction with it. Despite this, "Atom Heart Mother" showcases Pink Floyd's experimentation with orchestration and reflects a period of transition in their musical style. The cover art, characterized by its simplicity, aimed to move away from the psychedelic imagery associated with the band.