10 Songs That Changed Rock History

Across every subgenre, rock was never meant to get too sentimental all that often. Though the Beatles definitely tried their hand at some more heartfelt stuff, those felt much more like pop songs than any actual ambitious musical undertaking. But when you have a tragedy hit close to home like Pink Floyd, you're going to deal with that grief in the most extravagant way you know how.

After losing Syd Barrett and being run ragged by the music industry off of the tour for Dark Side of the Moon, Floyd structured Shine On You Crazy Diamond as a loving tribute to their lost friend. Being played in separate parts over two sides of Wish You Were Here, this entire song feels like a funeral wake for Syd, taking almost every experience that the members of Floyd had and condensing them into music.

Just the echoed guitar fill from David Gilmour is enough to give the full picture, almost as if you're seeing the spirit of Syd in real time as the band play. Coming just as prog rock was reaching its apex, this wasn't just another song that was telling grand tales based in fantasy. This was what happens when you take all of your musical expertise and then layer that human element on top of everything.