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10 Bands like Pink Floyd for Fans of Psychedelic Rock Music

February 11, 2023
bands like pink floyd

Pink Floyd is one of the most iconic and influential bands of all time, known for their innovative and experimental approach to music. The band made a name for themselves with their unique blend of psychedelic rock, blues, and hard rock. So, if you are looking for great bands like Pink Floyd, we have created a list that you might enjoy listening to! One of the hallmarks of Pink Floyd’s music is its use of unconventional instruments and sound effects. Another defining feature of Pink Floyd’s music is its use of elaborate and thought-provoking lyrics. Pink Floyd’s live shows were also legendary for their elaborate and visually stunning stage productions- The band’s “The Wall” tour, in particular, is one to remember. Many bands have cited Pink Floyd as an inspiration and have tried to emulate their unique sound and style.

List of Bands Like Pink Floyd

  1. King Crimson
  2. Led Zepplin
  3. The Doors
  4. Yes
  5. Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  6. Genesis
  7. Tame Impala
  8. Radiohead
  9. Dream Theatre
  10. King Buffalo

1. King Crimson

King Crimson is a British progressive rock band that was formed in London in 1968. The band is known for its innovative and experimental approach to music, incorporating elements of jazz, classical, and avant-garde styles. Over the years, King Crimson has undergone numerous personnel changes and has been associated with several different genres, including progressive rock, art rock, and heavy metal.

King Crimson paved the way for a generation of musicians who sought to push the boundaries of what was possible in rock music. The English progressive rock band is known for their eclectic and experimental approach to music, and they have heavily influenced bands like Pink Floyd’s use of atmospheric soundscapes and elaborate musical arrangements.

2. Led Zepplin

Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd are two of the most influential and innovative bands in the history of rock music. Despite the fact that they were formed in different eras and came from different musical backgrounds, they have several similarities that have helped to establish them as two of the most enduring and revered groups of all time.

One of the most notable similarities between Led Zeppelin and artists like Pink Floyd is their musical approach. Both bands were known for their lyrical and experimental sound, incorporating elements of blues, rock, and psychedelic music into their work. Led Zeppelin has a powerful and hard-hitting sound. Being a fellow pioneer in the use of technology in rock music, Led Zeppelin incorporated synthesizers and drum machines making it a great option for you to explore if you are in search of bands like Pink Floyd.

3. The Doors 

Although both bands were active during the same period and emerged from the same cultural and musical milieu, they were known for very different styles of music. The Doors and Pink Floyd will always be two of the most enduring and respected bands of the rock and roll era. It’s the imaginative approach to music and elaborate live shows that brings them two together.

The Doors were formed in 1965 in LA, California, known for their blues-inspired rock and roll sound, dark and poetic lyrics, and the charismatic and mysterious presence of lead singer Jim Morrison. Morrison’s distinctive voice and charismatic stage presence made him one of the most famous and controversial frontmen of the 1960s. The Doors’ ‘Riders On The Storm’ is a great song for fans of rock bands like Pink Floyd to listen to!

4. Yes

Yes is a British progressive rock band that was formed in 1968. Over the years, the band has been known for its distinctive sound, incorporating elements of hard rock, folk, and classical music into its songs. Yes has been a major influence in the progressive rock genre, and is still regarded as one of the most innovative and influential groups in the world of rock and roll.

Despite its progressive rock roots, Yes has often been compared to bands like Pink Floyd. The two groups share many similarities, including their use of surreal soundscapes, creative instrumentation, and conceptual album themes. However, there are also some key differences between the two, with Pink Floyd being known for its more experimental and cerebral approach to music, while Yes is more upbeat and energetic. I highly recommend you hear Yes’ Owner of a loney heart and Close to end.

5. Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were a British progressive rock band formed in 1970, and were considered one of the most successful and influential groups of the genre. Comprised of keyboardist Keith Emerson, drummer Carl Palmer, and bassist/vocalist Greg Lake, the band combined elements of classical music, jazz, and hard rock to create a distinctive sound that was both complex and powerful.

From innovative shows to similar musical and lyrical arrangements, there’s plenty of ELP music that will remind you of artists like Pink Floyd. Interestingly, in 1986, Emerson, Lake, Powell released an album with one song titled Learning To Fly and in 1987 Pink Floyd released A Momentary Lapse Of Reason where one of the songs had the same title.

6. Genesis

Genesis is an English progressive rock band formed in 1967. The original line-up consisted of Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins. Genesis was one of the pioneers of progressive rock, incorporating elements of folk, classical, and even world music into their sound. Though infamously Genesis band member Phil Collins has openly confessed to not being a fan of artists like Pink Floyd, their music sure has a lot to appreciate for a Pink Floyd-ians.

Over the years, the band went through several personnel changes, with Collins eventually taking over as lead vocalist after Gabriel’s departure in 1975. Follow You Follow Me and I Can’t Dance are some of Genesis’s commercially successful and critical acclaim songs. Today their legacy continues to inspire countless musicians and influence the sound of progressive rock. 

7. Tame Impala

Tame Impala, fronted by Kevin Parker, rose to prominence in the late 2000s with their psychedelic rock and retro-inspired pop sound. Parker is the mastermind behind the band’s sound, handling all production and songwriting duties himself. Their music is characterized by its lush, layered soundscapes, groovy basslines, and psychedelic guitar riffs, with lyrics exploring themes of love, loneliness, and self-discovery. If you’ve already heard of them, here is a list of bands like Tame Impala to check out.

The surviving members of Pink Floyd say that Perth-act Tame Impala has had an overwhelming and massive influence on their first release in over 20 years with the album The Endless River. So if you loved listening to this latest release and are finding artists similar to Pink Floyd then you must give Tame Impala’s a try.

8. Radiohead

Radiohead is an English rock band that is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential bands of the last 30 years, and their sound and style have been heavily influenced by Pink Floyd. Radiohead also has a large dedicated fan base, placing it amongst the pantheon of musical legends.

Radiohead’s songs often have a dark, brooding, and introspective quality, and similar to bands like Pink Floyd, they use haunting and atmospheric soundscapes to create an immersive experience for their listeners. Creep by Radiohead is one of the best songs ever, we highly recommend it to you!

Also Read: Bands like Tool

9. Dream Theatre

Pink Floyd has an ‘older sound’, more psychedelic with some progressive elements while the band Dream Theater is progressive metal at its purest. Dream Theatre’s songs have long instrumental sections with fast-paced guitars and keyboards and are more on the technical side. Interestingly, Dream Theater played Pink Floyd’s Hey You in 1998.

But that’s not all, Dream Theatre has covered quite a few songs by Pink Floyd over the years including, Money, Time, and Comfortably Numb. From the intricate musical structures and compositions to their atmospheric soundscapes and exploration of philosophical and psychological themes, it is needless to say, Dream Theatre is one band similar to Pink Floyd that you surely consider.

10. King Buffalo

King Buffalo is a rock band that formed in Rochester, New York in 2014. The band has been praised for their psychedelic and atmospheric sound, drawing influences from classic rock and heavy blues. While their sound is rooted in rock and blues, the influence of artists like Pink Floyd can be heard in their music as well.

Pink Floyd’s signature sound, characterized by complex soundscapes, dynamic instrumentation, and intricate arrangements, has been an inspiration to King Buffalo. The band has cited Pink Floyd’s iconic album, “Dark Side of the Moon,” as a major influence, stating that the album helped shape their understanding of what a cohesive album could be. King Buffalo’s album “Dead Star” is a perfect example of their storytelling ability.

Honourable Mentions

Here are a few bands similar to Pink Floyd  that didn’t make the list, but you can check them out as well: 

  1. Rush
  2. The Who
  3. The Rolling Stones
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When Lost aired over a decade ago, its successful narrative created a pop culture impact and changed the landscape of television. If you are a fan and want to watch shows like Lost then you can have a look at this list we made just for you.

Lost

The hugely successful television series Lost aired in 2004. The premise, as we know, deals with a group of people surviving a commercial passenger plane crash on a remote island. The show masterfully explores supernatural and sci-fi elements on this mysterious south Pacific island. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTu8iDynwNc

The use of cliffhangers at the end of each episode of Lost kept the viewers on the edge of their seats, desperately craving for the next episode to come. Even though it's a large ensemble cast, most of the characters receive a justifiable personal arch. Lost was inspired by the movie Castaway and became one of the most expensive pilots to be shot at the time! Lost continues to be appreciated for its originality in storytelling and dynamic character arcs. 

List of TV Shows Like Lost

  1. The Leftovers
  2. Manifest
  3. Lost Room
  4. Twin Peaks
  5. The Prisoners
  6. Battlestar Galactica
  7. The New People
  8. Flight 29 Down
  9. Fringe
  10. Alcatraz
  11. Under the Dome
  12. Dark

1. The Leftovers (2014)

IMDB ratings: 8.3/10

Cast: Carrie Coon, Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman and Margaret Qualley

Creator: Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta

The director of Lost, Damon Lindel also created a supernatural drama series called The Leftovers. The show begins 3 years after an unexplainable global event called ‘Sudden Departure’  where almost 2 per cent of the population, nearly 140 million people, disappear. The Leftovers isn't about WHY people are gone, it's about how the ones who remain dealt with their loss, people often try to comfort themselves with dreams, angels, gods, or even death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLT3YUALJno&t=8s

The Leftovers will leave you with so many questions but beyond words, you have to feel it and savour its unanswered questions to find peace. The Leftovers is an incredible television series that starts incredibly well but loses its way by the series's end. I have to say though, Carrie Coon has brilliant moments in the end. The Leftovers is so weird, fragmented and nonsensical at times that it reminds me of Lost. If you are looking for shows like Lost, I recommend that you give The Leftovers a try.

2. Manifest  (2018) 

IMDB ratings: 7.1/10

Cast: Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas and J.R. Ramirez 

Creator: Jeff Rake


The Manifest is a supernatural drama show about a bunch of people who discover that they lost 5 years of their lives when they landed in New York after their aeroplane faced severe turbulence. All the people on the plane were presumed to be dead. Now, these people have to find a way to adjust themselves to a new life around their loved ones. Mild spoiler! They learn their loved ones and the rest of society is not as they left it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1hNAIzkQWY

I found that the show’s premise was very intriguing and the actors give a very convincing performance. The narrative details of the show, however, in my opinion, are a bit sloppy and inconsistent. The writers surely have room for improvement but their concept is incredibly thrilling. Every episode of Manifest keeps you on your toes. Manifest has completed 3 seasons up until now and continues to be on air. Manifest is a pretty good choice if you want to watch TV shows like Lost.

3. Lost Room (2006)

IMDB ratings: 8.1/10

Cast: Peter Krause, Julianna Margulies and Peter Jacobson

Creator: Christopher Leone, Laura Harkcom

This lesser-known show The Lost Room is an American Sci-fi television miniseries which only had 3 episodes of 90 mins each and no follow-up seasons. The show was based on a very unique idea where the room in question (known as the ‘Lost Room’) and the objects in the said room had supernatural powers. This strange room is set in a 1960s motel along the iconic U.S. Route 66. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfWrECLnFYU

One day the protagonist (Peter Krause) Joe Miller’s daughter disappears inside the room. Joe, with the help of objects present in the room, tries to find his daughter Anna (Elle Fanning). The story of Lost Room was intensely engaging. I found the direction and the actor’s performances to be absolutely brilliant. It baffles me that the creators did not return to make another short season within the same concept. If you have been searching for TV series like Lost then I can assure you that Lost Room will be worth a watch.

4. Twins Peaks (1990) 

IMDB ratings: 8.8/10

Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Mädchen Amick, Sherilyn Fenn and David Lynch

Creator: David Lynch

David Lynch, the well-known director of weird and captivating films such as Eraserhead and Blue Velvet created an iconic show called Twin Peaks. It is a hauntingly eccentric show about the investigation of the mysterious murder of a small-town homecoming queen named Laura Palmer. Believe me, as odd as the show may seem at first, you will grow to love it, after all, it is considered to be one of the best mystery shows ever created. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwn9ou_nf-I

With the mysteries, the supernatural elements and the list of bizarre characters, Twin Peaks has it all. In my opinion, the cinematography of the show was truly ahead of its time. Kyle’s Dale Cooper was especially entertaining. Twin Peaks’ experimental formula of the satirical soap opera is extremely unsettling yet rewarding to watch, I must warn you, it’s not for the faint-hearted!  If you are in search of TV shows like Lost then Twin Peaks won’t disappoint you.

The Prisoners (1967)

IMDB ratings: 8.5/10

Cast: Patrick McGoohan, Angelo Muscat and Geroge Markstien

Creator: Patrick McGoohan


The Prisoner centres around an unnamed British agent (Patrick McGoohan) who tries to flee his country after abruptly quitting his high-ranking government job. He is abducted and held captive in a strange ‘sea-side’ village that is isolated from the rest of the world. This village is a highly secure and monitored place filled with weird technology. There are only 17 episodes to this late 60s show but it manages to bring up such surreal surprises, it's sure to leave a great impact on the viewer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JrNr85fPms

The Prisoner’s unique concept influenced many popular shows including Lost. The creators of Lost even cited the show. I was very impressed by how ahead of its time The Prisoners proves to be. If you want to watch more shows similar to Lost the Prisoners should definitely be on your list.

6. Battlestar Galactica (2004)

IMDB ratings: 8.7/10

Cast: Katee Sackhoff, Edward James Olmos and Tricia Helfer 

Creator: Glen A. Larson

The 2004 Battlestar Galactica is a reboot of the original 1978 miniseries of the same name. Do not be mistaken by the title, the show is not related to Star Trek.  Battlestar Galactica is set in the 7th millennium AD and follows Cylons, the robot enemy of humanity that resurfaces to destroy the 12 colonies of Mankind. Only a few survive and are able to escape on ships led by a powerful warship called Battlestar Galactica. Mankind struggles to fight the Cylons and work their own political agendas and disputes while finding their long-lost 13th colony Earth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnYsf2Yv8i8

The show is a dark, intense and gritty socio-political commentary with EPIC cinematic value. The script is especially clever and as a huge fan of sci-fi shows, this show ticks the boxes in all the right categories. When the show was released, it blew the viewers and critics away. As far as an obsessive and gripping story goes, Battlestar Galactica is one of the most similar to shows like Lost. 

7. The New People (1969)

IMDB ratings: 7.3/10

Cast: David Moses, Zooey hall and Tiffany Boiling

Creator: Larry Gordon Aaron Spelling

The New People is an American Tv series that aired only for 1 season and is focused on a couple of college students who survive a plane crash. The incident takes place while they were returning from a trip to Southeast Asia, their plane crashes on an island in the south of the Pacific ocean. 

By now this show must already be sounding a lot like Lost to you, and it surely is. The remaining group of people discover an unusual truth about the island: there’s an above-ground unused nuclear test site filled with supplies for the survivors. If you want to see more plane survival stories like Lost then The New People should definitely be on your list.

8. Flight 29 Down (2005)

IMDB ratings: 7.2/10

Cast: Allen Alvarado, Halle Hirsh and Corbin Bleu

Creator:  Stan Rowgow D. J. MacHale

The show Flight 29 Down is a drama series about a group of pre-teens/teens who are stranded on a South Pacific island after their plane crashes in a tropical storm while they were flying from an eco-adventure camping trip in Palau. The show is in many ways a younger version of the Adult-centred show Lost but sans the supernatural elements. I’d say that the show draws inspiration from the show The New People.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLeG0w3kL8k

Flight 29 Down uses the technique of a video diary as a plot device for the viewers to keep up with the story of these children. It was very engaging to watch young intelligent characters finding their way on the island. The first two seasons of the show are quite engaging but I seemed to lose interest in its 3rd and final season. Regardless, Flight 29 Down is a really good series to watch if you want to see TV shows like Lost.

9. Fringe (2008)

IMDB ratings: 8.4/10

Cast: Anna Torv, John Noble and Joshua Jackson

Creator: J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci

Fringe is a popular Sci-fi crime drama television series. It may seem like a standard procedural drama at first, but the show actually explores the parallel universe, alternate versions of people filled with crazy scientific experiments. I personally had a great time watching this show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29bSzbqZ3xE

Fringe is actually inspired by shows like Lost, The X-files and The Twilight Zone. The 3 main characters of the show work with a special division called Fringe. There are so many brilliant twists and turns in Fringe that in my opinion, the show is at the top of its category. If you are searching for TV series like Lost, I strongly recommend you watch Fringe. 

10. Alcatraz (2012)

IMDB ratings: 6.9/10

Cast: Sarah Jones, George Garcia and Jonny Coyne 

Creator: Elizabeth Sarnoff, Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt

This American fiction show is based on the infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary built on Alcatraz island in San Francisco Bay. The prison is now closed but once kept some of the most dangerous criminals of America. The show takes the liberty to make a show around the conspiracies of the place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V514ACIGp_k

In the interesting premise we see that under unknown circumstances, 256 inmates and 46 guards of the prison disappear without a trace. Later the disappeared ones start to appear one by one without ageing a day and resume their criminal activities with no realisation of disappearance. A special government unit is dedicated to finding and putting those criminals back in prison. If you are looking for mystery shows similar to Lost, try watching Alcatraz. 

11. Under the Dome (2013)

IMDB ratings: 6.5/10

Cast: Alexander Koch and Rachelle Lefevre

Creator: Stephen King

Based on a novel written by the sci-fi legend Stephen King, Under the Dome tells the story of the residents of the fictional small town called Chester's Mill, when a huge, transparent and indestructible dome suddenly cuts them off from the rest of the world. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Y5YeYrqUk

Now the trapped residents try to find a way to discover the truth, origin and purpose of these domes. This journey forces them into situations where they learn more about each other than they ever knew. Under the Dome may not be on the top of this list but it’s quite a decent watch if you’re looking for mystery shows similar to Lost. 

12. Dark (2017)

IMDB ratings: 8.7/10

Cast: Louis Hofmann, Lisa Vicari and Gina Stiebitz

Creator: Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese

The German-language Netflix series Dark is an interesting blend of Science fiction and Mystery. Truly a compelling and mind-bending story to watch. At the beginning of Dark, many children suspiciously start disappearing in the German town of Winden. The dark past of generational mysteries of 4 families living in the town namely, Kahnwald, Nielsen, Doppler, and Tiedemann is brought to light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrwycJ08PSA

After the discovery of a wormhole, the lives of the families intertwine more than one can imagine. I believe every element of the show is top-notch, especially Dark’s cinematography, which is a TRUE masterpiece. If you are looking for TV series similar to Lost then the intense and gripping story of Dark is sure to keep you engrossed.

Honourable Mentions

Here are a few TV shows like Lost that didn’t make the list, but you can check them out nonetheless: 

  1. Carnivale
  2. Yellowjackets
  3. Game of Thrones
  4. Black Mirror
  5. Flashforward
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