Pink Floyd Marks ‘Animals’ 50th Anniversary With Reissue Featuring Unreleased Music

Pink Floyd is commemorating the 50th anniversary of their iconic album Animals with a comprehensive new reissue. Titled Animals 50, this deluxe edition is set to release on January 22 through Sony. The collection features multiple previously unheard tracks, such as Roger Waters' solo composition "Young Nicholas Jon" and unreleased versions of "Sheep" and "Dogs."

Fans can listen to the exclusive "Sheep (Original Radio Edit)" track ahead of the release. Animals 50 will be made available in various formats, including CD, vinyl, and digital downloads. The original tracklist is expanded upon with a complete recording of the band's 1977 performance at Oakland Coliseum Arena, captured by teen bootlegger Reinhard Hohlwein.

The box set is accompanied by a 64-page book filled with liner notes penned by author Jonathan Lethem, an interview with bootlegger Reinhard Hohlwein, and an excerpt from Hipgnosis' Aubrey "Po" Powell recounting the creation of Animals' cover art. The book also includes a host of previously unseen images, encompassing photos from the album recording, the cover shoot at Battersea Power Station, and the tour that accompanied the release.

David Gilmour commented on the changes in the music landscape, stating, "The mood in music was changing in '77. Punk music was hitting everything and I suspect that had a little bit of an influence on the way we were working on the Animals album. I mean it’s quite an aggressive, stripped-back album. It was moving away from the sort of soundscapes that we had on Wish You Were Here.

This album is more in your face and more rough and ready." Last year, Pink Floyd unveiled a 50th anniversary reissue of their earlier album Wish You Were Here.