Why is Pink Floyd more popular and appealing than Rush?

[Andy Marshman]

I was a late-to-join PF fan. Where I lived in the 70s to 2000, there was only boring Country music stations (a rural area). I caught on to Floyd via my teenage son and his friends. I was instantly hooked.
I'm from Toronto and once again live in the area. I could have gone to see the final Rush tour but just couldn't bring myself to go. I like some of their stuff and I admire their individual talents, but I just was not into them. It is a fact that Rush's audience is mostly male. Perhaps it's the drum thing? Ged's vocals are an acquired taste. I've become ok with it, but I only listen to one song at a time - in other words, I wouldn't make a Rush playlist or listen to an entire album.
I did see Floyd's final tour mid-90s and it was everything I expected and more. FWIW I've also gone to 3 Roger Waters shows, including The Wall, twice.

 

[Herrick]

David Gilmour's amazingly lyrical guitar tone and phrasing (the man knows how to make the guitar sing) is one of the reasons of Pink Floyd's popularity as well.

That and he has a much more pleasant-sounding voice compared to Lee. Gilmour and Wright really sounded good when they sang together. It's too bad Wright didn't get to do more vocals. I'm not really a fan of Waters' voice even though I really like The Wall.

Overall, Pink Floyd's music was more approachable at least the stuff from Dark Side of the Moon up to The Wall. Oh yeah and it must've helped that Pink Floyd just looked cooler than Rush.

I like both bands but I like Rush a lot more.

 

[john_g]

That's not it at all. They have been various versus threads that have been shut down on talk base why must we compare bands that have nothing to do with each other at all?

Cept, thats what it devolves into. I like blue better than red, and Im right

 

[bassicmike]

The vocals. The lyrics. The songwriting.

 

[john_g]

Well 2 out 3 are much better singers.

The songs are better.

The lyrics are much much much better.

RUSH has better virtuosity with their musicianship but that's not enough to make up for all the other things.

And any lack of virtuosity in David Gilmour's guitar playing was more than offset by his unparalleled melodic sensibilities.

Is your opinion. I think Rush has way better lyrics, by far, and I cant stand roger waters...and neither can anyone else in PF.

 

[MoireBass]

It is a fact though that a large percentage of Rush's audience is male. Same way for King Crimson (who has much better vocals). Robert Fripp asked his wife what he could do to get more female fans to come to KC shows:

 

[StereoPlayer]

@StereoPlayer

Huh, what?

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Vocals

 

[MVE]

Is your opinion. I think Rush has way better lyrics, by far, and I cant stand roger waters...and neither can anyone else in PF.

Yes, it is my opinion about the lyrics.

But, as far as Rick Wright and David Gilmour being much better singers… That's a fact!!!

 

[DanAdams]

Maybe it's because Pink Floyd sounds good and Rush sounds bad.

 

[Hankenstein]

Perhaps more people prefer to be comfortably numb...

 

[Riff Ranger]

Brian Johnson may not be your cup of tea either but he's not in the same category as Geddy/Axl/Plant. I can't stand anyone doing that nasal rock n roll version of the hillbilly whine. (Can't stand in in country either. Gimme Waylon over Hank any day) Johnson is gravelly voices sure, but he's not whiney

Yeah, that just comes down to personal taste. Geddy, Axl, and Plant aren't among my favorite (or least favorite) singers but they sang in bands where the whole package worked well enough for me. In the case of Rush, it helps that Geddy is definitely among my favorite bassists (and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour is hands-down my favorite lead guitarist, while we're at it). Something about the vocals in AC/DC, Exodus, Jackyl, and Overkill really bugs me, presumably like how Axl, Geddy, and Plant bug a lot of listeners. I don't dispute the talent of any of those vocalists, but they just don't do it for me.

 

[80jazz]

I wonder about 2 things:

1) I wonder how much of the criticisms concerning Geddy Lee's vocals are concerning his pre-1982 voice.

2) I wonder how many people are familiar with tunes like The Pass and Bravado.

I will take those tunes over Brain Damage any day.

I am huge fan of both bands.

 

[Chrisk-K]

I love them both. Why PF more popular? Because of Roger Waters, the deepest mind Rock has ever witnessed.

 

[Bass-ball]

Why are these two even being compared? The only thing they have in common is they're both classified as "rock music."

Rush vs Mystery or maybe Pallas? I get it. Floyd vs Eloy or RPWL? I can see it. But Rush vs Floyd makes no sense to me.

 

[kmd88]

Rush is way better Permanent Waves on (subjective). Signals through Hold Your Fire is my favorite. I don't even really throw on the 70's "proggy" era all that much (still good though). Geddy's voice tamed down a bit and the addition of the keyboards and shorter "poppier" songs is welcomed in my book. Alex is way under appreciated in this era...very creative guitar playing!

I have no problem throwing it on in front of Women. I'm lucky to be around alot of creative types here in LA though. My GF gets it too. (lucky me?)

Pink Floyd is fine too. I like Meddle, Animals, and Piper. As I've matured they have become more silly though.

 

[BigJohnAZ]

Vocals, lyrical themes, music. Pink Floyd is just generally easier on the ears.

I love both, but I've yet to meet a woman in person who was gaga over either, tbt.

My wife loves Rush as much as PF.

 

[Bass-ball]

My wife loves Rush as much as PF.

My wife freaking hates Floyd, and one of her favorites songs is Tom Sawyer. Very surprising given how much more melodic I think PF songs can be. Edit: I just asked her why she doesn't like PF and she said she went to one of their concerts (must have been Division Bell tour) and she said it sucked: it was slow, there was nothing to dance to, and everyone was wasted.

So I guess for some, it's not just about the music.

 

[Lownote38]

This is really simple. Pink Floyd is far more accessible than Rush in a musical sense. True prog isn't easy on the ear. Pink Floyd isn't too challenging in that way. They're also way more mellow.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

David Gilmour's amazingly lyrical guitar tone and phrasing (the man knows how to make the guitar sing) is one of the reasons of Pink Floyd's popularity as well.

When I was a lad, I enjoyed them both equally, for different reasons. I learned a lot of their stuff on guitar from records in the teenage years. To this day, I count Gilmour as a tremendous early influence. I even use his solos in my jazz analysis class at the U to show that he outlines changes in the same way that great jazz musicians do. Fantastic melodic player.