Keith Richards is one of the most famous guitarists in rock history. As a founding member of The Rolling Stones, he helped shape rock music for more than 60 years. Richards is also known for being very honest — sometimes brutally honest — about other musicians. Over the years, he has criticized many famous artists, including Prince, the Sex Pistols, Led Zeppelin, and even Black Sabbath. So, it should not come as a shock that Pink Floyd also ended up on his list.
Pink Floyd formed in 1965 and quickly became one of the most unique bands of their time. In the early days, the band was led by Syd Barrett, whose creative and psychedelic ideas helped define the sound of the late 1960s. Their music was strange, experimental, and unlike anything else. After Barrett left the band, Roger Waters slowly became the main creative force. Under his leadership, Pink Floyd moved toward progressive rock, complex concepts, and large-scale live performances.
No matter how you feel about their music, one thing is hard to deny: Pink Floyd became one of the greatest live acts of all time. Their reputation grew even stronger after the release of Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii in 1972. The film showed the band performing in an ancient Roman amphitheatre with no audience. It focused on atmosphere, sound, and visuals, creating something closer to a piece of art than a normal rock concert.
However, Keith Richards was not impressed.
In a 2016 interview, Richards said that Pink Floyd’s music had “nothing to do with rock ’n’ roll.” He criticized their shows for being more about lights and visuals than the band itself. To him, Pink Floyd felt like theatre rather than real rock music. Richards even joked that their music wouldn’t work without the light show, suggesting that the spectacle mattered more than the playing.
To understand his criticism, you need to understand how Richards sees rock music. For him, rock is about a group of musicians playing together, feeding off each other’s energy. He believes the magic comes from teamwork, not technology. Richards often compares rock music to jazz — spontaneous, human, and slightly messy. In his view, once music becomes too planned or too controlled, it loses its soul.
Pink Floyd took the opposite approach as their career developed. Albums like The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall were carefully planned concept albums. Their concerts included massive sound systems, huge screens, special effects, and sometimes even walls built on stage. Roger Waters focused on big ideas like war, politics, mental health, and isolation. For many fans, this made Pink Floyd deeper and more meaningful. For Richards, it made them feel distant and artificial.
The irony is that The Rolling Stones also play huge stadium shows with fireworks, giant screens, and dramatic visuals. This makes Richards’ criticism feel a bit unfair. Still, from his point of view, the difference is intention. He believes the Stones use visuals to support the music, while Pink Floyd built the music around the visuals.
In the end, this debate isn’t about who is right or wrong. It’s about two very different ideas of what rock music should be. Keith Richards believes rock should stay raw and simple. Pink Floyd believed rock could evolve into something bigger and more artistic.
Both bands changed music forever — just in very different ways.