Shine On (1992)


Contains the complete compact discs of:
A Saucerful of Secrets
Meddle
The Dark Side of the Moon
Wish You Were Here
Animals
The Wall
A Momentary Lapse of Reason
 

Bonus Disc:
  1. Arnold Layne
  2. Candy and a Currant Bun
  3. See Emily Play
  4. The Scarecrow
  5. Apples and Oranges
  6. Paint Box
  7. It Would Be So Nice
  8. Julia Dream
  9. Point Me at the Sky
  10.Careful With That Axe, Eugene

 

Back in the early '90s, the compact disc was still battling the cassette tape for dominance, but the writing was already on the wall. CD players were becoming more affordable, and one of the biggest windfalls for the record industry came from fans re-buying all of their old vinyl collections in this new “high fidelity” format. Enter the Shine On box set—a collection that capitalized on this transition perfectly.

What made this release slightly unusual at the time was that it wasn’t a “typical” box set. It wasn’t a comprehensive career retrospective with outtakes, rarities, or unreleased gems. No, this was more of a curated repackaging of eight already-released albums on CD (seven full albums and one double). For fans who had already invested in the band’s catalog on vinyl or cassette, this was the perfect excuse to finally upgrade in one fell swoop. Pricey, yes—but when you looked at what you were getting, it was actually a fair value.

The heart of the collection is what most consider the band’s “classic” era: from Meddle through The Wall. That alone justifies the purchase for many. On top of that, they included a bonus disc called The Early Singles, which featured ten of the band’s first singles—most from the Syd Barrett era—that had never been available on a full-length album before. While some had turned up on odds-and-ends compilations over the years, this was the first time they were given a proper digital release.

The presentation didn’t skimp either. The set came with a large-format hardcover book detailing the albums and their artwork—something fans always seem to appreciate. Sure, if you were just a casual fan, this might have been overkill, but for those who took their Pink Floyd seriously, this was a worthy investment.

In hindsight, it’s easy to see Shine On as a product of its time—designed as much for format conversion as for celebration—but that doesn’t make it any less desirable for collectors or devoted listeners. It gave fans a neat, well-produced package of some of the best music the band ever made. And really, what more could you ask for?

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