The record had also topped the charts when it was originally released in 1975, and the success of the reocrd means that Pink Floyd are now the artist with the longest span between their first and last Number One albums, with it having been over 50 years since their first one.

David Gilmour celebrated on Friday and wrote on Instagram, “Raising a glass to the wonderful news that Wish You Were Here is the UK’s Christmas Number 1 album.”

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It is Pink Floyd’s second Number One album of the year, with their other one being ‘Pink Floyd At Pompeii – MCMLXXII’, the live album of a 1971 show that was released as a concert film in 1972, and then re-released earlier this year with newly mixed audio.

While it is the band’s first Number One album around Christmas time, they have had a Number One single at Christmas in 1979 with ‘Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2′. ‘Wish You Were Here’ tops the charts this year ahead of albums from Olivia Dean, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Sam Fender, and Michael Bublé.

The Top 10 on the Official Album Charts this Christmas:

1. Pink Floyd – ‘Wish You Were Here’

2. Olivia Dean – ‘The Art Of Loving’

3. Taylor Swift – ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’

4. Michael Bublé – ‘Christmas’

5. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Man’s Best Friend’

6. Sam Fender – ‘People Watching’

7. Fleetwood Mac – ‘Rumours’

8. The Weeknd – ‘The Highlights’

9. Fleetwood Mac – ’50 Years – Don’t Stop’

10. Oasis – ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’

To celebrate the re-release of ‘Wish You Were Here’, Pink Floyd have launced multiple pop-up stories across the UK, Europe and the US, where they are selling an exclusive edition of the Brain Damage fanzine.

In the singles chart, Kylie Minogue got her first ever Christmas Number One with ‘XMAS’, making her the first female solo artist to top the chart in four different decades. She successfully topped the charts over festive classics from Wham! and Mariah Carey, and got the eighth Number One single of her career.

The news comes exactly fifty years following the release of the original album, which debuted on September 12 1975. ‘Wish You Were Here 50’ is due to arrive on December 12 as a deluxe box set. Fans will also be able to hear the new version on digital platforms, and own it on 3LP, 2CD and Blu-ray.

The forthcoming reissue offers “an exciting new perspective into one of Pink Floyd’s most iconic and best-loved records” as publicised on a recent press release. The anniversary edition features six previously unreleased alternate versions and demos.

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It also includes 25 bonus tracks made up of nine studio rarities, and 16 live recordings captured by the renowned bootlegger Mike Millard at Pink Floyd’s Los Angeles Sports Arena concert on April 26, 1975. The live audio has been meticulously restored and remastered by Steven Wilson. Elsewhere, the Blu-ray edition gives fans the chance to watch three live screen films from the band’s 1975 tour, as well as a Storm Thorgerson short film.

Alongside the collection are exclusive collectable merchandise including refillable lighters, tshirts and a stage crew jacket.

To celebrate the announcement of the album reissue, Pink Floyd have shared a previously unreleased and unheard early demo recording of ‘Welcome To The Machine’. The earlier demo displays the same atmospheric ambience that Pink Floyd became so recognisable for but also shows how far the track developed from the original demo.

Fifty years on, the album’s sound is as resonant, important, and emotionally charged as ever. The anniversary edition features timeless tracks which remain cornerstones of rock history. The anniversary edition offers a comprehensive delve into the defining moment in Pink Floyd’s creative journey.

The 50^th anniversary edition of ‘Wish You Were Here’ can be pre-ordered at the link here.