Wish You Were Here was certified gold in the UK and the US in its year of release and topped the charts in several European countries. By 2004, it had sold an estimated 13 million copies worldwide. It initially received mixed reviews; critics found its music uninspiring and inferior to Pink Floyd’s previous work. It was later acclaimed as one of the greatest albums of all time, appearing on lists including Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums at which it was ranked at #264 in 2021. It was cited by the keyboardist, Richard Wright, and the guitarist, David Gilmour, as their favorite Pink Floyd album.