Pink Floyd did not rerecord Animals three times. The album arrived in 1977 with its original stereo mix; Animals 2018 Remix refers to new mixes created by James Guthrie in 2018 but commercially released in 2022; and the Dolby Atmos Blu-ray, released in 2024, added an immersive mix. The Atmos disc also carries the 1977 and 2018 stereo versions and the 2018 5.1 mix. Recording date, mixing date and disc release date therefore describe different things.
What is the original 1977 Animals?
Pink Floyd’s tenth studio album was released in January 1977. According to the band and Legacy Recordings, it was recorded at Britannia Row Studios in London throughout 1976 and early 1977, with the band producing the sessions. That original recording, in its period stereo mix, is the reference point for comparing later editions.
The album contains five tracks in its familiar order: Pigs on the Wing (Part One), Dogs, Pigs (Three Different Ones), Sheep and Pigs on the Wing (Part Two). Its social satire, inspired by George Orwell’s Animal Farm, belongs to the original album’s concept. The newer editions are not new compositions or collections of previously unreleased songs.
The 2022 announcement credits Brian Humphries with the original 1977 stereo mix. A modern reissue that uses this mix still presents the original performance and period balance, even if its medium, mastering or digital resolution differs from the original LP. Mixing and mastering are not interchangeable: remixing changes the balance of recorded elements, whereas remastering prepares an existing mix for a particular release.
Why is a 2018 remix dated 2022?
James Guthrie prepared new stereo and 5.1 mixes of Animals in 2018. The name 2018 Remix identifies when the mixing work was done, not when the record came out. In an announcement dated June 30, 2022, Legacy Recordings scheduled individual CD, LP, Blu-ray and SACD editions for September 16, with the Deluxe Gatefold package following on October 7. Pink Floyd’s own album page likewise dates the reissue to September 2022.
With a new mix, instruments, voices, effects and perceived space can have different levels and positions, depending on the engineer’s decisions. This does not mean the musicians returned to the studio to rerecord the album. Nor should the two-channel stereo remix be confused with 5.1: these are separate presentations of the same music using different channel layouts.
The range of physical formats adds another distinction. The 2022 campaign’s LPs and CDs carry the stereo remix, while the audio Blu-ray and SACD support the multichannel versions specified for their respective editions. The 2022 Deluxe package included an LP, CD, audio DVD and audio Blu-ray, along with a 32-page book. Multiple discs in the box do not mean every disc includes every audio mix.
Comparison: which mix is on which edition?
| Mix or edition | Relevant date | Audio configuration | Where documented | Key difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 original stereo | Album released January 1977 | Two-channel stereo | Original LP; 1977 Original Stereo selections on the 2022 and 2024 Blu-rays | Preserves the album’s period mix. |
| 2018 stereo remix | Mixed in 2018; released in 2022 | Two-channel stereo | Reissue CD and LP; 2022 and 2024 Blu-rays | New stereo balance by James Guthrie. |
| 2018 5.1 remix | Mixed in 2018; released in 2022 | 5.1 surround | 2022 Blu-ray and 2024 Atmos Blu-ray; other multichannel formats in the 2022 campaign | Spreads the music across surround channels. |
| Dolby Atmos | Blu-ray announced and released in 2024 | Dolby Atmos immersive mix | Dedicated 2024 Dolby Atmos audio Blu-ray | Adds a spatial presentation absent from the earlier Blu-ray’s listed mixes. |
Resolution and codec specifications belong to each physical disc. Blu-ray figures should not automatically be applied to LPs, CDs, DVDs or digital services.
What is on the 2022 Blu-ray without Dolby Atmos?
The official store lists three mixes on the Animals (2018 Remix) Blu-ray: 2018 stereo at 24-bit/192 kHz, 2018 5.1 surround at 24-bit/96 kHz, and original 1977 stereo at 24-bit/192 kHz. Its listing specifies uncompressed audio and DTS-HD Master Audio for those tracks. Dolby Atmos is not part of that product’s published mix list.
This is a difference between editions, not merely a variation in product names. The disc called Animals (2018 Remix) Blu-Ray and the official product explicitly marked Dolby Atmos Mix are separate releases. A Blu-ray can offer 5.1 surround without Atmos because the two mixes use different presentation and encoding approaches.
What did the 2024 Dolby Atmos Blu-ray add?
In March 2024, SuperDeluxeEdition’s Paul Sinclair reported that a new audio Blu-ray would be released on May 17 that year. The addition was a Dolby Atmos mix created by James Guthrie. It was not another studio album, nor did it force a replacement of the 1977 sound: the disc combines Atmos with 2018 5.1 surround, 2018 stereo and the original 1977 stereo mix.
Pink Floyd’s official store confirms all four choices. On the Atmos edition, the 2018 5.1 track is listed at 24-bit/96 kHz, while the 2018 and 1977 stereo tracks are listed at 24-bit/192 kHz, with uncompressed and DTS-HD Master Audio options. The same product listing does not assign a single bit depth or sample rate to the Atmos track, so the stereo specifications should not be attributed to it.
The Atmos product comes in a digipak with a 16-page booklet, sticker and postcard. Its revised imagery depicts Battersea Power Station and draws on the light projections staged for the 2022 remix launch. Packaging can help distinguish the versions, but the definitive check is the audio mix list rather than the cover alone.
How to choose the right edition
- For the period mix, select 1977 Original Stereo in a Blu-ray menu or choose an edition explicitly identified as using the original mix. A date printed on the disc is not enough.
- For the two-channel remix, look for 2018 Remix Stereo. The number 2018 does not mean the CD, LP or Blu-ray was released that year.
- For 5.1 surround, the Blu-ray released in 2022 already provides it. There is no reason to assume that disc includes Atmos.
- For the immersive mix, look for the Blu-ray explicitly labelled Dolby Atmos Mix, released in 2024, and use compatible playback equipment. The Atmos edition still lets listeners select its other included mixes.
The practical distinction is that 1977 Animals identifies the album and its original mix; Animals 2018 Remix identifies new mixes made available in 2022; and the 2024 Dolby Atmos Blu-ray combines those options with an additional mix. None of those dates alone tells you which soundtrack is playing: check the edition specifications and the disc menu.
Sources and references
- Pink Floyd: Original Animals album
- Pink Floyd: Animals (2018 Remix): album page
- Legacy Recordings: 2022 release announcement
- Loja oficial Pink Floyd: Blu-ray 2018: 2018 Remix Blu-ray without Atmos: specifications
- Loja oficial Pink Floyd: Blu-ray Atmos: Dolby Atmos Blu-ray: specifications
- SuperDeluxeEdition: anúncio de 2024: March 2024 report by Paul Sinclair
