What was Pink Floyd's first hit single?

Pink Floyd’s first hit single was “Arnold Layne.”

Released in the United Kingdom on March 10, 1967, “Arnold Layne” was written by Syd Barrett and produced by Joe Boyd. Its unusual subject—a fictional man who steals women’s clothing from washing lines—helped announce Pink Floyd as a distinctly psychedelic and eccentric young band.

The single was recorded in London at Sound Techniques and EMI Studios. Its B-side, “Candy and a Currant Bun,” was also written by Barrett, who was Pink Floyd’s principal creative force during the group’s earliest period.

Readers sometimes confuse “Arnold Layne” with “See Emily Play,” Pink Floyd’s second single and their bigger early commercial breakthrough. “See Emily Play” reached a higher chart position, but “Arnold Layne” came first and is recognized as the band’s debut single and first hit.