After years of negotiations and band member disputes, the legendary British rock band Pink Floyd has finalized a deal to sell their recorded-music rights and name-and-likeness rights to Sony Music for approximately $400 million. Sources close to the band confirmed the transaction, marking one of the largest music catalog sales in recent years.
The deal includes the band’s recorded music but not the songwriting rights, which remain with individual members like Roger Waters and David Gilmour. It also includes rights related to merchandise and branding, as well as iconic artwork created by the design firm Hipgnosis. However, songwriting royalties, which are some of the most lucrative in the music industry, will stay with the original writers.
Sony’s acquisition adds to a string of high-profile catalog purchases in recent years, including Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. The catalog features timeless Pink Floyd albums such as "The Dark Side of the Moon," "The Wall," and "Wish You Were Here," making it one of the most valuable in music history.
David Gilmour had previously expressed his desire to sell the catalog, saying he wanted to free himself from the "decision-making and arguments" that have plagued the group for decades. Long-standing tensions between bandmates, particularly Gilmour and Waters, have made negotiations difficult. Still, the deal finally came to fruition despite these internal conflicts.
The Pink Floyd catalog sale has been in discussion for several years, with an initial asking price of $500 million. Negotiations fell apart in 2022 due to Waters’ controversial comments and financial challenges in the market, but it seems the band has now reached a resolution.
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