After years of contentious negotiations and in-fighting, Pink Floyd has sold the rights to their entire music catalogue, name, and likeness to Sony Music for a reported $400M.
The landmark deal, finalised this week, grants Sony rights to the band’s merchandise and media spin-offs, while the songwriting copyrights will remain with the band members.
The British rock legends, whose groundbreaking albums like The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, The Wall, and Atom Heart Mother have collectively sold over 250 million records worldwide, agreed to the deal following a tumultuous period of negotiations. The band is the latest addition to Sony Music’s impressive roster, which already includes Queen, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen, all of whom have similarly sold their catalogues.
Pink Floyd’s legacy has been mired in disputes, notably between surviving members, including outspoken bassist Roger Waters and guitarist-keyboardist David Gilmour. A tax dispute and Waters’ controversial political comments delayed a planned $500M sale two years ago, with potential buyers like Hipgnosis, Warner Music, and BMG being left out of the deal. Waters has courted controversy with statements on Israel, Palestine, and Ukraine, prompting BMG to sever ties with him earlier this year.
The final deal was not without complications, involving Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason, and the estates of late keyboardist Richard Wright and founding frontman Syd Barrett. Gilmour expressed relief over the sale, telling *The Washington Post* that he wanted to avoid burdening his children with the band’s legacy and that he had grown weary of managing it after nearly four decades of disputes.
As Pink Floyd moves forward under Sony’s management, the band remains a cultural icon. They continue to garner millions of listeners on streaming platforms like Spotify, and their influence in music history endures. Last year, the group celebrated the 50th anniversary of *The Dark Side of the Moon* with a special box set, and while their last studio album, *The Endless River*, was released in 2014, their music remains as relevant as ever.
David Gilmour, who has been touring with his Luck and Strange Tour, expressed little concern over the future use of Pink Floyd’s image, stating, “I’ll be dead. Who gives a s*** what anyone does?” With this monumental deal, the band closes a chapter on decades of musical legacy, leaving it in the hands of Sony Music for future generations to experience.
