In a monumental music industry deal, legendary British rock band Pink Floyd has sold its music rights, including iconic albums like The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, to Sony Group for a reported $400 million.
The agreement, first reported by the Financial Times and confirmed by Variety, also includes rights to the band’s name and likeness, allowing Sony to produce merchandise, films, and TV shows based on the band's legacy.
This sale marks one of the largest and most significant in recent music history, with Pink Floyd joining the ranks of artists like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, whose catalogs have also been scooped up by Sony in recent years.
The long road to the deal
For fans, this transaction may come as a surprise, not only due to its size but because of the long-standing internal conflicts that have plagued the band, particularly between its key members, Roger Waters and David Gilmour. Waters and Gilmour have famously sparred over the years, with tensions resurfacing in recent disputes about both music and personal views.
Gilmour, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, expressed relief at the sale, admitting that he was less interested in the financial windfall and more eager to escape the “mud bath” of band-related decision-making. "I’m not interested in it from a financial standpoint," Gilmour said. "I’m only interested in getting out of the mud bath that it has been for quite a while."
The "mud bath" he referenced likely points to the persistent friction with Waters, who has been a controversial figure in recent years. Accusations of antisemitism have followed Waters, culminating in an investigation by Berlin police over his use of Nazi-style imagery during a concert. Waters has vehemently denied these accusations, though they’ve added to the complexities surrounding Pink Floyd's legacy and sale prospects.
A financial and cultural milestone
The deal includes the rights to Pink Floyd’s recorded music and name-and-likeness rights, but not the songwriting, which remains with the individual band members. This means that while Sony now controls the band’s vast catalog of recorded works, the songs themselves are still owned by the people who wrote them.
Sony has been aggressively expanding its music catalog in recent years, acquiring music rights from major artists like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Earlier this year, Sony also purchased Queen’s music rights for over €1 billion.
The acquisition of Pink Floyd’s catalog solidifies Sony’s position as a dominant force in the lucrative world of music rights, a market that has seen rapid growth as streaming services continue to thrive.
A band forever in conflict
The sale has finally come to fruition after years of speculation. Reports in 2022 suggested Pink Floyd was seeking as much as $500 million for its catalog, but controversy around Roger Waters may have deterred potential buyers. Waters made incendiary comments during a Rolling Stone interview that same year, including controversial remarks on Israel and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Waters’ opinions and legal troubles have added fuel to the internal band drama, making the sale process even more complicated.
Despite these conflicts, Pink Floyd remains one of the most influential rock bands in history. Their body of work, spanning decades, has left an indelible mark on music and culture. With Sony now holding the rights, fans may see even more of Pink Floyd's legacy integrated into films, television, and global merchandising.
As Gilmour steps away from the "mud bath," it’s clear that this deal is more than just a financial transaction—it represents the closing of a tumultuous chapter in the history of one of rock’s greatest bands.