Music

Pink Floyd settle dispute with EMI, sign new contract

by Ciaran Thompson

A legal battle has ended between Pink Floyd and EMI – the label they first signed with in the ’60s – and the band have signed a brand new contract which will last five years.

The court case was centered around Pink Floyd’s last record deal with EMI, signed before legal downloads came into practice, that said individual songs could not be sold without the band’s permission. The band argued that sales should also apply to online retailers like iTunes, saying their albums should not be split up.

The disagreement came when EMI said the word “record” in the contract applied “to the physical thing – there is nothing to suggest it applies to online distribution.” A judge eventually decided in the band’s favor in March and a recent appeal from the label has been dismissed.

Individual Pink Floyd tracks have remained on sale through digital outlets and will continue to be under the new deal.

Speaking about the new deal, EMI chief executive Roger Faxon said, “Pink Floyd are one of the most important and influential bands of all time and I know I speak for everyone at EMI when I say that it is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with them.” [BBC]