Pink Floyd have sold rights to their recordings, likeness, and more in a long-rumored deal with Sony, Variety and Financial Times report. Songwriting rights remain with the relevant band members, according to the reports.
The deal represents suggests core members Roger Waters and David Gilmour managed to come to an agreement despite an ongoing feud over Waters’ outspoken political opposition to Ukraine, Israel, and the United States. As well as their recorded music, Sony now controls the band’s brand, which includes merchandise and theatrical rights.
The sale is the latest in a flurry of music rights sales, typically involving recorded music catalogs as well as songwriting rights. Hipgnosis, the venture-capital startup behind many of those deals, recently sold to Blackstone for $1.6 billion, amid criticism of Merck Mercuriadis’ management. Mercuriadis has since stepped down as CEO.
