Pink Floyd has reportedly agreed to sell their recorded music rights, along with the band’s name and likeness, to Sony Music for an eye-popping $400 million.
Sources close to the deal told Variety that after years of negotiations, the iconic British rock band and Sony finally reached an agreement. The transaction includes the rights to some of Pink Floyd’s most legendary albums, such as Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, Wish You Were Here, Meddle, and Animals. However, it does not cover songwriting copyrights, which will remain in the hands of the individual band members.
This acquisition represents one of the largest deals Sony Music has made in recent years, adding Pink Floyd’s extensive catalogue to its growing roster of valuable music assets. Notably, the deal focuses on the band’s recorded music rights, excluding the underlying songwriting copyrights that continue to be owned by Pink Floyd’s primary songwriters.
Negotiations were not without their challenges. Tensions reportedly flared among band members, particularly between Roger Waters and David Gilmour, who have long been known for their creative differences. Other members involved in the process included drummer Nick Mason and the estates of the late keyboardist Richard Wright and founding member Syd Barrett.
This isn’t the first time Pink Floyd’s music catalog has been up for sale. In 2022, the band was on the brink of selling their rights to Sony for a much higher figure—around $500 million.
However, that deal ultimately fell apart, partly due to controversial political statements made by Roger Waters, which reportedly caused unease among potential buyers. Waters’ outspoken views on Israel, Ukraine, and his support for Russia at the time negatively impacted the negotiations, leading to a significant devaluation of the band’s catalog.
Sony’s acquisition of Pink Floyd’s recorded music rights is part of a broader trend in the music industry, where major labels are buying up the rights to iconic artists’ catalogs. The company has already spent over a billion dollars on similar deals, acquiring music rights from mega-stars like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Queen.
This strategic push by Sony to own music assets reflects the high value placed on legendary catalogs that continue to generate revenue through streaming, licensing, and various media uses.
