Pink Floyd Win EMI Battle

Rockers Pink Floyd have triumphed in their battle against EMI - record label bosses have been ordered to pay the group $60,000 (£40,000) as part of a dispute over online royalty payments.

The Wall hitmakers took their case to London's High Court on Tuesday (09Mar10), with lawyers for the band arguing the company should not be allowed to dismantle the group's albums and sell individual tracks online.

The band's attorney Robert Howe claimed a contractual clause between the parties "expressly prohibited" such "unbundling", insisting the band wants to retain "artistic control" over its work.

And Judge Andrew Morritt ruled in the group's favour on Thursday - ordering EMI chiefs to hand over $60,000 (£40,000) in costs as an interim payment, with the full amount to be calculated at a later date. The band reportedly won an increase in royalty payments from the online sales, but this aspect of the case has been kept private at the request of EMI bosses.

The judgement also bans EMI from selling the band's tracks individually online without the rockers' permission.

Thanks for the report to Contactmusic.com.

Comments

[akimbros]

Artistic license triumphs over evil!

[alkalineweeman]

Next they need to tackle pubs that only have the song 'Wish You Were Here' on the jukebox, man, that really irritates me. I've been into one pub with the full of darkside on it, safe to say the locals weren't impressed when i pumped a fiver in and played the full thing.

[Antoine-Øleg]

Pink Floyd > any recording label.

[welcomeblack]

Although this is a great achievement in today's world where the artist's vision has been masked by the record labels...
"Pink Floyd" now consists of Gilmour and Waters. I think they're just doing it for the money.

[benz0r]

But the band split up...so is the money going to get split between the musicians or is it going to the entity of "Pink Floyd"? I'd really hate to see Roger Waters walk away with most of the money.

[Johnthevault]

Good Job Pink Floyd!

[Vinushka]

I really don't think either of them care about money. These guys probably have more money than they know what to do with.

[bokma]

Don't **** with Floyd!

[LeperMessiah_]

The Wall hitmakers

Oh Jesus Christ on a stick. The band isn't a hitmaking machine of pop rock...

[LeperMessiah_]

welcomeblack wrote:
"Pink Floyd" now consists of Gilmour and Waters. I think they're just doing it for the money.

And Nick Mason. Most credits to them, yes. However I am sure it's related to artistic integrity that comes with a conceptual work of art, meant to be ingested as a whole, rather than having it's popular hits taken and sold while he rest of it is ignored.

[thrashmonkey]

I'm not a Pink Floyd fan AT ALL, but this is interesting. On the one hand, I think that if the album is intended to be listened to all the way through, that's how people should be listening to it. But I don't think that it's serious enough to be taking anyone to court over it.

Also, I think that since the whole album costs more than just one song, they might be trying to squeeze a bit more money out of people who just want the one song. Not sure if this is true, and i know I'm just being cynical, but it is a possibility

[goodlifebadlife]

Proof of how pretentious Pink Floyd are. I like some of their stuff, but dont want to have to buy whole albums and listen to twenty minute synth intros just to get to the good stuff.

[Eirien]

welcomeblack wrote:

Although this is a great achievement in today's world where the artist's vision has been masked by the record labels...
"Pink Floyd" now consists of Gilmour and Waters. I think they're just doing it for the money.[/quote]

No way, it's all about the albums. Pink Floyd were one of the first bands to sign a record deal based on making albums rather than singles. And they were damn good at making those albums too. People would be missing the point of the Floyd entirely if they only ever listened to a few tracks. Imagine if in the future they were remembered for nothing more than 'Money' and 'Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2'... *shudders*

[shwilly]

60 quid? That seems kinda strange:

Maybe it's like a symbolic settlement so EMI could go "look, these people are millionaires and we got away with paying them approximately nothing, hahaha!", thereby diverting the attention from the real matter which is that all the surviving Pink Floyd members are now going to earn many more millions in royality payments, which is what they were after anyways

Good for them, if anyone is to get any money from music sales it better the the people who created it in the first place

[Ledforthehead]

welcomeblack wrote:
"Pink Floyd" now consists of Gilmour and Waters. I think they're just doing it for the money.

They haven't been Floyd since 94. And they are right. If you don't listen to animals all the way through something is wrong with you. I only turn a Pink Floyd song on if i know i can finish the whole album.

[Quicksand15]

Good news!

[jeffbecklad]

Any victory against a record label is a victory for all of us. Go Floyd!

[jkassel]

welcomeblack wrote:
"Pink Floyd" now consists of Gilmour and Waters. I think they're just doing it for the money.

yeah, seeing as the lawsuit was for a paltry 40,000 pounds, i doubt it's about money. plus, the members of floyd are well-known for being able to personally finance shows that cost almost a million pounds a show. something tells me money isn't the issue here...

[FattMikE]

I just read about this battle deal yesterday and its already solved....damn the floyd gets shit done fast....no if only Duke Nukem Forever could get it going...heres to wishing

[the_white_bunny]

hahhahaha 60 grand.... hahaha. they dont care they are something like the 4th or 5th wealthiest band ever.

[SGstriker]

The people saying it's about money obviously have no idea what they are talking about. At least in David Gilmour's case, he donates more money to charity than nearly everyone in here will make in their lifetime. Remember that Live Aid performance where they had the members of Floyd reunite? He donated all of the money he made at that to charity.
So...those of you that are saying it's all about money...do some research before you spew filth from your mouth.

[MonsterOfRock]

goodlifebadlife wrote:

Proof of how pretentious Pink Floyd are. I like some of their stuff, but dont want to have to buy whole albums and listen to twenty minute synth intros just to get to the good stuff.

Then you're not listenning to it right.

[Honky]

LeperMessiah_ wrote:

The Wall hitmakers

Oh Jesus Christ on a stick. The band isn't a hitmaking machine of pop rock...

No, they are a hitmaking machine of psychadellic rock!

[benz0r]

The people saying it's about money obviously have no idea what they are talking about. At least in David Gilmour's case, he donates more money to charity than nearly everyone in here will make in their lifetime. Remember that Live Aid performance where they had the members of Floyd reunite? He donated all of the money he made at that to charity.

Yeah, that and he wrote his last few albums on his freaking YACHT, which even has his recording studio on it. Half of those songs off the album "On An Island" I could imagine him drinking a scotch on the rocks and writing on the deck of his boat..

[WastedTele]

Pink Floyd own.

[MrSir4]

I do not agree with the people saying that this is JUST for the money (c'mon people, money is a contributing factor. But that is not their MAIN reason for doing this)

As a musician who creates his own music, the way I put my albums together is deeply inspired by Pink Floyd, if I ever make it big and my record label sold single songs without my consent I would do the same thing without a second thought.

Listening to the whole albums is part of what makes Pink Floyd so great, and nobody does it like they do. Anybody who has heard Wish You Were Here, Dark Side of The Moon, or basically any Pink Floyd record will know exactly what I am talking about. It is more than just some songs in a specific order. They add sound effects before and/or after their songs to give the album more of an atmosphere.

[SmittyMan90]

GOOD! They desere it if EMI was ripping them off, like the record company needs the money anyway.

[FlyingPirahna]

FattMikE wrote:

I just read about this battle deal yesterday and its already solved....damn the floyd gets shit done fast....no if only Duke Nukem Forever could get it going...heres to wishing

Duke...How I wish you were here
You're just one lost game only known by name
Year after year\

[jhart08]

Great for them...any floyd fan knows that you have to listen to the album all the way through...and for those of you calling this a "money grab," they would make a lot more money splitting up their tracks online than they would just selling the whole album...most people who buy online only want to buy a couple of songs from the band anyway and wouldnt buy the whole album for one song.

[MeGaDeth2314]

goodlifebadlife wrote:

Proof of how pretentious Pink Floyd are. I like some of their stuff, but dont want to have to buy whole albums and listen to twenty minute synth intros just to get to the good stuff.

20 minute synth intros? Please point out to me where Pink Floyd has an intro that exceeds 3 minutes and only contains synth.

[MeGaDeth2314]

And Pink Floyd is anything but pretentious, besides maybe Roger Waters. They're very patient, careful songwriters. Please know something about a band before you try to insult them.

[Hasok]

alkalineweeman wrote:

Next they need to tackle pubs that only have the song 'Wish You Were Here' on the jukebox, man, that really irritates me. I've been into one pub with the full of darkside on it, safe to say the locals weren't impressed when i pumped a fiver in and played the full thing.

lol pink floyd isnt the kind of music i want to listen in a pub..are you crazy?

[Chris_09]

akimbros wrote:

Artistic license triumphs over evil!

lol, glad to hear it. go Floyd!!! And people need to stop being cheap and buy the albums aswell but thats just my opinion.

[Axl_Explosion]

Way go to, Floyd! It's great to see a band stand up for their material and the way it was meant to be heard, and come out on the winning end.

Also, I just want to say how much I love the people here, lol. This article had 3 posts saying this was about money, which is just stupid considering the guys have more money than God, and then we came together as a group and ripped the idiots who said it was about money for the next, like, 30 posts.

Lesson Learned: Do your research before you talk shit, because we will punk your ass out if you don't!!

[Mazzieh]

Pink Floyd albums should be listened and taken as a whole piece, not split tracks.

[Anjohl]

Waters has nothing to do with Pink Floyd now that I know of...they did that one reunion concertn, but I am pretty sure that's it.

[Bugman88]

jhart08 wrote:

Great for them...any floyd fan knows that you have to listen to the album all the way through...and for those of you calling this a "money grab," they would make a lot more money splitting up their tracks online than they would just selling the whole album...most people who buy online only want to buy a couple of songs from the band anyway and wouldnt buy the whole album for one song.

Agreed. Pink Floyd albums are meant to be listened all the way through. PF forever!

[limpidgreen345]

shwilly wrote:

60 quid? That seems kinda strange:

Maybe it's like a symbolic settlement so EMI could go "look, these people are millionaires and we got away with paying them approximately nothing, hahaha!", thereby diverting the attention from the real matter which is that all the surviving Pink Floyd members are now going to earn many more millions in royality payments, which is what they were after anyways

Good for them, if anyone is to get any money from music sales it better the the people who created it in the first place

"...ordering EMI chiefs to hand over $60,000 (£40,000) in costs as an interim payment, with the full amount to be calculated at a later date."

[lifeisbeutiful]

i love this. band i have to say they are just getting greedy like metallica anf napster

[rickyj]

perhaps now artists will start suing, forcing people to buy the entire album and not just individual tracks and artists will actually get some album sales.

[fitzyp]

Anyone who claims you have to listen to the whole album is either pretentious or money grabbing.

[wemonir]

fitzyp wrote:

Anyone who claims you have to listen to the whole album is either pretentious or money grabbing.

?????
soon people will only listen to the solo or their favorite verse before skipping to listen to their favorite 30 seconds of a new song
i have no problem with people listening to music how they want, but questioning the artists intentions on how something they created is "meant" to be listened to is silly

[Daburcor]

LeperMessiah_ wrote:

The Wall hitmakers

Oh Jesus Christ on a stick. The band isn't a hitmaking machine of pop rock...

A hit is a hit, and The Wall was most certainly a hit (as were a number of their records). There's nothing wrong with that.

[howamidriving?]

crazy8rgood wrote:

goodlifebadlife wrote:

Proof of how pretentious Pink Floyd are. I like some of their stuff, but dont want to have to buy whole albums and listen to twenty minute synth intros just to get to the good stuff.

More like 4 minute synth intro's, and more like you have no idea what you're talking about and probably just heard "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (which is only 14 minutes, at it has the longest synth intro I've ever heard in a PF song, only around 4-5 minutes, not "20") and decided "LOL WUT PRETENSHUS FOOKZ LOLLOOLLLL NOT POPPY ENOOF LOOOLOOOLOOOLLLLLOOLOLL

or maybe, just maybe, he was exaggerating. i used to be a big floyd fan but i agree with goodlife anymore these days.

and also pink floyd really needs to step into the 21st century. maybe if some just buys comfortably numb theyll like it enough to buy the whole album.

the music business has changed in the past few years and it's this type of thinking that pulling it further into the quicksand

[aig91]

Checked

[wolfy808]

The issue was that EMI was trying to sell PInk Floyd's songs as single songs, instead of a whole album. With artists like Pink Floyd, you need to listen to whole album. This has to do with all artistic integrity.

[Deacon Blues]

its not about money - they don't need the money guys.

[modirnwarfare]

Happy for them, but they are kinda overrated. They are no longer relevant to modern music, I think Green Day, and Linkin Park give them a good run for their money when it comes to influence in the music industry.

[Jyrgen]

modirnwarfare wrote:

Happy for them, but they are kinda overrated. They are no longer relevant to modern music, I think Green Day, and Linkin Park give them a good run for their money when it comes to influence in the music industry.

Troll huh?

[vagelier]

"Rockers Pink Floyd"
lol

benz0r wrote:

But the band split up...so is the money going to get split between the musicians or is it going to the entity of "Pink Floyd"? I'd really hate to see Roger Waters walk away with most of the money.

Roger Waters wrote The Wall. He deserves it.

[fLYinGV23]

modirnwarfare wrote:

Happy for them, but they are kinda overrated. They are no longer relevant to modern music, I think Green Day, and Linkin Park give them a good run for their money when it comes to influence in the music industry.

I wouldn't take some one with a name like "modirnwarfare" seriously. But I have to say good for the Floyd! I hate how the music industry now a days is just about pushing out singles with no intent of actually making a solid album.

[sboyd1989]

Green Day and Linkin Park? Hahaha! Influence in the music industry? Linkin Park did one album at the right time and have spent their time since trying to recapture that success. All of their songs sound the same and everyone is aware of it. Green Day are poppy commercial sellouts who went from a lively punk-y band to cashing in on the emotional rock thing and trying to be serious and sensitive. Theose bands are overrated. Pink Floyd are not overrated. How many bands come out with 'This album is our 'Dark Side of the Moon'', or 'This is our 'The Wall''? I've seen it countless times. Pink Floyd were pioneers, incredibly original and every album sounds different, and they are (mostly) solid albums, musical journeys to be experienced as a whole. Not commercial souning singles that try to mimic past successes. What have Green Day and Linking Park brought to the table really? F**k all.

[shredred048]

modirnwarfare wrote:

Happy for them, but they are kinda overrated. They are no longer relevant to modern music, I think Green Day, and Linkin Park give them a good run for their money when it comes to influence in the music industry.

when were you born?? if not right now it must have been yesterday

[Damning_Plight]

Pink Floyd.. overrated??? Okay, you are calling Green Day an influecnce in the music industry? The band (GD) have gotten as big as they are through the use of a CONCEPT album, something that was revolutionized (tho not created) by Floyd, yet another example of floyd's steady influence. and for the love of god, NEVER even use the name Pink Floyd in the same sentance as those four chord hitting sellouts. Another example of Floyd's influence still being felt today would be Coheed and Cambria. They use ambience, effects and planned lyrics to tell a STORY through their music. Tool's 10,000 days album shared the same eery ambiance as a pink floyd album. Any band who plays progressive rock music will tell you they were inspired by Pink Floyd. another thing that caught my eye was someone complaining about "20 minute synth intro's" for christsake man, please list ONE song. Just one. and as far as the floyd being in it for the money... HAVE YOU LISTENED TO ANY OF THERE MUSIC???? i mean any of it??? One of the outstanding themes of DSOTM was the evils of greed and money. i need to stop, im starting to ramble.

[the_white_bunny]

A hit is a hit, and The Wall was most certainly a hit (as were a number of their records). There's nothing wrong with that.

yeah dark side of the moon was on the charts for 11 years!!!!!
73 -84? wtf.

[Jacksabbath_44]

i support them by one sid you always should be able as an artist to control how your material is distributed, but sometimes single tracks and stuff should be out, even if they're part of a whole, and i admit it, i hate to hear the beginnings and endings splitted but they should allow some things with several songs that stand out from their own ..

[RockInPeaceDime]

Record companies did the same thing when CDs got big. They started taking every bit of money from CD sales, because the contract only pertained to cassettes, etc. Artists saw no royalties. Same thing is happening now with online sales. It's not really anything new. The sad part is there are a ton of bands in the same position Floyd was, only those bands are too small and not known well enough to take on a trial against their labels.

[LazyLatinoRocke]

sboyd1989 wrote:

Green Day and Linkin Park? Hahaha! Influence in the music industry? Linkin Park did one album at the right time and have spent their time since trying to recapture that success. All of their songs sound the same and everyone is aware of it. Green Day are poppy commercial sellouts who went from a lively punk-y band to cashing in on the emotional rock thing and trying to be serious and sensitive. Theose bands are overrated. Pink Floyd are not overrated. How many bands come out with 'This album is our 'Dark Side of the Moon'', or 'This is our 'The Wall''? I've seen it countless times. Pink Floyd were pioneers, incredibly original and every album sounds different, and they are (mostly) solid albums, musical journeys to be experienced as a whole. Not commercial souning singles that try to mimic past successes. What have Green Day and Linking Park brought to the table really? F**k all.

Calm down, it's not that serious.

[Rhizomic_Growth]

bokma wrote:

Don't **** with Floyd!

*cough*tdyybrsndLarsUlrichthrghkllchp*coug h*cough*

[syd-young]

Could this be the start of us artists takin back the music industry?????

P.S. Go Floyd!!!!!

[Xeus]

RockInPeaceDime wrote:

Record companies did the same thing when CDs got big. They started taking every bit of money from CD sales, because the contract only pertained to cassettes, etc. Artists saw no royalties. Same thing is happening now with online sales. It's not really anything new. The sad part is there are a ton of bands in the same position Floyd was, only those bands are too small and not known well enough to take on a trial against their labels.

thats the real news

[GodsForsakenOne]

modirnwarfare wrote:

Happy for them, but they are kinda overrated. They are no longer relevant to modern music, I think Green Day, and Linkin Park give them a good run for their money when it comes to influence in the music industry.

Wow you are a moron. How can you compare them to floyd. It honestly scares me that people like you are allowed on this site. These guys have recorded 3 albums that are easily in the top 100 if not 50 rock albums of all time. Their guitarist is ranked in the top 10 guitarists of all time and has written 5-6 solos in the top 100 list aswell and their lead singer has argueably one of the best live vocal performances (hey you).

People who think that its about money are retarded. Not only because of their songs money and have a cigar but because like a previous poster said that they are one of the wealthiest bands ever and that it is a widely known fact that they donate to charity in large quantities.

Pink Floyd forever!

[RHCPfan690]

who wrote this article??? they sound so uninformed

[zeatle]

this is good news, 60,000$ may not be alot but its not about the moneys

[zeatle]

GodsForsakenOne wrote:

modirnwarfare wrote:

Happy for them, but they are kinda overrated. They are no longer relevant to modern music, I think Green Day, and Linkin Park give them a good run for their money when it comes to influence in the music industry.

Wow you are a moron. How can you compare them to floyd. It honestly scares me that people like you are allowed on this site. These guys have recorded 3 albums that are easily in the top 100 if not 50 rock albums of all time. Their guitarist is ranked in the top 10 guitarists of all time and has written 5-6 solos in the top 100 list aswell and their lead singer has argueably one of the best live vocal performances (hey you).

People who think that its about money are retarded. Not only because of their songs money and have a cigar but because like a previous poster said that they are one of the wealthiest bands ever and that it is a widely known fact that they donate to charity in large quantities.

Pink Floyd forever!

RIGHT ON DUDE!!!!!

[jhart08]

GodsForsakenOne wrote:

modirnwarfare wrote:

Happy for them, but they are kinda overrated. They are no longer relevant to modern music, I think Green Day, and Linkin Park give them a good run for their money when it comes to influence in the music industry.

Wow you are a moron. How can you compare them to floyd. It honestly scares me that people like you are allowed on this site. These guys have recorded 3 albums that are easily in the top 100 if not 50 rock albums of all time. Their guitarist is ranked in the top 10 guitarists of all time and has written 5-6 solos in the top 100 list aswell and their lead singer has argueably one of the best live vocal performances (hey you).

People who think that its about money are retarded. Not only because of their songs money and have a cigar but because like a previous poster said that they are one of the wealthiest bands ever and that it is a widely known fact that they donate to charity in large quantities.

Pink Floyd forever!

According to sales, two in the top 20 bro. Floyd rocks!!!!

[Tyler Durden]

not saying they dont deserve it, but 60 grand? wow, that just bought Roger a new BMW...wow

[Shazazmic]

Tyler Durden wrote:

not saying they dont deserve it, but 60 grand? wow, that just bought Roger a new BMW...wow

That's not even all the money. Read the article more carefully.

"...ordering EMI chiefs to hand over $60,000 (£40,000) in costs as an interim payment, with the full amount to be calculated at a later date."

[SmittyMan90]

Good they deserve it!