Pink Floyd wins EMI court ruling to prohibit selling of individual songs
Pink Floyd tracks could be removed from download stores such as iTunes, after a court ruling in the band's favour against the record label EMI.
The band's latest record deal, signed with EMI before the age of downloads, said individual songs must not be sold without the band's permission.
While the deal was made with CDs in mind, the band successfully argued this deal should apply to digital music downloads, too.
EMI has moved to assure people that Floyd tracks would remain for sale individually: "Today's judgment does not require EMI to cease making Pink Floyd's catalogue available as single track downloads, and EMI continues to sell Pink Floyd's music digitally and in other formats."
Earlier this week, Robert Howe QC, appearing for the group, said the the band's deal with EMI stipulated that their albums should not be split up and that they "wanted to retain artistic control".
Other artists, such as The Beatles and AC/DC, and less notably Kid Rock, have also resisted selling their work as singles on iTunes, preferring to point punters towards complete albums.
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Comments
So they say that - Quoting from above - their albums should not be split up and that they "wanted to retain artistic control".
In that case how come they released the 2 cd 'Echoes' album which is described as 'Best of Pink Floyd' and is a compilation from all their albums. Maybe it was simply for the 'Money' (disc 1 - track 11)
It's nothing to do with money ..they'd make far more allowing the tracks to be bought individually....
Floyd simply have too much respect for their back catalogue to allow it to be sold piece meal!
I think its fair enough for bands like Pink Floyd who carefully crafted most of their albums to be listened to as a whole, to insist that the music be bought in that way.
I suspect that they have enough cash to not worry about any negative impact that might have on sales at this point in their careers...
It's got to be track by track. I do not want to pay full album price for 1 or 2 tracks that I want. Unless the album price is equal tothe price of these 1 or 2 tracks.
these days I can get hi-rez track by track and my money is waiting to be spend on when the main labels release their music in hi rez. that is when I start to spend again.
I really don't understand the policy of artists to not sell on itunes and its ilc. Surely they can still sell on itunes etc, but only allow complete album downloads?? If they don't appear in things like itunes, people will find other methods to download the songs, and i'm pretty sure that those methods won't benefit the artist at all!
Unfortunately Pink Floyd and the remaining Beatles want us all to be middle aged and have our buying habits dictated to us so they can make the most amount of money possible. Grow up guys and realise times have changed, if you want us to buy your album then make sure ALL the songs are good, not just a few.