Pink Floyd’s Royalty Problem

The band has launched legal action against EMI regarding the way royalties are tabulated for online sales. The band has also asked England’s High Court to rule on whether the label can sell tracks “unbundled” from their original albums.

Robert Howe, the attorney representing the band, says Pink Floyd’s contract with EMI prohibits the label from selling tracks “otherwise than in the original configuration of the Pink Floyd albums.” However, EMI says that prohibition only applies to physical albums and not to individual tracks sold through online stores such as iTunes or Amazon MP3.

While legal watchers are betting this will turn out to be a lengthy court battle between Pink Floyd and EMI, don’t expect members of the band to appear in the courtroom any time soon. Citing a representative for the band, Sky News is reporting no band member is expected to attend the proceedings during the “early stage.”

Click here for the Sky News account.