Pink Floyd in legal battle with EMI in royalties dispute
Written by Matt   
Tuesday, 09 March 2010

As we mentioned back in April 2009, Pink Floyd have been in dispute with EMI over online royalties and the marketing of their music. They have now launched a High Court action against EMI to try and resolve the issue, and to seek a ruling on whether the label can sell individual tracks from the original albums.

Robert Howe QC, appearing for the group, said they wanted to "know where they stand as a matter of contract", arguing that a contractual clause "expressly prohibited" 'unbundling' - the selling of tracks, either physically or online, 'other than in their original configuration'. EMI was said to argue that this prohibition "applies only to the physical product and doesn't apply online".

But, Mr Howe argued, "that makes no commercial sense" and contradicted the conditions in the band's agreement with EMI from 1999.

A ruling from Sir Andrew Morritt, Chancellor of the High Court, is due to be made on Thursday, March 11th.