Pink Floyd Sues EMI

Wow, this one looks to be a real slobberknocker (as JR would say)

Pink Floyd is suing its record company, EMI, for withholding royalties due to them.  This stems from the change in technology and the rise of internet music stores such as iTunes and Napster.

Pink Floyd's lawyer says "that the band's contract prohibits selling tracks ‘otherwise than in the original configuration of the Pink Floyd albums” This means that by allowing music sites to sell Pink Floyd songs individually, EMI is breaking their contract.  EMI argues that the contract does not cover Internet sales.

This suit is going to be ground breaking in the industry.  As with all things, I blame Apple.

Ok, I don't really blame Apple, but iTunes, Napster, Amazon, Rhapsody . . . they have changed the music industry is so many different ways.  The focus is the single now, not the album.  When will we ever see another huge concept album like Tommy or The Wall?  Those are a thing of the past.

On the hand, it has opened up the market to tons of unsigned bands who can now present their music to a huge audience.

I don't wanna sound like one of those dinosaurs who pine for a simpler time.  I'm not like that.  I love that its so easy to get music these days.  But I would also like to see the law catch up with technology, so bands don't get screwed.


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