David Gilmour Eyes Pink Floyd Catalog Sale: A Bid to Break Free from Band Drama
David Gilmour, Pink Floyd’s guitar wizard, wants to divest the group’s music collection. This substantial deal, valued at approximately $500 million, isn’t driven by financial motives. So why does he want to sell? He’s tired of the discord with his bandmates. Gilmour, who became part of the groundbreaking rock group in 1967, describes the situation as frustratingly stagnant. He wants out.
Expressing his frustration with the band’s decision-making process, Gilmour confessed, “I dream of getting rid of the decision-making and the fights that come with it.”
Although the idea to sell the catalog initially surfaced in 2022, negotiations crumbled due to internal conflicts and controversial statements made by Waters. The music is still super popular, with over 3.17 billion plays on Spotify in 2022. That’s why it’s worth so much money.
The rift between Gilmour and Waters continues to widen, reaching new levels of animosity. In 2023, the guitarist made scathing remarks about his former bandmate. He called him names and said he hated women and Jewish people. Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson, also went after Waters on Twitter.
Amidst the ongoing turmoil, Gilmour has redirected his creative energies towards solo projects. Focusing on his solo career, Gilmour is set to release his new album, Luck and Strange, on September 6, 2024. He claims it is “the best album I’ve made since The Dark Side of the Moon in 1973.” The record has keyboard parts from Richard Wright, who died in 2007. This adds a nostalgic element from Pink Floyd’s past.
The potential sale of Pink Floyd’s catalog aligns with a growing trend in the music industry. Other famous artists like Bruce Springsteen and Red Hot Chili Peppers have sold their catalogs, too. Springsteen got $500 million for his. Queen saw a substantial windfall of $1.27 billion, and Bob Dylan got $300 million.
