Download Pink Floyd Before It's Too Late: Band Beats EMI in Suit

Pink Floyd has won a legal claim in the UK against EMI; Chancellor Sir Andrew Morritt agreed that the music company doesn't have the right to sell the band's music in formats the band does not accept. The band cited an artistic integrity clause in its contract that the court agreed applied to the format of its albums, which have been cut up to allow the sale of individual tracks and ringtones online.

Some people believe this means Pink Floyd's material could be stripped from iTunes (they haven't been, at this writing, and EMI claims they don't have to be). But it's very possible the band just wants the opportunity to negotiate a better deal for downloads of their material.

EMI isn't giving up. "There are further arguments to be heard and the case will go on for some time," they said today in a statement. Also: "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."

The company was made to pay about $60,000 for related infractions (as well as some back royalties, amounts for which have by court agreement not been revealed).

There are a few celebrated holdouts from iTunes, the most famous of which is The Beatles. Some Kinks albums, such as Arthur, aren't up there either (Ray Davies said a few years ago, "we're working on it now, with all these company takeovers and things").