Pink Floyd catalog sale: How will brands use this iconic music?

The Pink Floyd catalog sale to Sony Music for $400 million opens the door for their hits to appear in movies and ads. Will brands find creative ways to use this iconic progressive music?

Pink Floyd catalog sale: How will brands use this iconic music?

by Fred Jacobs via Jacobs Media

In a recent story that should not surprise any music fan, the news broke last week that iconic Classic Rock band, Pink Floyd, had finally sold its catalog to Sony Music.

The reported price?  Around $400 million, among earlier rumors Floyd’s body of music and art might net an additional $100 million.  The deal covers name, likeness, and of course, recorded music.

As Loudwire reported, we can now expect to start hearing Pink Floyd classics in movies, TV shows, games, and other media.  These deals are complicated – this one has apparently been in negotiations since 2022, made even stickier by the ongoing feuding between David Gilmour and Roger Waters.

The Floyd sale follows other prominent transactions by mega-stars, including Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and others.

Fans took the news….well, predictably.  For some, it is resignation but no surprise a super group of Floyd’s caliber would cash out at the end.  Others, however, were a bit more critical of the deal:

Soon, Pink Floyd’s greatest hits will have presence well beyond their consistent airplay on Classic Rock radio stations.  As we’re witnessed over the past several decades, the band’s iconic catalog will be used to market all sorts of products, regardless of whether the context is in good taste or not.  An investment the size of $400 million will need to be paid for, and that means licensing the catalog to lots of buyers.

It dawns on me this could create a cottage industry of sorts for unemployed Classic Rock music directors, and perhaps savvy consultants to help brands select the best and most appropriate old songs for their films, TV shows, commercials, and other assets.

In reading tweets and social media detritus the other day, I ran across posts like one, indicating this could become a game (rights owned by Sony Music, of course).

Even though Pink Floyd wrote and produced massive hits – “Dark Side of the Moon” is one of the top-selling albums of all time – their spacey tunes may not lend themselves to commercial usage.  After all, it’s hard to lift a 3-second hook from many of their complex songs, often produced more like orchestral movements than hooky hits.

So, as a basic audition of our vast and varied talent here at Jacobs Media and our 41+ years of consulting excellence, here are some of our proposed mashups of well-known brands with Pink Floyd hits and deeper cuts.

Let’s start with the biggest and most obvious one:

But you’d like to think there will be a little more creativity with this incredible collection of classics:

Now we’re on a roll.  How about a tune from that spacey “Animals” album?

Now those creative juices are flowing.  Back to “The Wall.”

And just the right song at the right time can actually help repair a legacy brand’s damaged reputation:

There may be no limits to the brands that might benefit from the Floyd catalog, especially around the holidays:

And it’s better than that lame “Every kiss begins with Kay” slogan they keep using.

Back to the “Animals” album, the great brand connections seem endless:

You also wouldn’t want to leave out the worlds of sports, health, and fitness.  A great Floyd song to the rescue!

Why would anyone spend $400,000,000 for a bunch of old songs and images?  Because they’re timeless, of course.  And that lends itself to more great brand connections:

Of course, there are public service applications here as well.  And the Pink Floyd catalog is always available to accommodate.  At a cost, of course.

And than there’s “big pharma,” one of the top advertising verticals.  But rather than yet another TV ad showing average looking people doing normal things, let’s get more creative:

And let’s not forget, tech brands can be highly compatible with the full, lush sounds so identifiable with Pink Floyd.  Today’s dating apps are a perfect match for Pink Floyd’s ability to bring audience’s together.  For example:

Of course, there’s lots more in the Pink Floyd archives to choose from – and market.  And so, I welcome your creativity to add to the list my staff ideated for this post.

It’s nice to know that if anything happens to our industry, there may be a “next adjacent” opportunity for those of us who have worked in music our entire lives.  Tapes and resumes to Sean Ross.

Fred Jacobs, President & Founder at Jacobs Media

Fred Jacobs founded Jacobs Media in 1983, and quickly became known for the creation of the Classic Rock radio format. 

Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.

In 2008, jacapps was launched – a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created – a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the “connected car” and its impact.

Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media’s commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.

Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.