Music publishing company BMG has severed ties with Roger Waters following his controversial comments on Israel and Ukraine. According to Variety, while it’s not uncommon to terminate recording contracts, it’s far less frequent for major publishing deals to be terminated.
The “creative mind behind Pink Floyd” had signed a publishing contract with BMG in 2016, which included the release of a remake of “The Dark Side of the Moon” last year. However, the new CEO, Thomas Coesfeld, who took over in July 2023, reportedly terminated the agreement, leading to the album ultimately being released under the British label Cooking Vinyl.
In recent years, Waters has been at the center of various political controversies, including taking a third-party stance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Invited by Russia to speak at the United Nations Security Council in February 2023, Waters labeled the invasion as “illegal” but added that it was not “unprovoked,” condemning what he referred to as the “provocateurs.” Waters later revealed to Rolling Stone that he was on the Ukrainian government’s list of public figures to be assassinated.
His positions on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and allegations of antisemitism have also stirred significant controversy. The musician is known for supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. In November, Waters claimed in an interview with Glenn Greenwald that he was dropped by BMG under pressure from the Anti-Defamation League, a US-based Jewish non-governmental organization. A source from BMG told Variety that the company does not share this version of events.