HIPGNOSIS, The Company Behind Iconic PINK FLOYD, LED ZEPPELIN And BLACK SABBATH Album Covers, Acquired by PRIMARY WAVE

Primary Wave Music, the leading independent publisher of iconic and legendary music in the world, has announced today their acquisition of the iconic catalog of Hipgnosis artwork. Terms of the deal will see the publishing giant acquire Aubrey "Po" Powell's interests in the entire collection of legendary Hipgnosis artwork from the likes of BAD COMPANY, STYX, BLACK SABBATH, QUEEN, DEF LEPPARD, FOREIGNER, YES, AC/DC, GENESIS and more. The acquisition also includes related objects used in the creation of Hipgnosis's collection of art such as the original model biplanes used in PINK FLOYD's "Point Me To The Sky" music video and one of the original "The Object" sculptures captured on the cover art for LED ZEPPELIN's "Presence" album.

Primary Wave will continue to collaborate with Po to create global exhibitions of the Hipgnosis catalog in an effort to continue celebrating the legacy of this artwork for many years to come. The exhibitions will include various collected pieces including many pieces that have not been seen before.

Of the partnership, Primary Wave's deputy COO Lexi Todd commented: "We're beyond excited to partner with Po on one of the most influential visual catalogs in music history. This artwork did more than just accompany records; it shaped how generations of audiences experienced the music itself. Primary Wave looks forward to honoring that deep connection between sound and image by ensuring these iconic works continue to inspire music fans around the world."

Aubrey "Po" Powell said: "When Primary Wave showed an interest in the legacy of Hipgnosis imagery, it was music to my ears. For too long I had been approached to sell off bits and pieces of my collection which did not interest me, and I yearned for a company who understood the importance of the work in its entirety and the recognition as a serious art form. I was at an impasse having reached a respectable grade of exhibitions, but without the backup, the connections and the teamwork required to move on up I could expand no further. Primary Wave has offered that support and collaboration — we are in sync and I am looking forward to seeing Hipgnosis grow on the global stage. Exciting times ahead."

Hipgnosis was the ground-breaking British design studio founded in 1967 by Aubrey "Po" Powell and Storm Thorgerson after friends PINK FLOYD asked them to design the cover for their second album, "Saucerful Of Secrets". It was the beginning of a successful seventeen-year collaboration that became well known for specializing in album artwork for many rock musicians, replacing band portraits with high concept visuals and influencing future graphic design in the music industry.

The name Hipgnosis was adopted after the founders saw the word etched into a door. "Hip" meaning "cool", and "gnosis" from the Greek meaning wise or "with knowledge". The studio became the pioneers of surreal, conceptual album art experimenting with innovative photographic techniques and new packaging ideas. Their iconic imagery graced the albums of PINK FLOYD, LED ZEPPELIN, Paul McCartney, GENESIS, Peter Gabriel, AC/DC, BLACK SABBATH, Peter Gabriel, YES, DEF LEPPARD, HUMBLE PIE, Peter Frampton, 10CC and the SCORPIONS, to name but a few. Hipgnosis was nominated five times for a Grammy for the "Best Album Package" category, won several D&AD awards in the U.K. and many music awards from Germany to Japan.

After Hipgnosis, Po began producing and directing music videos, continuing to work with many of the same artists, including Paul McCartney, THE WHO, PAGE AND PLANT, 10CC, JUDAS PRIEST, Paul Young, David Gilmour, YES, Barry Gibb and ELO. He also directed many TV spots for Coca Cola, Max Factor, Nissan cars, Miller Beer, Budweiser, Grolsch Beer and Pan Am. Po began to write and direct films, and in 2011 he won the "Best Documentary Film" at the New Jersey Film Festival for "The Bull Runners Of Pamplona", and in 2012 he directed the Eric Idle script "What About Dick?" starring Russell Brand, Billy Connelly, Jane Leeves, Tracy Ullman and Eddie Izzard. In 2013 PINK FLOYD asked Po to work as creative director designing the exhibition PINK FLOYD "Their Mortal Remains", opening in 2017 at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London with an audience of 415,000. In 2023 he redesigned the 50th anniversary of "The Dark Side Of The Moon" campaign and in 2025 the 50th anniversary of "Wish You Were Here".

Po continues to work on PINK FLOYD projects and David Gilmour's solo work. He recently wrote a best-selling biography called "Through The Prism" of his life and times in the rock' n roll world, and in 2022 participated in the critically acclaimed documentary "Squaring The Circle - The Art of Hipgnosis", directed by Anton Corbjn and nominated for a PGA Award for Academy Award actor Colin Firth for "Outstanding Producer Of Documentary Motion Pictures".