Led Zeppelin album cover design firm Hipgnosis was sold

Hipgnosis, the British design company that created iconic artworks for Led Zeppelin along with Pink Floyd, Genesis, AC/DC and others, has been acquired by investment firm Primary Wave.

The acquisition doesn’t include any cover art for Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd albums, however. Instead, the deal includes “one of the original ‘The Object’ sculptures captured on the cover art for Led Zeppelin’s Presence album,” the announcement press release stated. 1,000 original copies of The Object were originally made.

Hipgnosis created iconic Led Zeppelin album covers such as the album artwork for Houses of the Holy, Presence, The Song Remains The Same, In Through The Out Door and Coda. It also created the Led Zeppelin logo.

Primary Wave and Hipgnosis are planning to hold “global exhibitions” about the design firm’s catalogue, the announcement explained.

“The exhibitions will include various collected pieces including many pieces that have not been seen before,” the press release said.

Led Zeppelin has been working on a project called “The Led Zeppelin Experience” since 2017. Company and trademark filings show the project involves a planned exhibition.

Jimmy Page said that momentum on Led Zeppelin’s own project has stalled. “There was something at one point,” he told Uncut Magazine in 2022. “But all the members and people around the band couldn’t agree.”

Aubrey “Po” Powell, the co-founder of Hipgnosis, 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,” he continued. “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.”

Storm Thorgerson, who co-founded Hipgnosis in 1968, died in 2013.

Lexi Todd, deputy COO of Primary Wave, said: “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.”

Primary Wave is best known for its purchases of music catalogues. Last week, it purchased the catalogue of The Who guitarist Pete Townshend. It previously purchased the catalogues of Nirvana, John Lennon, The Doors and Def Leppard.

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