Hits on the market: Notable artists who’ve had their music catalogs promote for giant cash
On Thursday, it was introduced that American rock band Kiss had bought their catalog, model identify and IP to Swedish firm Pophouse Leisure Group in a deal estimated to be over $300 million. They’re the most recent to take part in an ongoing pattern of blockbuster acts and their rights holders inking offers to promote their back-catalogs, typically for spectacular sums.
It is large enterprise — particularly contemplating that two-thirds of all music streamed is made up of catalog music, and streaming accounts for 84% of all music trade income. Not each artist disclosed the quantities concerned however some offers have been estimated at as a lot as half a billion {dollars}. (A determine that could possibly be eclipsed when the Michael Jackson property sells the singer’s catalog.)
Let’s check out some notable instances.
The singer identified for such hits as “Born to Run” and “Hungry Coronary heart” bought his music catalog to Sony Music Group in late 2021 for an estimated $550 million, The New York Occasions reported.
The Nobel Prize-winning songwriter in 2020 bought publishing rights to his catalog of greater than 600 songs to the Common Music Publishing Group. The singer’s assortment contains trendy requirements like “Blowin’ within the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” Business specialists estimated the deal was within the vary of $300 million to a half-billion {dollars}.
In 2021, Sony Music Publishing acquired Simon’s catalog for an undisclosed quantity, together with his solo work and Simon & Garfunkel hits akin to “The Sound of Silence” and “Mrs. Robinson.”
Lengthy identified for his refusal to license his music for industrial use, Younger bought a 50 p.c stake in his catalog to Britain’s Hipgnosis Songs Fund in 2021. The deal coated some 1,180 songs, together with “Coronary heart of Gold” and “Rockin’ within the Free World.”
In 2021, Warner Music Group reached a take care of Bowie’s property for worldwide rights to the prolific singer’s recorded music catalog from 1968, together with “Area Oddity” and “Let’s Dance.” Phrases weren’t disclosed.
In June 2019, music supervisor Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings introduced that it had acquired Huge Machine Label Group, which was led by Scott Borchetta and residential to Taylor Swift’s first six albums, for an estimated $300 million to $350 million, the New York Occasions reported. In response, Swift began re-record and launch new variations of these albums, labeled “Taylor’s Model,” in an try and reclaim her masters.
The next yr, Braun bought Swift’s catalog to non-public fairness agency Shamrock Capital for greater than $300 million.
The arduous rock quartet bought their catalog, model identify and IP to Swedish firm Pophouse Leisure Group in a deal estimated to be over $300 million, it was introduced Thursday.
The Canadian sensation in 2023 bought the rights to his catalog, together with hits “Child” and “Sorry,” additionally to Hipgnosis. Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed, however Billboard Journal reported the deal, which incorporates his output via 2021, was price about $200 million.
In 2022 the previous Police frontman bought the rights to his music catalog, together with the hits “Each Breath You Take” and “Roxanne,” to Common Music Group for an undisclosed sum.
Additionally in 2022, The Wall Road Journal reported that the previous Genesis singer and drummer, together with bandmates Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, bought the rights to their catalog to Harmony Music Group for $300 million. Collins’ solo music was ubiquitous within the 1980’s, together with “Within the Air Tonight,” with its memorable drum fill, and MTV staple “Sussudio.”
Early in 2021, Hipgnosis introduced that it had acquired 100% of the Grammy-winning worldwide celebrity’s music publishing rights for an undisclosed quantity. Shakira’s catalog of 145 songs contains “Hips Don’t Lie” and “She Wolf.”
In late 2020, Fleetwood Mac star Stevie Nicks bought an 80% stake in her music to Major Wave for a reported $100 million. Her bandmates quickly adopted swimsuit: Hipgnosis acquired all of Lindsey Buckingham’s publishing rights throughout 161 songs in January 2021; every week later it was introduced Mick Fleetwood bought his complete recorded music catalog to BMG. Additionally in 2021, Christine McVie bought her 115-song catalog to Hipgnosis; in 2023, following her demise, her property bought her stake in Fleetwood Mac’s recorded music to the acquisition agency HarbourView Fairness Companions.
