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David Bowie’s estate has sold the music publishing rights of the late singer’s music to Warner Chappell Music. The deal includes the late artist’s entire body of work, which includes hundreds of songs over a six-decade career.
Wall Street Journal reported that the catalog was sold for roughly $250 million. Warner Chappell Music is the music-publishing arm of Warner Music Group.
The agreement with WCM includes the 26 studio albums released during Bowie's lifetime and the posthumous studio album release, Toy, plus the two studio albums from Tin Machine - the rock supergroup fronted by Bowie.
“We are truly gratified that David Bowie’s body of music will now be in the capable hands of Warner Chappell Music Publishing,” said Allen Grubman, an attorney for the David Bowie Estate, reported WSJ.
Bowie died of cancer in 2016 at the age of 69 He received tributes from fellow music stars, including Sir Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Brian Eno and Madonna among others.
Three weeks ago, Bruce Springsteen sold the rights to his recorded music to Sony Music. Springsteen has been with Sony Music’s Columbia Records since he first signed with the label in 1972. He regained the rights to his music throughout his career through contract renegotiations.
In 2020, Bob Dylan sold his entire publishing catalog—more than 600 copyrights spanning 60 years—to Universal Music Publishing Group.
Inputs from Wall Street Journal
Picture Credits: Beat