Britney Spears sold the rights to all her songs for $200 million
The 44-year-old singer signed a contract with independent music company Primary Wave, which acquired her catalog for $200 million. The deal was concluded last December, reports the BBC.
Primary Wave did not respond to the BBC's request for comment on the sale, and Spears' representatives also declined to comment.
In January 2024, Spears stated that she would "never return to the music industry." She last released new music in August 2022: the song Hold Me Closer, recorded as a duet with Elton John.
This was her first release since the court ended her 13-year conservatorship in late 2021.
Britney Spears is one of the most successful artists of recent decades, with over 150 million of her records sold worldwide. The singer's music catalog consists of nine studio albums, the first of which was released in 1999.
From 2008 to 2021, Spears' life and all her assets were managed by her father. This was due to a court decision under which she was declared incapacitated. The conservatorship was lifted following the singer's lawsuit, granted by a Los Angeles court.
Photo: JB Lacroix/WireImage/Getty Images
In 2023, Spears published a memoir titled "The Woman in Me," in which she describes her life under conservatorship.
In the past, Primary Wave also acquired post-mortem rights to the music of musicians such as Notorious B.I.G., Prince, and Whitney Houston. This company was founded 20 years ago when its founder, Lawrence Mestel, bought 50% of the rights to Nirvana's music that belonged to Kurt Cobain.
In recent years, many famous musicians have sold the rights to their music catalog, including Bruce Springsteen (his $500 million deal with Sony was concluded in 2021) and Justin Bieber (in 2023, he sold his songs to Hipgnosis Songs Capital for $200 million).
Additionally, British musician Sting reportedly sold his rights to record company Universal Music Group for $250 million.
Some other music rights acquisition deals:
- David Bowie — $250 million (Warner Music Group)
- Bob Dylan — $200-450 million (Universal Music Group)
- Paul Simon — $250 million (Sony Music)
- Neil Young — $150 million (investment fund Hipgnosis Songs)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers — $140 million (Hipgnosis Songs)
- David Guetta — $100 million (Warner Music Group)
For musicians and their heirs, selling music rights ensures financial stability, while for major record labels and investment funds, it's an opportunity to justify their high market value and secure revenue through streaming and licensing music for various projects.
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