"Music rights acquisitions have become increasingly popular investments in recent years as the recorded music industry has boomed with the advent of streaming. With access to sprawling libraries on Spotify and Apple Music, consumers are listening to albums and artist catalogs at higher rates, and older artists are more prone to popping back into the zeitgeist. Licensing for movies and TV is also booming, and with Y2K nostalgia permeating today's media, Spears may be selling at an opportune time."
"Trade publication Music Business Worldwide estimated that more than $5 billion changed hands through music rights acquisitions in 2021, The Times previously reported. Additionally, songwriting catalogs at that time were being valued at twice the average price than in the 25 years prior. Notable sellers include Bruce Springsteen, who in 2021 made a deal with Sony Music Entertainment to relinquish his master recordings and songs for $500 million. Shortly thereafter, David Bowie's estate sold his songwriting catalog to Warner Chappell Music for $250 million."
Britney Spears signed a deal transferring rights to her early-2000s songs to music publisher Primary Wave for approximately $200 million. Details of the sale were not disclosed and representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Primary Wave owns stakes in catalogs including Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley, Stevie Nicks and Whitney Houston. Streaming growth and increased licensing demand have driven a surge in music rights acquisitions and higher catalog valuations. Industry estimates show more than $5 billion changed hands in 2021 and songwriting catalogs were being valued at roughly twice prior averages. Spears released her memoir The Woman in Me in 2023.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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