Who currently owns the copyrights to the music of The Beatles?
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Over 62 years, the ownership of the Beatles catalog publishing rights has changed multiple times. The timeline of ownership includes Northern Songs from 1963 to 1969, ATV Music Group from 1969 to 1985, Michael Jackson from 1985 to 2016, and currently, Sony/ATV Music Publishing (with Paul McCartney owning a share of the songs he wrote or co-wrote) since 2016. Currently, Paul McCartney and Sony/ATV both hold publication rights to the Beatles catalog, a situation that has not always been the case. This article delves into the history of Beatles catalog ownership, examining each stage in detail.
The Lennon estate benefits from Paul’s bold legal tactics. However, as this right to terminate only holds in the US, Sony continues to release the songs in other countries, as indicated by international music rights databases. Sony Music Publishing (formerly known as ATV) still holds the majority of the Beatles song catalog globally and is probably not planning to sell any of it, especially during the current peak in valuation. But, what price could the Beatles catalog command if it were on the market today? Would it exceed the $500 million that Bruce Springsteen recently received from Sony in a complete buyout?
In January 2017, as mentioned by Dan Rys on Billboard, James sold his share in Northern Songs to ATV Music, owned by Lew Grade. Although Lennon and McCartney tried to bid against this, ATV eventually took control of the catalog. Later in the same year, the duo also sold their remaining stakes to ATV, resulting in them no longer having any ownership in the publishing of their songs, even though they still retained control over their individual songwriting shares.
The company was primarily owned by Dick James, while Lennon and McCartney each had a 20% share. In 1965, the company went public, leading to Lennon and McCartney’s stakes decreasing to 15% each. George Harrison and Ringo Starr then divided a small portion between themselves, causing frustration for George Harrison, who had started to play a significant role in writing Beatles songs. After Epstein’s death, shares were sold off. In 1967, Brian Epstein passed away, leading to tensions among the Beatles due to financial problems, creative disagreements, and inadequate management.
Ten years after the original transaction, Jackson sold half of ATV to Sony for $95 million, establishing Sony/ATV music publishing. This label currently possesses the music rights for artists such as the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Hank Williams, and Roy Orbison. Following Jackson’s passing at the age of 50, Sony Music gained full control of the collection seven years later by purchasing the remaining 50% stake for $750 million. The Beatles’ catalog alone is now valued at over $1 billion.
This week, Paul McCartney sued Sony/ATV in a New York court to reclaim his stake in the Beatles catalog. This legal battle could be one of the music industry’s biggest. If successful, it would end McCartney’s long struggle over his songs’ ownership. The dispute has involved figures like Brian Epstein and Michael Jackson, who acquired the catalog in 1985. This situation has been a source of distress for McCartney.
The Beatles’ song catalog has a complex ownership history involving Sir Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, and Yoko Ono. Who currently holds the rights to the Beatles’ songs? McCartney regained control over most Beatles songs in 2017. This happened through a private agreement with Sony ATV, which had previously owned the rights. McCartney had long fought to reclaim the copyright to songs he co-wrote with John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
During their collaboration on Say Say Say in 1983, Paul McCartney advised Michael Jackson to invest in music publishing. This advice, given by the former Beatle, became regrettable for McCartney on August 14, 1985, when Michael Jackson outbid him with $47 million to acquire the publishing rights to most of the Beatles’ catalog.