Mötley Crüe Sell Their Entire Recording Catalog To BMG

According to Consequence, heavy metal band Mötley Crüe recently sold their entire recording catalog to BMG for $150 million. This includes nearly 30 years’ worth of music — their first album Too Fast For Love was released in 1981, and their most recent LP in 2008 — not to mention all of the live recordings and compilation albums. 

Even though the band previously worked to gain the rights for their music from Elektra records in 1991, the band, and their manager Allen Kovac, trust that BMG will help them promote and cherish this catalog.

“It feels amazing to be collaborating with our new partners at BMG,” said the band in a collective statement. “Their extensive track record of success in rock made them the perfect home to continue preserving and growing our musical legacy, ensuring we always stay at the top.”

This isn’t the first time members from the band have sold their music. Last year, songwriter Nikki Sixx sold all of his publishing rights to Hipgnosis Songs, which bought the catalog of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie. Some companies will buy the catalog not of artists but of producers, such as when Primary Wave bought Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers’ catalog with several popular Rihanna songs. 

Mötley Crüe performed songs from their extensive catalog this year at several shows. They went on tour with Def Leppard to celebrate their 40th anniversary, moving across the country from June through September of 2021. 

Skyler Graham: Duke University psychology and English major. Editor at @dukechronicle and @dukeform. Punk album reviewer at mxdwn.com.
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