In the 2006 book “Northern Songs: The True Story of the Beatles Song Publishing Empire,” journalist Brian Southall captured a music industry mantra: “For songwriters and publishers alike, the most important five words are always the same — ‘never give up a copyright.’”
Pull Quote "It has been fast and furious, with a lot of money chasing after a limited supply of legacy catalogs." — Los Angeles-based music attorney Bill Hochberg
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Bruce Springsteen performs in a concert scene from the 1982 musical documentary "No Nukes." Springsteen sold his song catalog and master recordings for $500 million in December.
Album/Zuma Press
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David Bowie performs at the Area2 Festival at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Aug. 13, 2002, in Irvine, Cailfornia. Warner Chappell Music early this month bought David Bowie's songwriting catalog for $250 million.
Robert Lachman/Los Angeles Times/TNS
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American folk/rock singer and songwriter Bob Dylan smiles during a meeting with the British press, April 28, 1965. Dylan reached a deal in December 2020 to sell his 600-song catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group for an estimated $300 million.
Harry Thompson/Evening Standard//Hulton Archive/Getty Images/
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