The Top 25 Music Catalog Sales in History
Queen, Pink Floyd, Taylor Swift: these artists' catalogues are worth billions, or almost! In any case, more and more capital is being poured into them. Which is excellent news for the future of artists, composers and producers, who need new channels of liquidity and new ways of making a living from their music. These investments, which were first made famous by focusing on global music stars, are becoming increasingly democratic and are even opening up to developing and emerging artists.
The music rights industry has grown into a lucrative investment market, with catalogue sales reaching record highs. This article highlights the top 25 music catalogue sales by value, with transactions that reflect the increasing importance of music assets for both financial and legacy reasons. Date of update: Nov 7th, 2024.
1. Queen
• Amount: $1.27 billion
• Buyer: Sony Music
• Year: 2024
2. Michael Jackson
• Amount: $600 million for half (implying total worth >$1.2 billion)
• Buyer: Sony Music
• Year: 2024
3. Bruce Springsteen
• Amount: $500 million
• Buyer: Sony Music
• Year: 2021
4. Bob Dylan
• Amount: $500 million
• Buyer: Universal Music (songwriting) and Sony Music (masters)
• Year: 2020-2021
5. Pink Floyd
• Amount: $400 million
• Buyer: Sony Music
• Year: 2024
6. Phil Collins & Genesis
• Amount: $300 million
• Buyer: Concord Music Group
• Year: 2022
7. Sting
• Amount: $300 million
• Buyer: Universal Music Group
• Year: 2022
8. Tina Turner
• Amount: $300 million
• Buyer: BMG Rights Management
• Year: 2021
9. KISS
• Amount: Over $300 million
• Buyer: Pophouse Entertainment Group
• Year: 2024
10. Taylor Swift
• Amount: Initial sale $300 million, resold for $405 million
• Buyer: Ithaca Holdings, later Shamrock Holdings
• Year: 2019, resold in 2020
11. Paul Simon
• Amount: $250 million
• Buyer: Sony Music Publishing
• Year: 2021
12. David Bowie
• Amount: $250 million
• Buyer: Warner Chappell Music
• Year: 2022
13. Katy Perry
• Amount: $225 million
• Buyer: Litmus Music
• Year: 2023
14. Justin Bieber
• Amount: Over $200 million
• Buyer: Hipgnosis Songs Capital
• Year: 2023
15. Dr. Dre
• Amount: Over $200 million
• Buyer: Shamrock Holdings and Universal Music Group
• Year: 2023
16. Mötley Crüe
• Amount: $150 million
• Buyer: BMG Rights Management
• Year: 2021
17. Neil Young
• Amount: $150 million (for 50% stake)
• Buyer: Hipgnosis Songs Fund
• Year: 2021
18. Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Amount: $140 million
• Buyer: Hipgnosis Songs Fund
• Year: 2021
19. Lil Wayne
• Amount: $100 million
• Buyer: Universal Music Group
• Year: 2020
20. Imagine Dragons
• Amount: $100 million
• Buyer: Concord Music Publishing
• Year: 2020
21. Justin Timberlake
• Amount: $100 million
• Buyer: Hipgnosis Songs Capital
• Year: 2022
22. Jason Aldean
• Amount: $100 million
• Buyer: Spirit Music Group
• Year: 2022
23. Luis Fonsi
• Amount: $100 million
• Buyer: HarbourView Equity Partners
• Year: 2022
24. Calvin Harris
• Amount: $100 million
• Buyer: Vine Investments
• Year: 2020
25. Fleetwood Mac (Various Members’ Shares)
• Amount: Over $100 million
• Buyer: Primary Wave, BMG, Hipgnosis
• Year: 2020-2023
Deals with Undisclosed Amounts
• Shakira – Buyer: Hipgnosis Songs Fund (2021)
• Whitney Houston Estate – Buyer: Primary Wave (2019)
• The Beach Boys – Buyer: Iconic Artists Group (2021)
• Barry Manilow – Buyer: Hipgnosis Songs Fund (2020)
• R.E.M. – Buyer: Concord Music Publishing (2020)
Why Invest in Music?
Music rights are increasingly seen as stable, income-generating assets, attracting investors looking to diversify their portfolios. With multiple revenue streams—royalties from streaming, licensing for movies and commercials, and synch rights—music investments provide a hedge against market volatility.
At Bolero, we are pioneering a new way to invest in music. Our platform allows you to acquire Song Shares and Catalog Shares, giving you access to music royalties from some of the most promising and established artists. Built on blockchain technology, Bolero ensures transparent, efficient royalty management and secondary market access, where you can buy or sell your shares with ease. Our investment model, offering annual returns between 9% and 12%, makes music investment accessible and adaptable to your financial strategy.
