Bob Dylan Sells His Songwriting Catalog in Blockbuster Deal

[Esau.]

Quote

On Monday, the Universal Music Publishing Group announced that it had signed a landmark deal to purchase Dylan’s entire songwriting catalog — including world-changing classics like “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and “Like a Rolling Stone” — in what may be the biggest acquisition ever of the music publishing rights of a single act.

The deal, which covers Dylan’s entire career, from his earliest songs to the tunes on his latest album, “Rough and Rowdy Ways,” was struck directly with Dylan, 79, who has long controlled the majority of his own songwriting copyrights.

The price was not disclosed, but is estimated at more than $300 million.

 

Quote

The Universal deal also includes Dylan’s shares in a number of songs he has written with other songwriters, although of the more than 600 titles included in the deal, there is only one in which Dylan is not a writer, but still owns the copyright: Robbie Robertson’s “The Weight,” as recorded by the Band.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/07/arts/music/bob-dylan-sells-publishing.html

[c-towns]

Gross on so many levels. Athletes get paid more than that for less than 10 years of playing a sport.

[edger]

Hard to put a price on all those words.  Feels icky...though would be interesting to hear thoughts on what else he should have or could have done while he has his faculties to choose

[edger]

https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/an-open-letter-to-all-people-criticizing-bob-dylan-for-selling-rights-to-his-music-for-an-estimated-300-million.html?cid=sf01002&fbclid=IwAR1IDjwXbTwd7-xkV1j2xZiAtfWW-ugeyIA_wNpwaC_gOYSQwwI_LdqvBR4

[Jay Funk Dawg]

Good points in this post

 I've thought it was a good idea to make it easier for his heirs, but I didn't take into account that the Biden Admin may raise capital gains and Dylan takes advantage of a lower tax rate. 

This is likely the peak time for him to sell.