Queen’s Music Catalogue Is Being Sold To Sony For Over $1 Billion
Credit: Denis O’Regan
— 21 June 2024

Queen’s Music Catalogue Is Being Sold To Sony For Over $1 Billion

— 21 June 2024
Garry Lu
WORDS BY
Garry Lu

A year after anonymous sources indicated a deal was underway with Universal Music Group, the legendary Queen music catalogue is now in the process of being acquired by Sony Music.

The price tag for stadium-shaking bangers like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘We Will Rock You,’ ‘Another One Bites The Dust,’ ‘We Are The Champions,’ ‘Don’t Stop Me Now,’ and ‘Somebody To Love’?

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According to Variety, Sony is pretty much getting the whole enchilada — along with “a number of other rights” — for an eye-watering £1 billion (AU$1.9 billion). The only rights they won’t retain are those of live performances, given surviving guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor still tour as Queen.

This sale has been in play for several years now, with negotiations being stalled by Disney Music Group, which had acquired the group’s US and Canada recorded music rights for an undisclosed price in the early 2000s.

As explained by multiple reports, these rights will remain with Disney in perpetuity, though a portion of Queen’s remaining royalties from the behemoth of a media company will now be funnelled straight into the Sony accounts once the deal is all squared away.

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This marks the most expensive publicly disclosed music catalogue acquisition to date, outpacing some of the following notable ownership transfers in recent history:

  • Bruce Springsteen — US$500 million (publishing & recorded music rights)
  • Bob Dylan — US$300 million (publishing rights)
  • David Bowie — US$250 million (publishing rights)
  • Justin Bieber — US$200 million (publishing & recorded music rights)
  • Justin Timberlake — US$100 million (publishing & recorded music rights)
  • Calvin Harris — US$100 million (publishing & recorded music rights)
  • David Guetta — US$100 million (publishing & recorded music rights)

It’ll also exceed the rumoured sale of Michael Jackson’s iconic works, also to Sony Music — half of which were previously evaluated at US$900 million; since adjusted to US$600 million.

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Garry Lu
WORDS by
After stretching his legs with companies such as The Motley Fool and the odd marketing agency, Garry joined Boss Hunting in 2019 as a fully-fledged Content Specialist. In 2021, he was promoted to News Editor. Garry proudly retains a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, black bruises from Muay Thai, as well as a black belt in all things pop culture. Drop him a line at [email protected]

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