Britney Spears sells rights to music catalogue

Pop star Britney Spears has sold the rights to her music catalogue to independent music publisher Primary Wave, becoming the latest major artist to secure a high-profile deal for her body of work. The news was first reported by entertainment outlet TMZ, which cited legal documents it had obtained.
TMZ quoted sources as saying the value of the deal was “in the ballpark” of Canadian singer Justin Bieber’s widely reported $200 million agreement to sell his music rights to Hipgnosis in 2023. While the exact financial terms of Spears’ agreement have not been officially disclosed, a person familiar with the situation confirmed that the deal between Spears and Primary Wave is accurate. No additional details about the scope of the rights included or the structure of the transaction were immediately made public.
Primary Wave is a prominent independent music publisher whose catalogue includes legendary artists such as Whitney Houston, Prince and Stevie Nicks. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the reports, and Spears herself has not made a public statement regarding the sale.
Now 44, Spears remains one of the most successful and influential pop artists of her generation. She first topped charts worldwide with her 1998 debut single “...Baby One More Time,” launching a career that would define late-1990s and early-2000s pop music. Her catalogue includes enduring hits such as “(You Drive Me) Crazy,” “Circus,” “Gimme More” and “I’m a Slave 4 U.” Her ninth and most recent studio album, “Glory,” was released in 2016.
The sale comes several years after Spears was released from a 13-year court-ordered conservatorship that had governed her personal life, career and estimated $60 million estate. The conservatorship, established in 2008 and controlled by her father, Jamie Spears, was terminated in November 2021 following intense public scrutiny and legal proceedings.
Spears joins a growing list of major artists, including Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Justin Timberlake, who have chosen to monetise their music catalogues through lucrative rights deals. - Reuters