The private-equity-backed Hipgnosis Song Management bought Bieber’s entire music catalog, meaning publishing rights and his masters, for a lot of money presumably (Universal Music Group has retained the recorded-music copyright). Neither side will confirm how much, but the catalog is grade A, pure American-by-way-of-Canada pop.
The estimate is just above $200 million, per bill onboard.Catalog sales seem to attract musicians at the end of their careers, ones who can look back on their body of work and say, sure, use those songs in car commercials, or whatever. If you need me for anything, I’ll be at my seventh home enjoying my beautiful life. People like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, Paul Simon, the Beach Boys, Neil Young, who have sold their catalogs, or large portions of them.
