Warner Chappell has acquired publishing rights to all 26 David Bowie studio albums for about $250 million, sources told the Financial Times, pointing to the growth of rock music songbooks as an unusual but reliable asset class.
The lawyer representing Bowie’s family’s interests seemed pleased with the sale, telling the Times “we are truly gratified that David Bowie’s body of music will now be in the capable hands” of Warner Chappell Music. The company had reportedly been in negotiations since November, and the Bowie estate had already inked a long-term licensing deal with Warner Music for his recorded music catalog last year.