Catalog Sales Continue

1.25.23

Shannon Sharpe, TI

Over the past year, we have heard quite a bit about artists selling their discography. Irv Gotti selling the discography of all of his artists, dubbing the final end to Murder Inc Records as a Record Label, and his relationship with Ashanti, for good. Future was recognized for selling his catalog for a decent eight-figure deal. Are these moves really worth it? Well, the discussion continues.

Just this week, hip-hop has received word that both Justin Bieber and Dr Dre have each sold their catalogs in $200,000,000 deals. In a recent interview with Shannon Sharpe, TI was asked what he would do in the situation, and shares an interesting perspective.

An artist that is still relevant and making music selling their catalog may seem outrageous and questionable. However, when artists do it, it is somewhat like having a label or a distribution partner, etc. Having the rights to the catalog means the purchaser has a lot of power over what to do with the tracks next. They could change the sounds, create remixes, and to TI’s point, liscence.

When Shannon Sharpe told TI that Dr. Dre had sold his catalog for $200,000,000 and asked TI if he would do the same, the quick response was, “nope.” As a swift rebuttal to himself, TI did mention that while he would not outright sell his catalog, he would entertain a good deal if it came to licensing his music to the rightful personal, make money off of it, and then take everything back to himself once the licensing term was completed.

With an approach like this, the purchaser could alter the track/sound and rerelease it in a new form that captures and even larger audience. With this, the talent themselves can also learn why this version made an impact, and how to continue doing so on their own.

Music is really brilliant and can last a lifetime. So is selling your catalog the way to go?