Christine becomes the 4th member to sell her catalog

[Macfan4life]

I wonder how much they originally sold for? I also wonder how much they sold for now?

When she came back to the band, I am curious why or if she bought them back?

Money makes the world go around. Not THAT long ago, artists would never sell any rights just to keep their art. Now many of them do it toward the end of their career.
Prince is rolling over in his grave.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I wonder how much they originally sold for? I also wonder how much they sold for now?

When she came back to the band, I am curious why or if she bought them back?

Money makes the world go around. Not THAT long ago, artists would never sell any rights just to keep their art. Now many of them do it toward the end of their career.
Prince is rolling over in his grave.

I think it was 34 million.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I wonder how much they originally sold for? I also wonder how much they sold for now?

When she came back to the band, I am curious why or if she bought them back?

Ooh boy- Variety has a big article on their website that tries to explain this hot mess. Sorry, I can’t post the link, but basically, two companies own her rights. I read the article, and I don’t understand it lol!

[bombaysaffires]

My understanding is she hasn't given up ALL royalties, just PUBLISHING royalties. Thus she would still get songwriter/performer royalties. Publishing rights means owner of publishing rights gets to approve various uses for the song-- a film, a commercial, etc.

ETA: Ok, Pulling the Variety article, she has given up ALL her rights, including songwriter rights, not just publishing rights. So her songs are truly not hers in anyway anymore and she no longer gets royalty checks, she got it all in one lump.


Here's the text of the article:

UPDATED: Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie has sold assets from her 115-title song catalog to Hipgnosis, the fast-growing music company that has spent more than $2 billion in three years acquiring rights to a vast number of popular songs.

Hipgnosis has acquired 100% of McVie’s ownership in the catalog, including writer’s share and neighboring rights; in a statement to Variety, Universal Music Publishing emphasized that it owns and administers “the vast majority” of McVie’s catalog.

McVie, who first joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970, is the writer of many of the long-running group’s biggest hits, including “Don’t Stop,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “Over My Head,” “Songbird,” “Say You Love Me” and others. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, Fleetwood Mac are one of the most commercially successful music artists of the past 50 years, with the Grammy-winning 1977 album “Rumours” selling more than 45 million copies worldwide; second is 1987’s “Tango in the Night,” at 15 million.

McVie is the fourth of the band’s five members to make such a deal in the past nine months, and the second to go with Hipgnosis, after fellow Mac singer-songwriter Lindsey Buckingham completed the sale of 100% of his publishing rights to the company in January. Stevie Nicks, the group’s other major singer and songwriter, struck a far-reaching $100 million deal with Primary Wave late last year, and drummer-cofounder Mick Fleetwood made one with BMG comprising a variety of rights in January.

According to the announcement, Hipgnosis has acquired McVie’s worldwide copyright, ownership and financial interest, including writer’s share, of all compositions and neighboring rights. The deal also includes her pre-Fleetwood Mac work with the British group Chicken Shack and her solo material, including her 1969 debut, “Christine Perfect.” Hipgnosis has acquired catalogs including Neil Young, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shakira, Barry Manilow and many successful songwriter-producers.

McVie was represented by business manager Paul Glass at the Colony Group, manager Martin Wyatt and attorney Mario González.

“I am so excited to belong to the Hipgnosis family, and thrilled that you all regard my songs worthy of merit,” McVie said of the deal. “I’d like to thank you all for your faith in me, and I’ll do all I can to continue this new relationship and help in any way I can! Thank you so much!”

Hignosis cofounder Merck Mercuriadis said, “Christine McVie is one of the greatest songwriters of all time, having guided Fleetwood Mac to almost 150 million albums sold and making them one of the best-selling bands of all time globally. In the last 46 years the band have had three distinct writers and vocalists but Christine’s importance is amply demonstrated by the fact that eight of the 16 songs on the band’s Greatest Hits albums are from Christine. It’s wonderful for us to welcome Christine to the Hipgnosis Family and particularly wonderful to reunite her once again at Hipgnosis with Lindsey Buckingham. Between Christine and Lindsey we now have 48 of 68 songs on the band’s most successful albums.”

[bwboy]

Yes, but as already noted by folks here, Christine sold her catalog several years earlier, and the Variety article (tried to) explain how Hipgnosis was also able to buy her catalog. Apparently, the company that purchased her catalog first has major issues with the press release Hipgnosis sent out explaining their deal. They say it’s very misleading as to which songs Hipgnosis actually now owns. I’m sure more will be revealed in the next few days explaining it.

[HomerMcvie]

I've never understood all the intricacies of copyrights. I asked Bob Welch about it once, and he explained it in fairly good detail, but I still didn't fully understand it. Wtf are mechanicals???

I have his response saved on a computer at my other house, but I won't be back in the south of France for a bit.

[jbrownsjr]

^^^^ There are third party share rights (sometimes in perpetuity or a limit). There are residuals. There are producer rights, publishing rights, writer rights.... It's crazy. And to do the accounting is crazy, as well.

It's probably a nightmare. I used to do contracts for film catalogues (a tad different than music) . I hated it and it still doesn't make sense to me.

What I do know is that the distributor normally takes in the income. Then splits it out per the contracts of the producer and publisher etc.

[HomerMcvie]

Okay - even though this doesn't cover everything(obviously), here's what Bob wrote to me about copyrights, several years ago.
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No, the publishers don't have to ask permission...although it's considered courteous if they at least run it by you. I'm not the "publisher" of Sentimental Lady. I own the "writers share" which is 50% of all income from the song. On other songs , like Ebony Eyes for example, I own 3/4 of the song ; the 50% "publishers share" is split 50/50 between me and EMI Music. If I owned Sentimental Lady 100% , I could turn down any given commercial if I wanted...because I would be the publisher, and the advertiser must get whats called a "sync" liscence . As far as the amount of money...it all depends on the specific deal. For example , supposedly Led Zepplin sold "Rock And Roll" outright (100%) to Cadillac for $1,000,000.00. The more well known any given song is , the more money it's worth. Sentimental Lady is pretty far up in the ranking since it was a top 5 "hit" , and is still played. The lowest price for a song like that is usually from $35,000.00-$50,000.00 and up. It also depends on the budget of the company that's doing the advertising. The writer and publisher also make money from the "performance societies" ,i.e. ASCAP and BMI every time the commercial is played. If it's played (shown) a lot nationwide , or worldwide , this can really add up . Basically , the publishers called us up and said that ask.com was "maybe" gonna' use the song. Then we heard nothing for a month...and then a friend called us up to say she'd seen it. So much for "being in the loop " ;-) Bob Welch
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Edit - it's weird to me to post Bob's response to me, now that he's gone. It makes me sad to read it. I don't want to delete it.....it's just weird to read his words. An integral member in FM's history, and easily the most accessible. Rest in peace, Bob.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Between Christine and Lindsey we now have 48 of 68 songs on the band’s most successful albums.”

Ok. This sounds a little jabby to me. But I support it.