According to multiple sources quoted by Billboard, Queen are poised to sell their music assets including their recorded music, publishing and ancillary income streams for whopping $1.2 billion (£950 million)!
It’s believed that the deal will encompass Queen’s entire music career from their 1973 debut album ‘Queen’ right up to 1995’s ‘Made in Heaven’, which was released four years after Freddie Mercury’s death, as well as revenue from their 2018 blockbuster biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody”, plus merchandise and other licensing.
Billboard also speculates that the lucrative deal could include royalties from the North America master recordings catalogue that Queen sold to the Disney-owned Hollywood Records in the early 90s.
The report also states that Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon and the estate of the late Freddie Mercury each have their own lawyers involved in the deal.
Music Business Worldwide first reported that the sale process for Queen’s back catalogue was underway with Universal Music Group and Disney, Hollywood Records’ owner, both being approached.
If the Queen deal goes through for the $1.2 billion price tag, it would dwarf the $500 million-plus paid by Sony Music Group to acquire Bruce Springsteen’s recorded music and music publishing catalogs in late 2021.
For the record, other artists who have sold all or some of their music rights in recent years include Nancy Wilson, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham, Mötley Crüe, Metallica producer Bob Rock and the estate of David Bowie.
