Thoughts on Bob Dylan selling his song catalog for $300 million?

[Nova Carmina]

I can't decide if this is a giant sell-out, betraying everything he once stood for, or if it's a giant sell-out maximizing his income in a market-logical way?

 

Now a corporation owns the tunes, so god only knows what shitty commercials you'll start hearing them in.

[Maverick]

Welcome to the machine.

 

:lol:

Edited December 10, 2020 by Maverick

[ReRushed]

He's 79 years old. He cashed in diminishing returns for a big haul. He's not touring. People don't buy albums anymore. Streaming is not profitable to the artist. At his age he made the right move.

[tangy]

The answer, my friend is blowing in the wind....

[RushFanForever]

From Page Six.

 

Bob Dylan catalog sale to Universal a sour note for Sony, insiders say

 

From Rolling Stone.

 

Universal’s Bob Dylan Catalog Buy Is About Survival

 

Bob Dylan Rejected a $400 Million Hipgnosis Offer Before Universal Music’s Deal

 

Wait, Bob Dylan Owned ‘The Weight’? An Explainer

Edited December 10, 2020 by RushFanForever

[J2112YYZ]

If you owned something that was valuable and someone offered you 300 million for it, why wouldn't you take it?

 

Sounds like a move to make sure that himself and his family are taken care of for years to come. I don't have a problem with it.

[blueschica]

My husband and I were wondering the same thing about the commercials! :huh: I'm ok with it, though.

 

It reminded me of when Rush did the same thing in 2015 after the tour and Geddy said it basically was "retirement planning." I get it, as ReRushed said, there is not a lot of profit in album sales these days. None of these artists is getting any younger and perhaps some would not want to burden their family with discerning how they would want their music used after they are gone. Cash is different decisions but maybe easier to deal with in some ways than licensing rights etc.

Edited December 10, 2020 by blueschica

[chemistry1973]

It’s fine. It’s 300 million dollars. The songs will still be great.

[invisible airwave]

After seeing some comments on Facebook about him, it pains me to say that Hooker With A Penis by Tool is still a relevant song. Were they in a coma when he had a song for Victoria's Secret?

[Lorraine]

Is that all he sold it for? He should've held out for more.

[JohnnyBlaze]

Is that all he sold it for? He should've held out for more.

 

Right - it’s chump change. I’ve got that much under my sofa cushions.

[zepphead]

At his age he has accumulated a nice haul to pass on to his benefactors - a couple of ex wives and 6 sprogs.

[JohnnyBlaze]

At his age he has accumulated a nice haul to pass on to his benefactors - a couple of ex wives and 6 sprogs.

 

Just read that he already had a net worth of $200mill. + 300 for this deal and he’s half way to the billionaire league.

 

“You can’t take it with you and you know that it’s too worthless to be sold”

 

- Bob Dylan ‘When You Gonna Wake Up’

[IbanezJem]

Dylan`s always been a keen businessman. There is a school of thought that every single thing about him since the early 60s is a construct (I don`t subscribe to that) but he owns, last I read, 17 houses, you can buy prints of his artwork and copies of both with additional premium for a signed copy, every single album has had the release of the demos and live versions etc. Bob allows every song to be played in any film or advert as it is. And I write this as an avowed lover of most of Dylan`s music and mythology.

 

The only surprise for me is that he considers a sum now to be worth more than passing the rights to his family. Surely the value would have shot up when he dies?

[J2112YYZ]

Dylan`s always been a keen businessman. There is a school of thought that every single thing about him since the early 60s is a construct (I don`t subscribe to that) but he owns, last I read, 17 houses, you can buy prints of his artwork and copies of both with additional premium for a signed copy, every single album has had the release of the demos and live versions etc. Bob allows every song to be played in any film or advert as it is. And I write this as an avowed lover of most of Dylan`s music and mythology.

 

The only surprise for me is that he considers a sum now to be worth more than passing the rights to his family. Surely the value would have shot up when he dies?

 

The value could go up after he dies but I'm guessing this is something he wanted to take care of before he died that way there's no disagreements in the family over who gets what.

[zepphead]

Dylan`s always been a keen businessman. There is a school of thought that every single thing about him since the early 60s is a construct (I don`t subscribe to that) but he owns, last I read, 17 houses, you can buy prints of his artwork and copies of both with additional premium for a signed copy, every single album has had the release of the demos and live versions etc. Bob allows every song to be played in any film or advert as it is. And I write this as an avowed lover of most of Dylan`s music and mythology.

 

The only surprise for me is that he considers a sum now to be worth more than passing the rights to his family. Surely the value would have shot up when he dies?

 

The value could go up after he dies but I'm guessing this is something he wanted to take care of before he died that way there's no disagreements in the family over who gets what.

Yes, and a least he has decided who the rights went to and perhaps is satisfied with the integrity of the new owners. The family could have sold them to anybody.

[driventotheedge]

At his age he has accumulated a nice haul to pass on to his benefactors - a couple of ex wives and 6 sprogs.

 

Just read that he already had a net worth of $200mill. + 300 for this deal and he’s half way to the billionaire league.

 

“You can’t take it with you and you know that it’s too worthless to be sold”

 

- Bob Dylan ‘When You Gonna Wake Up’

So he's halfway to where Sir Paul is then.

 

It's kind of like the basketball player that goes pro after only one year in college. If you were offered 50 million to go pro wouldn't you? If you were offered 300 mil for your songs. wouldn't you? Painters sell paintings, how is it any different when songwriters sell songs? Artists making money from the sale of their creation(s).

 

Jim Morrison famously got pissed at Robbie, Ray and John when they were going to sell Light My Fire to Buick for a commercial and he couldn't be reached since he was out on one of his 3 day benders. I wonder if he'd still feel the same way now or if he'd agree to sell their songs these days/ My guess is he would.

 

Just heard Dreamer by Supertramp on a commercial. Get used to it.

Edited December 10, 2020 by driventotheedge

[78jazz]

 

Jim Morrison famously got pissed at Robbie, Ray and John when they were going to sell Light My Fire to Buick for a commercial and he couldn't be reached since he was out on one of his 3 day benders.

 

Incorrect.

 

He was off chasing Pamela Courson in London in October 1968 trying to win her back when this happened. He did not tell anyone in the Doors organization he was doing this.

[78jazz]

I can't decide if this is a giant sell-out, betraying everything he once stood for, or if it's a giant sell-out maximizing his income in a market-logical way?

 

Now a corporation owns the tunes, so god only knows what shitty commercials you'll start hearing them in.

 

I would say it is a sell-out on the surface, but IbanezJem may have this one right.

 

They are his songs to sell and that catalog could have been tied up in legal hell had he not turned it into something a bit more liquid.

 

My only question about this being an income thing is that he is currently 79 years old. He probably does not even have the time to spend it all (and that is probably not why he did this).

 

I realize we will probably never know and I also accept it is none of my business (so I do not lose sleep over this), but I would be curious as to the thoughts of one Jakob Dylan on this.

[driventotheedge]

Jim Morrison famously got pissed at Robbie, Ray and John when they were going to sell Light My Fire to Buick for a commercial and he couldn't be reached since he was out on one of his 3 day benders.

 

Incorrect.

 

He was off chasing Pamela Courson in London in October 1968 trying to win her back when this happened. He did not tell anyone in the Doors organization he was doing this.

I was not aware of that. Thanks for setting the record straight.

[chemistry1973]

Investment -

 

Notepad - .25

Pencil- .05

Guitar- 100.00

 

 

Profit - 100 Million in previous earnings, plus 300 million in a catalog sale.

 

That is good business.

 

I read a missive by Diane Warren criticizing his move, which to me, reinforced the intelligence of Dylan's decision.

Edited December 10, 2020 by chemistry1973

[Nova Carmina]

He could have donated the rights, I suppose, to an organization of his choice, which then could have sold them, and thus Greenpeace (or the NRA, or whoever) could have had 300 million to further their cause.

 

I don't know that it's as simple as "if somebody offered you X for Thing Y, wouldn't you take it" -- is everything salable and fungible now? Yeah, a song isn't some mystical artifact . . .

 

Anyhoo, I'm gonna go watch No Direction Home again . . .

[chemistry1973]

15-20% of the sale will likely go to his manager. Another 10% to his lawyers.

 

Everyone will pay lots of taxes.

 

Dylan will probably end up with 80-100 million.

[JohnnyBlaze]

At his age he has accumulated a nice haul to pass on to his benefactors - a couple of ex wives and 6 sprogs.

 

Just read that he already had a net worth of $200mill. + 300 for this deal and he’s half way to the billionaire league.

 

“You can’t take it with you and you know that it’s too worthless to be sold”

 

- Bob Dylan ‘When You Gonna Wake Up’

So he's halfway to where Sir Paul is then.

 

It's kind of like the basketball player that goes pro after only one year in college. If you were offered 50 million to go pro wouldn't you? If you were offered 300 mil for your songs. wouldn't you? Painters sell paintings, how is it any different when songwriters sell songs? Artists making money from the sale of their creation(s).

 

Jim Morrison famously got pissed at Robbie, Ray and John when they were going to sell Light My Fire to Buick for a commercial and he couldn't be reached since he was out on one of his 3 day benders. I wonder if he'd still feel the same way now or if he'd agree to sell their songs these days/ My guess is he would.

 

Just heard Dreamer by Supertramp on a commercial. Get used to it.

 

Can’t tell if you think i think he sold out or not.

Basically, I don’t care about the label of whether he sold out or not. Best lyricist of all time. Music and themes are timeless. 300 million is great for him. Too bad he didn’t get a billion.

[IbanezJem]

Dolly Parton is considering selling the rights to her songs too. She says that it would be to avoid any problems that could arise at a later date regarding her estate, but that she would still like to have some element of control during her lifetime.