Who Owns The Rights To The Beatles Songs

Alright, gather 'round, folks. I've got a tale to tell about the Fab Four, their tunes, and who's raking in the dough from it all. You might want to grab a cuppa, 'cause this is gonna be a wild ride through the twisty-turny world of music rights.

Once Upon a Time in Liverpool...

Let's rewind to the swinging sixties, when four lads from Liverpool were shaking up the music scene. The Beatles, as you might've heard, were a bit of a big deal. They wrote their own songs, and boy, did they write some good'uns. But who owns the rights to these musical masterpieces today? Well, it's a story that's more complex than a John Lennon song lyric.

Meet the Bigwigs

First, we've got Northern Songs, the publishing company that the Beatles signed with back in the day. It was owned by a couple of blokes who, let's just say, weren't exactly the most popular guys at the school reunion. They owned 50% of the publishing rights to the Beatles' songs.

Then, there's Apple Corps, the Beatles' own company, which owns the other 50% of the publishing rights. But here's the twist: Apple Corps also owns the recording rights to the Beatles' music. So, they're sitting pretty with a whopping 100% of the copyright for the Beatles' recordings. Neat, huh?

Now, you might be thinking, "Well, that's simple enough. The Beatles own their own music, and they're rolling in dough." But hold onto your mop tops, because it's not that straightforward.

Enter the Lawyers

In the 1980s, Michael Jackson (yes, that one) decided he wanted a piece of the pie. He bought ATV Music, the company that owned the other half of Northern Songs. Suddenly, Jackson owned half of the publishing rights to the Beatles' tunes. Now, that's a plot twist worthy of a Beatles song.

But wait, there's more! In 1995, Sony/ATV bought ATV Music from Jackson's estate. So now, Sony/ATV owns half of the publishing rights to the Beatles' music. And who owns the other half? Well, that's still Apple Corps, owned by the Beatles' estate.

Who Owns Rights to The Beatles Music - Blogs - EECOP

Confused yet? Grab another biscuit, we're not done yet.

Money, Money, Money

So, who's making bank off the Beatles' music? Well, it's a bit of a mess, really. The Beatles' estate gets money from Apple Corps, which owns the recording rights. Sony/ATV gets money from the publishing rights they own. And the Beatles' estate gets money from Sony/ATV for the publishing rights they don't own. It's like a never-ending game of pass the parcel, with the Beatles' estate always ending up with a prize.

But here's where it gets really interesting. In 2017, Sony/ATV and the Beatles' estate signed a deal that gives the Beatles' estate the option to buy back the publishing rights to their songs from Sony/ATV. It's like they're playing a game of musical chairs, and they're determined to get their own songs back.

And They're Off!

So, there you have it, folks. The story of who owns the rights to the Beatles' music is a tangled web of publishing companies, recording rights, and lawyers. It's enough to make your head spin, isn't it? But hey, at least we can all agree on one thing: the Beatles were, and still are, bloody brilliant.

And there you have it, the tale of the Fab Four's tunes and the bigwigs who own them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a sudden urge to listen to some Beatles. Something tells me you do too. Cheerio!