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The company Sony Music bought this Monday, January 24, the complete musical catalog of the singer and Nobel Prize for Literature, Bob Dylan. The new acquisition includes musical hits such as ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ and ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’.
Sony Music is the new owner of the entire musical repertoire of American artist Bob Dylan, as well as the rights to his future releases.
The music industry giant announced this Monday, January 24, the millionaire purchase, agreed in July 2021, and which includes everything from classic albums from the 1960s such as ‘Blonde On Blonde’ to Dylan’s latest release in 2020: ‘Rough And Rowdy Ways’.
The deal is the latest in Sony Music’s six-decade relationship with the artist and covers Dylan’s work since then. According to the American magazine Variety, the contract was valued between 150 and 200 million dollars.
Under the deal, Sony and Dylan said they would collaborate on future reissues of the artist’s Bootleg Series catalogue, which began in 1991 and includes 14 releases up to the critically acclaimed ‘Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 (1980-1985). ‘ from last year.
The “genius” that has no rival
In December 2020, the 80-year-old artist sold his songwriting rights, apart from the recording rights, which govern reproduction and distribution, to Universal Music Publishing Group in a deal estimated at more than $300 million, for what is estimated that the payment of Sony Music touches almost 200 million dollars.
May your song always be sung
And may you stay forever youngBob Dylan signed to @ColumbiaRecords in 1961 and today Sony Music announced it has fully acquired his entire catalog of recorded music, as well as the rights to multiple future new releases. pic.twitter.com/VGIOxbtXP1
— SonyMusic (@sonymusic) January 24, 2022
In that big buy, Dylan was among a group of older artists, including Neil Young, Stevie Nicks and Paul Simon, who also sold the rights to their compositions to investors looking to capitalize on the opportunities created by streaming music.
The statement published by the music company ensures that Dylan recorded his first album in October 1961 with Columbia Records, owned by Sony Music, and that this album marked “the beginning of an unparalleled musical journey by a music master who continues to have a profound and global impact on culture.
For his part, the president of Sony Music, Rob Stringer, said that Dylan is “one of the greatest icons of music and a genius without rival”. “We are excited to work with Bob and his team to find new ways to make his music available to his many fans now and for generations to come,” said Stringer.
After reaching the agreement, the artist was satisfied and happy that his recordings “can stay where they belong.” Dylan is the author of classic compositions in the history of contemporary music such as ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’ and ‘Like A Rolling Stone’. In addition, in 2016 he received the Nobel Prize for Literature for “having created new poetic expressions within the great tradition of the songs of the United States.”
Stringer referred to the artist as an “unrivaled genius”, and assured that Columbia Records has maintained a good relationship with Dylan “since the beginning of his career and we are tremendously proud and excited to continue growing and evolving in these 60 years that we have been associated ” .
With EFE, Reuters and local media
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