Global InformationList of largest music deals information
The following is a list of the largest music deals in history signed by artists, including recording contracts and multi-rights agreements with over $50 million, as well catalog acquisitions with a reported sum of over $150 million.[b] Some figures might not be entirely accurate, as some multi-million-dollar contracts were reportedly misrepresented or exaggerated,[1][2][3] and many were just media estimations. Therefore, no rankings are given.
An early recorded five-figure deal in music history was reported by The Music Trades magazine in the late 1910s, made by American composer John Stepan Zamecnik.[4] The 1960s saw contracts with six-figures such as an advance deal for $143,000 to Led Zeppelin (Atlantic Records) in 1968, then the biggest deal of its kind for a new band.[5] The 1970s saw a rise in millionaire recording contracts, starting with a deal made by The Rolling Stones in 1971, which represented "a new benchmark in industry contracts", according to Billboard, and became the largest contract ever made by that point.[6] In a short span of years, Neil Diamond signed a $4–5 million deal with Columbia Records, which was later superseded by Paul McCartney's Capitol Records and Elton John's MCA Records deals of $8 million each, as well as Stevie Wonder's 1975 deal with Motown valued at $13 million,[c] reaching a new peak in the industry.[8][9] The 1980s saw more contracts of eight figures, including record-breaking Diana Ross's $20 million contract with RCA Records in 1980,[10] or the Rolling Stones with CBS Records for $28 million in 1983.[11] An increase of blockbuster deals began in the 1990s, with top-signing artists such as Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince each exceeding the $40–60 million marks,[12][13] making multiple appearances in the Guinness World Records.[14] Up until 2016, only a few recording and multi-rights contracts outpaced the $100 million mark.[15] The largest music deals belong to catalog acquisitions which include songwriting and publishing rights, with an increase in the late 2010s and early 2020s.[16][17] The Estate of Michael Jackson made the largest posthumous deals, followed by David Bowie.
Multi-million-sized music deals have often raised skepticism and been criticized in corporate terms for bi-directional disadvantages,[18][19][15][20][21][22] including Prince's 1992 contract with Warner Bros deriving a contractual dispute.[18] Referred by a contributor from Forbes to as "the best-known and most-cited example" among misadventured contracts,[15] Mariah Carey's 2001 deal with Virgin Records marked "the first time that a major music corporation decided to cut its losses on a superstar agreement", according to The New York Times.[23]
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- ^ Haring, Bruce (June 3, 1993). "U2 inks 6-album deal with Island Records". Variety. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ EW Staff (June 25, 1993). "The Money Tree". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Buckley, David (2002). R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography. Virgin. p. 177. ISBN 1-85227-927-3.
- ^ "Zamecnik Renewe With Fox". The Music Trades. August 2, 1919. p. 45. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Wall, Mick (2010). When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin. Macmillan Publishers. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-4299-8561-1. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ "Ahmet Ertegun Interview". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 3. January 17, 1998. p. A-56. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Mitchell, Elvis (September 10, 2022). "The Treat: Writer-musician Nabil Ayers on Stevie Wonder's 'Songs in the Key of Life'". KCRW. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Kirsch, Bob (August 16, 1975). "Pricing Tops List of Racker's Beefs". Billboard. Vol. 87, no. 33. p. 1. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Freedland, Nat (August 31, 1974). "The Russ Regan Story". Billboard. Vol. 86, no. 35. p. TC-4. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ "Ebony Interview with Diana Ross". Ebony. Vol. 37, no. 1. November 1981. p. 39. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ "Stones' $28 million deal richest in recording history". UPI. August 26, 1983. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Variouswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Knight Ridder (April 21, 1992). "Madonna signs deal 'dramatically greater' than $60 million". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Matthews, Peter; McWhirter, Norris D. (1994). Largest contrats. The Guinness Book of Records. p. 162. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c McIntyre, Hugh (May 24, 2016). "$100 Million Record Deals For Music's Superstars: Are They A Good Investment?". Forbes. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Graff, Gary (December 2, 2022). "Why Musical Artists Are Selling Their Catalog Rights". Loudwire. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Ingham, Tim; Wang, Amy X (January 15, 2021). "Why Superstar Artists Are Clamoring to Sell Their Music Rights". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
BBCwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Holden, Stephen (April 20, 1992). "Madonna Makes a $60 Million Deal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Susman, Gary (October 3, 2002). "Who just signed the biggest deal in pop history?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Carey2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Waddell, Ray (October 16, 2007). "Update: Madonna Confirms Deal With Live Nation". Billboard. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Careywas invoked but never defined (see the help page).