NEW YORK, Dec 16 — Multiple Grammy winner Bruce Springsteen has sold his masters and music publishing rights to Sony Music in a deal worth about US$500 million (RM2.1 billion), entertainment publication Billboard said on Wednesday, citing sources.
The sale will give Sony ownership of the rock music legend's entire catalogue, including 15-times platinum album Born In The USA and five-times platinum The River, Billboard reported.
It is the latest in a string of catalogue deals over the past year or so that includes the music of David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Stevie Nicks, Neil Young and Carole Bayer Sager.
Warner Music bought worldwide rights to Bowie's catalogue in September, and Dylan sold his back catalogue of more than 600 songs in December last year to Universal Music Group at a purchase price widely reported as US$300 million.
Sony's Columbia Records, where Springsteen recorded his music, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Springsteen could not be reached. — Reuters
