Justin Bieber sells rights to music catalog for more than $200 million

Justin Bieber has sold the rights to his music catalog, becoming the latest star to sell the rights to his material.

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According to Billboard, Bieber, 28, closed a deal with Hipgnosis Songs Capital for more than $200 million. The deal covers 100% of Bieber’s publishing rights and his artist royalties from his master recordings and neighboring rights, the music news website reported.

Bieber’s back catalog contains more than 290 titles released before Dec. 31, 2021, Variety reported. According to the entertainment news website, Bieber’s songs will still be administered by Universal Music and his master recordings will be owned by the company “in perpetuity.”

Hipgnosis will now control Bieber’s biggest hits, including “Baby,” “Love Yourself,” “What Do You Mean,” and “Sorry,” Rolling Stone reported. The deal also include’s Bieber’s most recent album, 2021′s “Justice,” according to Billboard.

Bieber has sold more than 150 million records, according to the website.

The singer joins other contemporary singers who have sold their catalogs, including Justin Timberlake -- who also sold his music to Hipgnosis -- and Ryan Tedder, Rolling Stone reported. Older musicians have also sold the rights to their music, including Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

Springsteen’s deal was worth about $550 million, according to CNN.

Warner Music Group bought the catalog of the late David Bowie, the cable news network reported.

Last year, Leonard Cohen, Nile Rodgers, Kenny Chesney, Neil Young and Nelly Furtado all sold some of their rights to Hipgnosis, according to Billboard. Hipgnosis acquired Shakira’s catalog in 2018, The Associated Press reported.

“The impact of Justin Bieber on global culture over the last 14 years has truly been remarkable,” Merck Mercuriadis, founder and CEO of Hipgnosis Song Management, said in a statement. “This acquisition ranks among the biggest deals ever made for an artist under the age of 70. Such is the power of this incredible catalog that has almost 82 million monthly listeners and over 30 billion streams on Spotify alone.”

The news comes several weeks after he postponed the remaining dates of his “Justice” tour, Variety reported. The tour was supposed to begin in 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was postponed again after Bieber announced he had Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a virus that caused facial paralysis, according to the website.

“Justin is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and that is reflected and acknowledged by the magnitude of this deal,” Scooter Braun, Bieber’s longtime manager, said in a statement. “For 15 years I have been grateful to witness this journey and today I am happy for all those involved. Justin’s greatness is just beginning.”

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