Sony Music has acquired Queen's entire music catalog, including iconic hits like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Another One Bites the Dust," and "We Are the Champions," in a distribution deal valued at over $1.2-1.27 billion.
Sony reportedly outbid another potential buyer who offered around $900 million for the catalog.
The deal covers Queen's recorded music royalties for the US and Canada, as well as a distribution agreement for other territories once their contract with Universal Music Group expires.
The acquisition includes future rights to Queen's name and likeness but excludes rights to live concerts, as founding members Brian May and Roger Taylor continue to tour with Adam Lambert.
The success of the "Bohemian Rhapsody" movie likely increased the value of Queen's songs, which include hits like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You," and "Another One Bites the Dust."
The deal allows Sony to release records, monetize songs, and create a new stage show separate from "We Will Rock You."
Queen's classic songs continue to be popular on streaming platforms, and their legacy has grown over the years, with Brian May and Roger Taylor continuing to tour, and their songs like "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" remaining popular stadium staples.
Sources: Variety, TMZ, NME, sanmarinortv.sm, leparisien.fr, dailymail.co.uk, nbcnews.com, dailycaller.com, hypebeast.com, kalteng.antaranews.com, beritaja.com, antaranews.com, townoflaronge.ca, themusicnetwork.com, quotidiano.net, ansa.it, thathashtagshow.com, themusic.com.au, showbiz411.com, exame.com.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
