Iconic musician and performer, Tina Turner, has sold her entire music catalog to the music publishing company, BMG.
The 81-year-old singer formally retired in 2009, after her “Tina! 50th Anniversary” tour. “I was just tired of singing and making everybody happy,” she recalled to the New York Times. “That’s all I’d ever done in my life.”
The sale of her catalog seems to cement her retirement.
BMG also obtained the artist’s share of her recordings, her music publishing writer’s share, neighboring rights, and name, as well as her image and likeness in the deal. The company did not disclose the financial terms, but industry experts estimate that it was worth more than $50 million.
The deal covers Turner’s solo work, which includes 10 studio albums, two live albums, two soundtracks, and five compilations that combined have sold more than 100 million records.
Warner Music remains Turner’s actual record company, and will work with BMG on future releases.
In a statement, Turner said, “Like any artist, the protection of my life’s work, my musical inheritance, is something personal. I am confident that with BMG and Warner Music my work is in professional and reliable hands.”
BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said: “Tina Turner’s musical journey has inspired hundreds of millions of people around the world and continues to reach new audiences.”
Adding, “We are honored to take on the job of managing Tina Turner’s musical and commercial interests. It is a responsibility we take seriously and will pursue diligently. She is truly and simply, the best.”
Turner’s manager/husband Erwin Bach is acquainted with Masuch and began discussing the possibility of the deal for over a year, according to Rolling Stone.
Masuch and BMG are reportedly exploring a variety of ways to bring Turner’s music to a new audience, telling Rolling Stone, “With Warner and Tina, we want to expand reach and influence new audiences. What’s the YouTube strategy, what do we do with TikTok? You have to be far beyond any approach where you’re just releasing a best-of album every four years or selling rights for a documentary.”
The 2021 film, Tina, is a documentary that presents a revealing and intimate look into the icon’s life and career, and documents her personal and professional struggles and triumphs. It currently has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Tina Turner was the second artist and the first Black woman to ever grace the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine, and this year she will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the second time. She was previously inducted as a member of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, but this time it will be for her solo work.
Fans are speculating that the sale means Turner is in poor health, but there is no confirmation of that. However, the singer remains beloved. Especially by one fan who, as the announcement of the sale made news, adopted a puppy and named her Tina Turner.
Rolling Stone noted that BMG may soon announce more legacy deals as they acquire music from older artists and find ways to bring it back to the marketplace.
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