Peter Frampton has sold his publishing catalog to BMG, the company confirms to Rolling Stone, marking the latest artist to sell their music rights in exchange for a major payout.
The deal includes all of Frampton’s publishing rights (the rights tied to songs’ lyrics and musical compositions), the company says, along with other copyright revenues including neighboring rights. The company declined to disclose how much it paid for Frampton’s catalog.
The deal encompasses Frampton’s lifetime of musical work from his time with The Herd in the 1960s, to Humble Pie in the late 1960s and early 70s, to his most successful commercial period as a solo artist from the 1970s onward with hits including “Show Me The Way”, “Baby, I Love Your Way”, and “Do You Feel Like We Do”. Frampton’s 1976 live album, Frampton Comes Alive!, Is one of the most successful live albums of all time, selling over 8 million units and earning a Grammy nomination for "Album Of The Year".
“I am so pleased to join the BMG family,” Frampton said in a statement. “As an artist-first company, I trust BMG will care for my legacy and that my songs are in good hands.”
Frampton’s deal with BMG was nearly three years in the making, BMG’s US president of repertoire and marketing Thomas Scherer tells Rolling Stone. The company and Frampton started speaking about a potential sale two and a half years ago before taking a break and starting the conversation again six months ago. Scherer said Frampton fits well for BMG, which does business with other classic rock artists like Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Harry Nilsson - the latter of whom recently sold his catalog to BMG as well.
“Peter Frampton is iconic, and he fits perfectly to our roster,” Scherer says. “The different artists and icons he was working with, Bowie, Harry Nilsson, along with the artists we work with, it fits perfectly. It fits our expertise, this is the music we know we can market.”
Read more at Rolling Stone.
