Emi In 20m Publishing Deal

Global agreement with pop star Sting follows purchase of Motown rights

Sting, the pop singer who is so wealthy that he claimed not to have noticed when his accountant embezzled 6 million of his money, has sold the global publishing rights to his songs to the EMI Group for 20 million ($33.4 million). The deal, which covers all his compositions starting with his late 1970s hits for The Police such as Roxanne and Message In A Bottle, comes two weeks after EMI, the worlds largest music publisher, paid $132 million for 50 per cent of the publishing business linked to Motown Records, the US soul label.

 

Peter Reichardt, senior vice-president of international acquisitions for EMI Music Publishing, said it was purely coincidental that the group had clinched two big acquisitions in swift succession. EMI, he said, had spent four months in negotiations with Sting, who has a long-standing recording contract with PolyGram, the Dutch entertainment group. He described Sting, who has sold 63 million records in his 20-year career, as a great songwriter with a great voice and a fantastic following.

The sale of Stings publishing catalogue highlights the dynamism of music publishing, one of the most profitable sectors of the music industry.

Music publishing, which is dominated by multinational record companies such as EMI, Sony and PolyGram, involves collecting fees or royalties whenever songs are performed, broadcast, or used in films, television programmes and advertisements. Demand for publishing rights has risen rapidly in recent years as the television and advertising markets have expanded, enabling music publishers to demand higher fees for the use of their songs.

Sting, 45, a former teacher whose real name is Gordon Sumner, is one of the few rock stars lucky enough to own his publishing rights. He signed a publishing deal with Virgin Records in 1977, but won control of his catalogue in 1982 in an out-of-court settlement after he objected to a Police hit, Dont Stand So Close To Me, being sold for use in a deodorant commercial.

Sting then formed Magnetic Music, a private company to administer his publishing rights. It struck ad hoc deals with larger publishers in various countries, until Sting decided to consolidate the management of his catalogue under EMI.

The EMI deal, which will last until Sting has released five more albums, coincides with an unexpected fillip in his publishing fortunes.

One of the best-selling singles of 1997 is Puff Daddy and Faith Evans Ill Be Missing You, a tribute to Notorious B.I.G., the late rap star, which is based on Every Breath You Take, a Sting hit for The Police.

The single has already sold 5 million copies worldwide.