Hipgnosis Songs announced that Justin Bieber has been paid over $200 million for the rights to his music.
The Wall Street Journal had reported in December that Justin Bieber was in discussions to sell off his repertoire to Hipgnosis Songs Capital. The news of the sale comes as a surprise. His back catalog, publication rights, and master recording shares are also included in the agreement; together, they represent over 290 titles that will be released before December 31, 2021. Additionally, sources told Variety that Universal Music will continue to release Justin Bieber’s tracks in the future.
“I want to thank Merck and his entire Hipgnosis team and all of our partners involved for working so hard to make this historic deal happen,” Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun said in a statement. “When Justin made the decision to make a catalog deal, we quickly found the best partner to preserve and grow this amazing legacy was Merck and Hipgnosis. 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.”
Merck Mercuriadis, founder and CEO of Hipgnosis Song Management, added: “The impact of Justin Bieber on global culture over the last 14 years has truly been remarkable. 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. Scooter Braun has helped him build a magnificent catalog, and it’s a pleasure to welcome Justin and his incredible songs and recordings to the Hipgnosis family.”
The multi-million dollar agreement comes shortly after Justin Bieber revealed he will push back the final dates of his Justice Tour to an indeterminate point in 2023. His most recent target was the apparel company H&M, which Biebs labeled “crap” for using his image without his consent.
