The ownership of Beatles songs has a fascinating and complex history that spans decades. What started with Northern Songs, a company formed in the early days of the band’s success, eventually led to one of the most valuable music catalogs in history changing hands multiple times. The Beatles catalog is currently owned by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, a joint venture between Sony Corporation and the Estate of Michael Jackson.
The journey of these iconic songs through different owners reflects the evolution of the music industry itself. From publisher Dick James to Michael Jackson’s surprising acquisition, and later Sony’s involvement, the Beatles’ music rights have been at the center of high-profile business deals. Paul McCartney has spent nearly 50 years in a struggle to regain his rights to the songs he created with John Lennon, highlighting the complicated nature of music ownership in the industry.
Key Takeaways
- Sony/ATV Music Publishing currently controls the rights to the vast majority of Beatles songs.
- The original Northern Songs company was formed with publisher Dick James, Brian Epstein, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney as shareholders.
- While Sony owns publishing rights, Apple Corps must grant permission for new releases due to previous legal settlements.
History of the Beatles’ Music Rights
The ownership of the Beatles’ catalog has a complex and fascinating journey spanning over six decades. The rights have changed hands numerous times, involving music industry giants, celebrity buyers, and legal battles between former bandmates.
Formation of Northern Songs
In 1963, when Beatlemania was just beginning, manager Brian Epstein and publisher Dick James created Northern Songs as a publishing company for John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s compositions. The ownership structure gave James and his partner Charles Silver the majority stake (51%), while Lennon and McCartney each received 20%, and Epstein got 9%.
This arrangement seemed fine when the Beatles were young and focused on making music rather than business deals. However, as their catalog grew more valuable, the inequality of this setup became apparent.
Northern Songs went public on the London Stock Exchange in 1965, further diluting Lennon and McCartney’s control of their own music. They couldn’t prevent what happened next.
Partnership with EMI
While Northern Songs handled publishing rights, EMI owned the actual master recordings of the Beatles’ music. This partnership gave EMI control over the physical recordings but required Apple Corps (the Beatles’ company) permission for new releases.
The relationship between EMI and the Beatles was productive but occasionally tense. EMI’s Parlophone label in the UK and Capitol Records in the US distributed and promoted the Beatles’ music worldwide, helping them become global superstars.
The distinction between master recordings (owned by EMI) and publishing rights (controlled by Northern Songs) would become increasingly important in later decades. This split ownership created complications that continue to affect how Beatles music can be used commercially.
Control Shifts in Publishing Rights
In 1969, after Brian Epstein’s death, Dick James sold his shares in Northern Songs to ATV Music without informing Lennon and McCartney. Despite their attempts to regain control, they lost the battle for ownership of their songs.
The most famous ownership change came in 1985 when Michael Jackson purchased ATV’s catalog including 251 Beatles songs for $47 million, outbidding his friend Paul McCartney. This acquisition strained their friendship significantly.
In 1995, Jackson merged his catalog with Sony to form Sony/ATV. By 2016, Sony acquired the remaining interest in the catalog for $750 million from Jackson’s estate.
Recently, Paul McCartney began reclaiming his portion of the songwriting rights under U.S. copyright law, which allows songwriters to reclaim publishing rights after 56 years. This marks a new chapter in the long story of Beatles ownership.
Michael Jackson’s Acquisition of ATV Music
Michael Jackson’s 1985 purchase of ATV Music marked one of the most significant business deals in music history. The acquisition included The Beatles’ publishing rights, which strained his friendship with Paul McCartney and proved to be a brilliant financial investment.
Michael Jackson and McCartney’s Relationship
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson had a close friendship in the early 1980s. They collaborated on hit songs like “Say Say Say” and “The Girl Is Mine.” During their time together, McCartney reportedly mentioned to Jackson how valuable music publishing rights were as investments.
McCartney had lost control of The Beatles’ song rights years earlier. He had been trying to reacquire the catalog himself. This casual conversation would later become a point of contention between the two music legends.
The friendship became strained after Jackson’s business move. McCartney was reportedly hurt and surprised when he learned his friend had purchased the rights to songs he had written.
Purchase of ATV Catalog
In 1985, Michael Jackson paid between $40-50 million for ATV Music Publishing. This company controlled nearly all The Beatles’ song copyrights along with thousands of other songs.
The purchase was a smart business decision for Jackson. The catalog included approximately 4,000 songs, with The Beatles’ music being the crown jewel of the collection.
Ten years after the initial purchase, Jackson sold 50% of ATV to Sony for about $95 million, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing. This partnership doubled his initial investment while still maintaining half ownership.
The deal gave Jackson significant control over how The Beatles’ music was used in advertisements and other media. It also provided him with ongoing royalties from the songs’ performances and recordings.
Sony’s Involvement and Partnership
The Beatles catalog ownership saga took a significant turn when Sony entered the picture. This partnership would reshape the music publishing landscape and create one of the industry’s most powerful entities controlling the legendary band’s songs.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Formation
Sony made its first major move into the Beatles catalog through a partnership with Michael Jackson. In 1995, Sony and Jackson merged their music publishing businesses to form Sony/ATV Music Publishing. This joint venture combined Sony’s publishing catalog with Jackson’s ATV Music, which included most of the Lennon-McCartney compositions.
The partnership gave Sony a 50% stake in the valuable Beatles catalog. At the time of formation, the catalog was valued at around $1 billion, showing just how valuable these songs had become since Jackson’s initial purchase in the 1980s.
This new publishing powerhouse controlled not just Beatles songs but thousands of other valuable compositions. The deal represented a massive shift in music publishing control.
Buying ATV Shares from Jackson
By 2016, Sony made moves to gain complete control of Sony/ATV. The company purchased Michael Jackson’s 50% stake in the joint venture for $750 million. This transaction came after Jackson’s estate faced financial challenges following his death in 2009.
The deal gave Sony full ownership of the publishing company that held most of the Beatles’ catalog. This acquisition represented one of the largest music publishing deals in history.
Sony’s purchase showed their long-term commitment to owning these valuable music rights. The transaction was approved by regulators despite its size and influence on the music industry landscape.
Complete Acquisition of the Beatles’ Catalog
Sony’s control over the Beatles catalog became more complex when Paul McCartney began reclaiming his rights. Under US copyright law, authors can reclaim copyrights assigned to publishers after 56 years for works published before 1978.
Starting in 2018, McCartney began regaining his share of publishing rights to Beatles songs he wrote. This process continues year by year as songs reach the 56-year mark. The reclamation doesn’t give him full ownership but restores his portion of the rights.
Sony still maintains significant control through their publishing entity, now called Sony Music Publishing (renamed from Sony/ATV in 2021). They retain John Lennon’s share of the catalog, ensuring their continued involvement with these iconic songs for years to come.
Impact on McCartney and Lennon’s Estates
The ownership of Beatles songs has dramatically affected the financial and artistic legacies of both Paul McCartney and John Lennon. Their families continue to receive different levels of royalties based on complex ownership arrangements that have evolved over decades.
Royalties and Licensing
Paul McCartney has long been frustrated by the limited control he had over Beatles music. When Michael Jackson purchased the catalog in the 1980s, McCartney was particularly upset that Beatles songs began appearing in commercials, something he strongly opposed.
For John Lennon’s estate, managed by Yoko Ono and later his son Sean, the situation has meant significant income despite not controlling the actual rights. Both estates receive songwriter royalties separate from publishing rights.
The value of these royalties is enormous. Each time a Beatles song plays on the radio, appears in a movie, or gets covered by another artist, both estates receive payment—though less than they would if they owned the publishing rights outright.
Efforts to Reclaim Song Rights
McCartney has fought for decades to regain control of the Beatles catalog. His most significant victory came in 2017 when he reached a settlement with Sony/ATV regarding copyright to the Beatles catalog under US copyright law.
This legal battle was made possible by US copyright laws that allow songwriters to reclaim their rights after 56 years. McCartney began filing termination notices in 2015 for songs he wrote with Lennon in the 1960s.
After a 50-year struggle, McCartney has regained ownership of portions of the catalog. This gives him more control over how the music is used and ensures a greater share of royalties flows to his estate.
The Lennon estate has generally aligned with McCartney in these efforts, as both benefit from increased control over the Beatles’ legacy.
Hit Songs and Their Rights
The Beatles created some of the most valuable musical assets in history. Ownership of their iconic songs changed hands multiple times over decades. These rights represent both enormous cultural and financial value in the music industry.
Ownership of Iconic Tracks
The journey of Beatles song ownership is complex and fascinating. Songs like Yesterday, often considered one of the most covered songs in music history, has had a complicated ownership path.
Originally, Lennon and McCartney each owned 15% of Northern Songs, the company that published their music. Meanwhile, Harrison and Starr shared a smaller percentage. This arrangement set the stage for decades of ownership changes.
“Hey Jude,” another Beatles masterpiece, was among the songs caught in the ownership shuffle. When Northern Songs went public, it began a chain of events that eventually led to outside control of the catalog.
“Love Me Do” and other early Beatles tracks even had special cases where US and Canadian rights were owned by different companies like Gil Music.
After years of complicated legal battles, Paul McCartney finally regained rights to most Beatles songs in 2017 through a private settlement with Sony ATV. Today, the publishing rights are mainly controlled by Paul McCartney and Sony/ATV.
Recent Developments and the Current State
The ownership of Beatles songs has seen significant changes in recent years. Paul McCartney has reclaimed substantial portions of the catalog, reshaping the publishing landscape for some of the most valuable musical assets in history.
Reversion Rights and Copyright Deals
In 2017, Paul McCartney finally regained rights to most Beatles songs through a private settlement with Sony ATV. This victory came after decades of trying to reclaim what he had lost in the 1960s. McCartney used U.S. copyright law, which allows songwriters to reclaim publishing rights after 56 years.
The settlement was a huge win for McCartney, who had watched as Michael Jackson and then Sony controlled his music for years. While the exact details remain private, the deal represents one of the most significant copyright reversions in music history.
Sony Music Publishing (which dropped ATV from its name in 2021) still owns rights to many Beatles songs worldwide. The company manages these valuable assets carefully, licensing them for movies, commercials, and other uses.
Apple Corps’ Role Today
Apple Corps, the company founded by the Beatles in 1968, continues to play an important role in managing the band’s legacy.
While not directly controlling publishing rights, Apple Corps must grant permission for new releases of Beatles music. EMI (now part of Universal Music Group) owns the actual master recordings, but needs clearance from Apple Corps for any releases thanks to past legal agreements.
This gives surviving Beatles members and estates significant control over how the music is used.
Apple Corps oversees:
- Merchandise licensing
- New compilation releases
- Remastering projects
- Documentary approvals
The company helps ensure the Beatles’ artistic vision remains intact while allowing fans access to their beloved music in modern formats.
