who owns northern songs

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On this day, the music publishing company Northern Songs, created in February 1963 to publish songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, became a public company on the London Stock Exchange. From Wikipedia:

Going further

"With greatly expanded text, this is the most revealing and frank personal 30-year chronicle of the group ever written. Insider Barry Miles covers the Beatles story from childhood to the break-up of the group."

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Who bought ATV Music?

In an unfortunate twist, McCartney was outbid by friend and fellow musical legend Michael Jackson, who bought the company for $47.5 million in 1985 — Jackson bought ATV Music following McCartney’s advice noting the value of music publishing, and their friendship never recovered from what McCartney considered a betrayal.

Did Sony buy out Jackson's music?

In early 2016, Sony announced that it would buy out Jackson’s 50% stake of ATV Music from the late musician’s estate for $750 million, creating yet another chance for McCartney to negotiate the rights to his songwriting work with The Beatles.

Did Paul McCartney get the rights to his music?

Thus, the news over the weekend that Paul McCartney secured the rights to his music in a private settlement was a big win for the former Beatle, who has been on this journey to secure the rights to his own music for nearly fifty years. While few details about the settlement have been disclosed, McCartney’s lawyer, Michael Jacobs, announced, ...

Did Lennon and McCartney buy Northern Songs?

In 1969, McCartney and Lennon attempted to buy Northern Songs, which was the original publisher of the Beatles catalog, though the duo lost out to ATV Music. Some decade-and-a-half later, ATV Music went up for sale, offering McCartney yet another chance to resecure the rights to the Beatles’ Lennon-McCartney songs.

Who owns Northern Songs?

In February 1963, Dick James assisted the 23-year-old Lennon and the 21-year-old McCartney in forming a company called Northern Songs. Northern Songs would be 50% owned by Dick James and his partner Charles Silver, 10% owned by Brian Epstein, 20% owned by Lennon and 20% owned by McCartney. Years later, McCartney would explain ...

Who discovered Northern Songs could avoid a rather large capital gains tax bill by becoming a public company?

And as The Beatles became rich, so did Brian Epstein, Dick James and Charles Silver . In 1965, Dick James and Charles Silver discovered that Northern Songs could avoid a rather large capital gains tax bill by becoming a public company.

Why did Paul McCartney and John Lennon form a company?

In February of 1963, exactly one year before The Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan and Beatlemania swept the world, manager Brian Epstein suggested that John Lennon and Paul McCartney should form a company to protect their publishing rights. Because at the time, The Beatles were still unknown, Epstein encouraged Lennon and McCartney to team up with an established publisher who could get their music to radio station managers and popular TV hosts around England. Epstein, Lennon and McCartney soon signed with veteran publisher Dick James, who quickly secured The Beatles an appearance on the British pop show "Thank Your Lucky Stars." In February 1963, Dick James assisted the 23-year-old Lennon and the 21-year-old McCartney in forming a company called Northern Songs. Northern Songs would be 50% owned by Dick James and his partner Charles Silver, 10% owned by Brian Epstein, 20% owned by Lennon and 20% owned by McCartney. Years later, McCartney would explain that they were just too young and naive to know that this was a terrible deal. They never even read the contract. Incredibly, McCartney also admitted that neither he nor John ever actually met Charles Silver.

How much did the Beatles sell to ATV?

Exasperated, in 1969 The Beatles agreed to sell their remaining rights to ATV for $5.738 million ( $36 million today) with the stipulation that they be released from their contract immediately.

How much did James and Silver sell their stake in ATV Music Publishing?

James and Silver were so offended by the attempted coup, they sold their entire stake to a company called ATV Music Publishing for $2.5 million ($17 million in today's dollars). They didn't even bother to inform Lennon or McCartney.

How much of the Beatles' music was owned by James and Silver?

James and Silver still controlled 37.5% of the company worth $800,000 ($6 million today). In August of 1967, after Brian Epstein died of a drug overdose, Lennon and McCartney tried unsuccessfully to wrestle control of their songs away from Dick James and Charles Silver.

How much did Paul and John earn on ATV?

ATV was now the majority owner of 88 classic Beatles songs that had been covered by nearly 3,000 different artists to date. Paul and John still would earn 25 cents each for every dollar ATV earned from their songs, but that was a relative pittance compared to what they most likely deserved.

McCartney regained rights to most Beatles songs in 2017

In 2017, McCartney got back the copyrights to the Beatles catalog of songs in a private settlement with Sony ATV, which had owned them for years. McCartney had been battling for years to regain the copyright of songs he wrote with band members John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

Michael Jackson bought the rights to many Beatles songs

In the 1980s, McCartney reportedly told pop star Michael Jackson, who was a friend at the time, about the value of the Beatles catalog. So, when ATV Music was put up for sale, Jackson bought the company’s 4,000-song catalog for $47.5 million.

What is the Beatles catalog of music worth?

According to Biography.com, the Beatles catalog is estimated to be worth more than $1 billion.

When will Paul McCartney regain copyright?

So he can do that each year now until 2026 when he can regain the copyrights to all of his Beatles’ songs. Shortly thereafter McCartney filed his claim in the Southern District of New York, Sony/ATV quickly decided to settle in June 2017.

Did Michael Jackson outbid Paul McCartney?

Michael Jackson famously outbid McCartney in the 1980s for the treasured Beatles catalogue. In the 1990s, Jackson sold half of his share to Sony and in 2016 Sony bought out Jackson’s estate for their half, giving them all of the 4,000 song catalogue of ATV Music, which included 250 of Lennon/McCartney songs.