Britney Spears has quietly made one of the biggest music moves of her career. According to new legal documents obtained by TMZ, the pop icon has sold her ownership stake in her music catalog to Primary Wave. The deal is a huge moment not just for Britney, but for the industry at large.
While the exact price isn’t listed in the paperwork, sources describe the agreement as a “landmark deal.” NBC News later reported the deal was for approximately $200 million, citing a source, “who was granted anonymity to discuss a confidential matter.”
When companies buy music catalogs, they’re basically buying the rights to earn money off those songs forever. Every stream, every TikTok sound, every commercial, every movie placement – all of that generates revenue. So these deals aren’t just about nostalgia. They’re about long-term power and profit.
The documents show that Spears, who is managed by Cade Hudson, signed the deal on December 30. Sources tell TMZ she’s happy with the deal and has been celebrating privately by spending time with her kids. The singer recently reconciled with her son Jayden.
© @britneyspearsA week after the deal on January 8, Spears shared an adorable mirror selfie with her son Jayden, giving a rare glimpse of their relationship, which has been in its healing era.
Jayden is also a hopeful artist, and Spears is reportedly helping launch his career. Us Weekly reported last month that she was helping the 19-year-old “connect with some producers she’s worked with in the past.” “She definitely wants him to utilize her old relationships so he’s protected and guided through this,” a source told the outlet.
© Kevin WinterThe same day she posted the selfie, she shared a throwback from the 29th Annual American Music Awards in 2022, where she said she hopes to perform soon with her son. “I will never perform in the U.S. again because of extremely sensitive reasons, but I hope to be sitting on a stool with a red rose in my hair, in a bun, performing with my son… in the UK and AUSTRALIA very soon,” she wrote at the time.
As for what she’s spending the money on, her social media has been relatively tame, recently showing off some silver hand bling.
What’s in the deal
© Getty ImagesSpears has released nine studio albums. The catalog includes all of Britney’s defining hits, spanning her entire pop legacy from “…Baby One More Time,” “Oops!… I Did It Again,” Toxic,” “Gimme More,” and many more.
Primary Wave is collecting legacy catalogs like Pokémon cards. According to the company’s website, it owns or represents catalogs from Bob Marley, Stevie Nicks, Whitney Houston, and the estates of Prince and The Notorious B.I.G. The company notes that the songs it controls account for more than 1,000 Top 10 singles and over 400 No. 1 hits.
© Getty ImagesThe sale also places Britney among a growing list of legendary artists cashing in on their life’s work. Also in December, GoDigital Music bought Marc Anthony’s catalog in a $115 million deal.
In recent years, Bob Dylan sold his songwriting catalog to Universal Music Group in 2020 and his recorded music to Sony Music Entertainment in 2022, while Bruce Springsteen sold his catalog to Sony in a deal reportedly worth $500 million in 2021. Shakira also sold the rights to her 145-song catalogue for an undisclosed amount to the London-based music royalties investment firm Hipgnosis.
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