Justin Bieber is close to selling his music rights in a near $200 million deal with Hipgnosis Songs Capital, which is backed by the private investing company Blackstone, according to multiple reports.
The reported deal, if it closes, covers the pop star’s interest in both his publishing and recorded music catalog. While the “Peaches” singer is considered nascent in the world of copyright music, he would follow in the footsteps of other comparable young artists like John Legend in capitalizing on their works.
Reps for Bieber did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Deals for music rights are often sought after by veteran musicians like Bob Dylan and Stevie Nicks, who opt to do so in order to cement their legacies and establish estates that can cash in on the breadth of their discography. Older music is also a safer investment according to experts, given the roughly decade-long decline of new music consumption after initial highs following a song or record’s release. Over time, the rate of listens bounces back to a steady and predictable one.
Hipgnosis Songs Capital launched last year, with $1 billion in backing from Blackstone (which also has a majority stake) and a partnership with Hipgnosis Song Management Ltd. The latter company sources deals for the fund and has since purchased more than $2 billion’s worth of music rights. Meanwhile, Bieber’s deal would mark Hipgnosis Songs’ largest acquisition to date, after Justin Timberlake’s approximately $100 million deal completed in May 2022.
Bieber is a multiplatinum certified, Grammy-winning artist with a discography that spans six studio albums over the course of a decade, as well as several remix and compilation projects. A prolific artist and singer-songwriter, he’s known for hits like “Sorry,” “Baby,” “Stay,” “Despacito,” “Love Yourself,” “Never Say Never,” “Boyfriend” and more, having collaborated with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Daniel Caesar, Giveon, DJ Khaled, Usher, Snoop Dogg and others.