Daniel Johns signs lucrative global publishing deal with BMG

Daniel Johns has signed a global publishing deal with BMG that includes the entire back catalogue of Silverchair music, and the 44-year-old’s 2022 chart-topping solo album FutureNever.

The deal means BMG now represents the Grammy and multiple ARIA award-winning artist’s publishing and record arrangements. Silverchair hits including Straight Lines, The Greatest View, Ana’s Song and Freak will come under BMG control in 2025.

Daniel Johns, centre, formed Silverchair with Ben Gillies, left, and Chris Joannou in 1992, but now has his own lucrative publishing deal with BMG.

“Bringing my life’s work as a composer to BMG signifies the level of faith I have in this company and their people,” Johns said in a statement.

“I’m truly grateful to be in a position to sign the most important deal of my career with them.”

Johns’ brother, Heath Johns, is president of BMG Australia, New Zealand and South-East Asia.

BMG has publishing deals with some of the biggest names in music, including Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Blondie, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain and Andre 3000.

I’m truly grateful to be in a position to sign the most important deal of my career with them.

Daniel Johns

BMG released Johns’ latest album FutureNever, produced the award-winning 2021 podcast Who Is Daniel Johns?, and developed last year’s immersive Past, Present and FutureNever exhibition at Melbourne’s Rialto.

“From my compositions on Frogstomp to FutureNever and everything in between, my songs belong at BMG,” Johns said.

A statement from BMG outlining the deal follows a two-part ABC documentary that aired last month, which detailed the dissatisfaction Johns’ former bandmates, Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou, still feel about how the band dissolved in 2011.

Gillies and Joannou co-authored a book with journalist Alley Pascoe, Love & Pain, largely about the band they originally formed with Johns in Newcastle, and their many ups and downs along the way.

Johns responded to the documentary in a lengthy social media post, saying he respectfully declined to be part of the project, and wished his former bandmates nothing but success and happiness.

“I haven’t been involved in the book, nor am I aware of its contents,” Johns wrote on Instagram in late September. “I’ve asked on many occasions to read the book but haven’t been sent a copy, consequently, I was uncomfortable being interviewed to help promote it.”

Johns also said he’d been affected by Silverchair rights not being approved for the documentary, and he had previously re-recorded his own compositions for many applications, including his podcast, because the recordings were denied by another band member.

Johns said he was also concerned about his personal health records being discussed in the documentary.

What If The Future Never Happened, a short film based on Johns’ teenage rise to fame, will be released next year.

“Daniel is a true multi-talent and musical icon,” said BMG’s creative director, Jodie Feld.

“It’s an honour for the whole BMG team to expand our relationship with Daniel and to have the opportunity to work across not just a record, but a podcast, film, exhibition and now his iconic publishing catalogue.”

Other Australian bands signed to BMG include Jet, Crowded House and Wolfmother.

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