David Bowie's songbook sells for $346m

Words: Tom Knowles Producer: Louise Starkey

Twenty years ago David Bowie watched what the internet was doing to his industry and predicted that music would become a commodity and copyright "will no longer exist".

It appears that the Thin White Duke was half right, as his entire songwriting catalogue has now been sold to Warner Music for an estimated $346m.

The agreement includes classics such as Heroes and Starman, and all of Bowie's work from 1968 to his final album, Blackstar, released before his death in 2016. Video: YouTube | David Bowie | Lazarus

The deal for his catalogue covers more than 400 songs, two studio albums from his short-lived 1980s band Tin Machine , and the posthumous release Toy, which comes out on January 7, 2022.

Bowie's estate, which he left to his second wife Iman and two children, had already agreed to a long-term licensing deal with Warner Music in September for his recorded music catalogue.

It's the latest in a string of huge transactions for the music rights to major artists. Last month Bruce Springsteen sold his catalogue to Sony for $764m.

Bob Dylan also sold his entire catalogue to Universal Music for an estimated $417m during 2021. Picture: Dave J. Hogan | Getty Images

The deals mean a record label collects income from the artist's royalties, licensing, brand deals and other revenue streams that would have gone to the artist. Picture: YouTube | Davie Bowie | Space Oddity

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