Who owns the rights to George Michael songs?

George Michael's music ownership is managed through his estate, which has a long-term global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music, handling his songwriting royalties for both solo work and Wham! songs, while Sony Music/Universal Music typically owns the master recordings, with specific arrangements shifting over time. The estate continues to manage his legacy, including exclusive merchandise through Kontraband (Sony Music UK).

Who owns the rights to George Michael's music?

The estate of George Michael has extended its global publishing agreement with Warner Chappell Music U.K. The deal covers Michael's solo work and songs from his time in Wham! The George Michael-Warner Chappell alignments dates back four decades, according to an announcement of the renewal.

Who owns the rights to Wham songs?

Warner Chappell Music (WCM) is the global publisher of George Michael's music, representing both his solo work and his time in Wham!.

Does George Michael get royalties from Taylor Swift?

Taylor has bought back her master recordings, so she has control of all of her work. George Michael and The Jackson 5 were never able to get that before they died or broke up. Since George Michael was the writer she gives him credit as a writer on her song, his estate gets royalties not the label.

Who gets the royalties from Last Christmas by Wham now?

Wham! donated their "Last Christmas" royalties to the Ethiopian famine relief fund, the same cause as Band Aid. It was the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century in the UK until 2011, when it was overtaken by "Fairytale of New York" (1987) by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

"We Expected Him To Die" Former Partner of George Michael On His Passing

How much does Spotify pay for $500,000 streams?

To estimate your streaming royalties, use a simple formula: Royalties = Number of Streams × Average Payout Rate. For example, if you have 500,000 streams on Spotify and the average payout is $0.004 per stream, your estimated royalties would be: 500,000 × $0.004 = $2,000.

Does Michael Jackson still own the rights to the Beatles?

Jackson's acquisition of The Beatles' catalog proved to be a brilliant investment. In 1995, he sold 50% of ATV to Sony for $95 million, creating Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which would become one of the largest music publishing companies in the world.

Is mj still in debt?

Michael Jackson died in 2009 with more than $500 million in debt — but in the years since, his estate has pulled off one of the biggest financial turnarounds in pop-culture history.

Did George Michael leave royalties to Andrew Ridgeley?

George Michael's eye-watering royalties

While the estate rakes in millions from royalties, some are shared with former bandmate Andrew Ridgeley and George's god son, DJ Roman Kemp.

Did James Kennedy inherit any money from George Michael?

George Michael didn't leave any inheritance money to James Kennedy.

Does Andrew Ridgeley get royalties from Wham songs?

Since 1982, he has reportedly amassed £10 million from sales and royalties of records. Although 'Careless Whisper' was a George Michael solo song, it was credited as being co-written by Andrew. He still receives thousands of pounds each year from his share of 'Careless Whisper' royalties alone.

Why did Kenny Goss get money from George Michael's estate?

The trustees of Michael's estate have agreed a financial settlement with Goss, after the art dealer had demanded payments of £15,000 a month, claiming that Michael had supported him financially when they were together from 1996 to 2009.

What did Sinatra say about George Michael?

In 1990, Frank Sinatra wrote an open letter to the Los Angeles Times admonishing George Michael for complaining about fame, telling him to "Loosen up. Swing, man," and emphasizing that "Talent must not be wasted," urging him to embrace his success rather than shy away from the spotlight. Sinatra found Michael's desire to reduce his celebrity status baffling, contrasting it with his own journey and advising Michael to be grateful for the opportunities fame brought, because "Those who have it must hug it, embrace it, nurture it and share it lest it be taken away". 

Who owns the rights to MJ's music?

Acquisition of Jackson's stake by Sony in 2016

In September 2016, Sony acquired the Jackson estate's stake in Sony/ATV in a deal valued at around $750 million. The Jackson estate retained its ownership of Mijac Music, which holds the rights to Michael Jackson's songs and master recordings.

Is MJ still a billionaire?

Widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, he was integral in popularizing basketball and the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. He is one of the world's richest celebrities, with a $3.8 billion net worth as of 2025. Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

Who is the richest musician in the world?

Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna. But who is the richest musician in the world? Well, it appears to be Jay-Z, who has an estimated fortune of $2.53 billion.

How much money did Paris Jackson inherit from Michael Jackson?

The attorneys, John Branca and John McClain, hit back at her on Oct. 9, revealing she “has received roughly $65 million from the Estate in benefits,” per documents obtained by E! News. Their point is that the Jackson estate was in $500 million of debt when the King of Pop passed away in July 2009.

Does Michael Jackson still own Eminem?

-Current Status: Sony now solely owns the music rights business, including Eminem's songs acquired in the Famous Music deal, after purchasing Jackson's estate's stake in Sony/ATV for around $600-750 million.

Has anyone hit $100 million monthly listeners on Spotify?

Yes, several artists have surpassed 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with Bruno Mars currently leading, followed by The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande, while Rihanna also recently crossed the mark, joining a small, exclusive group that includes Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Kendrick Lamar. 

Can Spotify tell if you are using a VPN?

A: DO NOT use VPN on any buying and streaming platforms! Streaming platforms, especially YouTube and Spotify, are always on the lookout for suspicious patterns. Once you're in their rader, all streamswill be filtered out and the charts won't count it!

How much does 1 billion plays on Spotify pay?

The Impact of Regional Variations on Earnings

This variance is vital as it impacts strategic decisions for music releases. On Spotify, a billion streams in the US could yield around $4 million, but this fluctuates globally.