John Legend just sold his entire music catalog for those Ms.

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

This would be a more realistic scenario if John Legend (and other black artists) was being offered $75 million. They’re not getting those offers. I understand John Legend’s career is basically done outside of features so it’s a sound move to sell off for some millions. However, the millions he sold it for could’ve been generated over time (short term or long term is for discussion, all it takes is a big movie or commercial placement). Hell, someone may decide to make a movie or show based off “Ordinary People”. Now John Legend won’t get a dime from it.

Cashing out is always a good option but they’re giving up ownership and the chance for generational income.

There’s power in ownership. There’s a reason families like Kennedy, Welch, Walton, Kraft, Heinz, etc go on forever. If they sold off their businesses to the highest bidder they wouldn’t be up billions.

First, i question in what you’re basing that in. Can you provide evidence of artists with writing credits similar to John legend getting loballed?

i believe he has a pretty good sense as to how much money he can and has made from his own music, and has a better understanding of the ability to collect and earn in the same way going forward than you and I.

they’re getting that generational wealth now, rather than waiting for it during those generations with technology and rights rules changing over that time

also, youre not talking about a brand name like heinz or ford or even a tangible patent...we’re talking about music...what power are you talking about that the pile of money legend is getting won’t provide?

 

[Renegade47]

People literally brag about not buying music..l touring is drying up.. streaming ain’t paying them like that. Why be surprised by this? He’s just cashing out now

i was against selling your ownership until i thought about something.

what white institute is going to give black artists (maybe just artist in general) a good deal that would have them accruing money off of their rights? like someone said someone could make a show off of ordinary people where the song is a theme song and the entire existence is based off that song so JL should be entitled to royalties forever even after it enters syndication. will that happen if he is in control of the rights? not because he’s a bad business but because they dont wanna cut deals with him.

​

like the system is based around keeping certain people from reaching certain peaks. buy his rights for lets say 40 mil (idk the real number) but everything you make off his catalog comes out to $250 mil or more.

 

[razassin]

I'd like to take a look at this shyt happenin' from a financial/investor's perspective



There's an obvious trend in Private Capital to buy these music catalogues, so there must be a strong margin of capital gains by investing so much in it.

These nikkaz (investors) gotta be adviced by the publishing/royalty companies that be paying these artists: but (if anyone got any info) what them numbers look like tho?

Not much capex goin' into buyin these assets but are their returns healthy n steady enough to price the value of some of these catalogues at hundreds of Ms?



So many questions

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

I'm more shocked by the fact that John Legend of all ppl owned his catalog.

 

[Easy-E]

Everyone don't want power

Do any of ya'll know what it takes to actually get the most out of your catalog while you own it?

Number one, once you dead, you're family is gonna fukk it up--see Aaliyah's new album (No Timb, Missy or Ginuwine involved) & Prince music being in car commericals like the year he died

Two, ppl don't have the juice to get the right licensing deals and what not

I think ya'll think owning your music means you sit back and ALL the money from your music getting played is funneled to you and that couldn't be further from the truth

 

[Wear My Dawg's Hat]

People literally brag about not buying music.. touring money is drying up.. streaming ain’t paying them like that. Why be surprised by this? He’s just cashing out now

Exactly.

 

[FaTaL]

I'm more shocked by the fact that John Legend of all ppl owned his catalog.

Definitely, I don’t know much about him to know how he pulled that off

 

[Piff Perkins]

This is the only case I don’t support because at his current trajectory as a safe likable artist who can make Christmas albums and host awards shows for decades…there’s still potential to build on your catalog while getting free promo. He also has young children and he himself is young. It’s not like an older artist simplifying a complex royalty situation for his grown children.

You never know which old John Legend song is gonna gain more popularity in a movie, ad, etc.

 

[R.E.N. Spells Ren]

Hey, you a are chef, and you specialize in cakes and pastries

you are very successful, and make literally $1,000,000 a year from your 4 bakeries. You opened the first one in 2003.

You’ve been making the ocassional new cake recipe and some people like them, but people come to your bakeries for the same danish and cupcake usually. The new ones arent as successful.

i will pay you $75,000,000 for your recipes, and the restaurants which will remain the same, you just walk away.




What is your decision?

Of course neither of the responses to this post actually answered this question. Yet they feel justified in saying what John Legend should have done without knowing how much revenue his music generates (and can generate in the future) and without knowing how much he got paid for it. Just a whole lot of…

 

[FaTaL]

This is the only case I don’t support because at his current trajectory as a safe likable artist who can make Christmas albums and host awards shows for decades…there’s still potential to build on your catalog while getting free promo. He also has young children and he himself is young. It’s not like an older artist simplifying a complex royalty situation for his grown children.

You never know which old John Legend song is gonna gain more popularity in a movie, ad, etc.

Maybe he just wants out the game, he can always make new music if he’s dedicated. We don’t know his streaming numbers and private financial situation

 

[SAINT]

Ownership = power. Not always about money.

Money = power as well. It’s a matter of what you do with it

 

[old pig]

Once again we got posters questioning decisions from artist who’s been in the game for decades and know exactly how much their bringing in every year from their catalog.

one thing the AMC thread and some of these crypto threads taught me is a lot of dudes on here don’t know shyt about numbers

 

[R.E.N. Spells Ren]

I'm more shocked by the fact that John Legend of all ppl owned his catalog.

Aren’t songwriters typically more likely to have ownership rights?

 

[Wear My Dawg's Hat]

Unless the music industry radically changes soon, the level of revenue generated by catalogues will wither away to
nothing due to the minuscule payments coming from streaming platforms.

 

[CarltonJunior]

Hey, you a are chef, and you specialize in cakes and pastries

you are very successful, and make literally $1,000,000 a year from your 4 bakeries. You opened the first one in 2003.

You’ve been making the ocassional new cake recipe and some people like them, but people come to your bakeries for the same danish and cupcake usually. The new ones arent as successful.

i will pay you $75,000,000 for your recipes, and the restaurants which will remain the same, you just walk away.




What is your decision?

As an added caveat, option A goes to your children and your children's children.