Billy Joel revealed the hefty price tag he would consider for selling his music catalog during a recent appearance on the Howard Stern Show, setting the bar at a staggering amount.
The singer opened up about the possibility of selling his music catalog, a treasure trove of hits that have defined generations. Stern, asking the artist’s intentions, highlighted the current trend of artists cashing in on their catalogs for substantial sums. Joel, however, has not yet succumbed to the trend, stating:
“Not yet, no, if somebody offers me enough.”
A Billion-Dollar Revelation
Then, Stern stepped in and asked:
“What the hell would the catalog be worth in your mind? Because you’re talking about a staggering amount of hits. What in your mind could that number be?”
Billy replied, revealing the amount in his mind:
“I would always consider a billion dollars.”
Howard went on to say, sharing his thoughts on the rocker’s wish:
“If you got a billion dollars… Well, yeah, that’s not a crazy number for what you’re talking about. Here we see what other artists are getting.”
The Emotional Value Of Music
Following his words, Joel shared what his songs mean to him, explaining:
“Well, it was… They were kind of like my kids. I gave birth to these songs. I went through a labor and a pregnancy and a birthing process, and I brought them up, and I’m very attached to them. I have very strong feelings about the material I wrote and to just sell them… I don’t know. It seems a little mercenary.”
Stern mentioned the benefit of keeping control over his music, mentioning that Joel’s catalog would ultimately pass to his family, who would then be responsible for managing it according to his preferences. To which the singer replied:
“Yes, and it can actually be lucrative in its own way. It’s a constant revenue stream. They’re always making money.”
Recent Catalog Sales In The Industry
Last October, Graham Nash of CSNY became part of the growing list of artists making deals for their life’s work, joining forces with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group. This deal included Nash’s solo work and his contributions to The Hollies and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, following David Crosby’s earlier sale to the same company. Nash expressed enthusiasm for working with Iconic to further his and CSN’s musical legacy.
Sting also sold his music catalog to Universal Music Group (UMG) in 2021 for an estimated $300 million, including his solo career and work with The Police. In contrast, after extensive negotiations, Rod Stewart decided against selling his music catalog to Hipgnosis Songs, citing the importance of finding the right company to manage his life’s work and legacy.
Watch Joel’s response below.
