After announcing a farewell tour, Peter Frampton seemed ready to leave his career behind and set off into a more peaceful life. Many of us might have observed that there’s a bucket list called ‘Things To Do Before Retirement’ among artists, and one of the items on the list seems to be rockers selling their musical rights. So, it wasn’t much of a shock when Rolling Stone reported that Frampton had sold his rights to BMG.
BMG and Peter had reportedly discussed the potential deal for two and a half years; however, the negotiations were called off after a while. Still, after a six-month break, the guitarist and the label started speaking on the matter again, and recently the company announced the deal was settled as they celebrated Peter’s career.
The negotiations reportedly consisted of BMG buying all of the guitarist’s publishing rights, including his lyrics and musical compositions. It also included the copyright revenues, as well as the neighboring rights of Frampton’s music. So, even though the deal’s details and how much Frampton received from the settlement weren’t made public, the guitarist seemed pleased with the agreement.
“I am so pleased to join the BMG family,” said Frampton as he announced selling his catalog. The singer then pointed out his trust in BMG for caring about his music and legacy as an artist. “As an artist-first company, I trust BMG will care for my legacy and that my songs are in good hands.”
BMG also seemed pleased with the deal as the company’s US president of repertoire and marketing, Thomas Scherer, discussed the settlement. He stated, “Peter Frampton is iconic, and he fits perfectly to our roster. The different artists and icons he was working with, Bowie, Harry Nilsson, along with the artists we work with, it fits perfectly. It fits our expertise; this is the music we know we can market.”
It seems like Frampton has crossed off a wish from his bucket list by joining the ‘Artists Who Have Sold Their Rights To A Record Company For A Good Deal’ club. Some of his peers who are also in the club are Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Mötley Crüe. However, not everyone’s deal has been as smooth as Peter’s since it was reported that Roger Waters’ political statements jeopardized a potential deal for Pink Floyd.
