Sting Sells Songwriting Catalog

Sale to Universal includes releases by the Police
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 10, 2022 6:42 PM CST
Sting Joins Artists Selling Songwriting Catalogs
Sting performs in Oshawa, Ontario, in 2019.   (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Sting has sold his songwriting catalog, including his output with the Police, to the Universal Music Group. The deal announced Thursday is estimated to be worth $300 million, the New York Times reports, and includes more than 600 songs. Sting, 70, has been on the Universal label for most of his recording career, per the BBC. "It is absolutely essential to me that my career's body of work have a home where it is valued and respected—not only to connect with longtime fans in new ways, but also to introduce my songs to new audiences, musicians and generations," he said in a statement.

The deal covers the song copyrights and songwriter royalties, so future music publishing income will go to Universal. The company already controls the British musician's solo recordings and those by the Police. "It's a responsibility we don't take lightly," said Lucian Grainge, head of Universal Music Group. Sting is one of a list of stars who have sold some combination of their songwriting and recording catalogs recently, including Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. David Bowie's estate made a similar deal last month. (More Sting stories.)

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