Bruce Springsteen sells music catalog to Sony, says it's about 'trust'

Chris Jordan, Asbury Park Press
·2 min read
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The Boss is going to get paid.

Bruce Springsteen has sold his master recordings and music publishing rights to Sony for $500 million, according to Billboard. Sony confirmed the two deals of the purchase on Thursday, Dec. 16, but did not disclose the price.

“The two agreements cover the recorded music and music publishing rights to all of Springsteen’s songs, including ‘Born to Run,’ ‘Born In The U.S.A.,’ ‘Dancing in the Dark,’ ‘Glory Days,’ ‘The River,’ ‘Hungry Heart,’ ‘Brilliant Disguise’ and ‘I’m On Fire,’ among many others,” said Sony in a news release. “Sony Music Publishing partnered with Eldridge on the songwriting catalog purchase.”

The catalog includes more than 300 songs and 20 studio albums. Springsteen has sold more than 65.5 million albums in the United States, according to the RIAA.

“I am one artist who can truly say that when I signed with Columbia Records in 1972, I came to the right place,” said Springsteen in a statement. “During the last 50 years, the men and women of Sony Music have treated me with the greatest respect as an artist and as a person. I’m thrilled that my legacy will continue to be cared for by the Company and people I know and trust.”

Bruce Springsteen, shown Nov. 8, 2021, at the 15th annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit at Alice Tully Hall in New York, presented by Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival.
Bruce Springsteen, shown Nov. 8, 2021, at the 15th annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit at Alice Tully Hall in New York, presented by Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival.

His deal comes as a spate of artists, including Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, Paul Simon and Richie Sambora, have inked similar deals. Dylan’s catalog was sold in 2020 to Universal Music Publishing Group in a nine figure deal, according Variety.

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Springsteen has been on Sony for his entire career, signing first with CBS Records in 1973. CBS released “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” in February 1973. Sony acquired CBS Records in 1987 for $2 billion.

The Boss comes from working class roots. His dad, Doug Springsteen, worked as a bus driver, millworker and prison guard. Mom Adele Springsteen was a secretary at Lawyers Title Insurance in Freehold.

Springsteen now lives in Colts Neck.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen sells music catalog to Sony: Update