https://twitter.com/drfunkenberry/status/829714862456479744

.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7685869/universal-music-prince-npg-catalog-licensing-recordings

.

As expected, the Universal Music Group has announced a multi-year agreement with Prince's estate and NPG Records, granting the major label group exclusive licensing rights to much of the late artist's catalog of released and unreleased works.

Under the deal, the estate is licensing the 25 albums Prince released under the NPG Records label, including Emancipation, Musicology and 3121, plus UMG can now work with the estate on the artist's vault of career-spanning unreleased works. Beginning next year, UMG will obtain the U.S. rights to what it describes as "certain renowned albums" released by Prince between 1979 and 1995 -- though that's as specific as they're getting. That time period comprises Prince's initial deal with Warner Bros. -- by far his most commercially and critically successful era. Warner announced a deal late last year to release some of that material, including an expanded edition of Purple Rain featuring unreleased materlal.

"Prince was one of the greatest musical talents of all time -- an incomparable genius as a performer, recording artist and songwriter," said UMG chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge. "UMG is committed to honoring Prince’s legacy and vision by creating the highest quality products and experiences."

.

The agreement means UMG is now the home for much of Prince's recorded music, plus publishing rights and merchandising. Universal's publishing arm, UMPG, announced in November that it had become the exclusive worldwide publi...inistrator for Prince's entire catalog. At the time, negotiations for the licensing rights to much of Prince's overall catalog, as well as to four decades’ worth of unreleased material, were ongoing.

Longtime Prince associates L. Londell McMillan and Charles Koppelman represented the estate in both negotiations. "I am thrilled the NPG catalog and Prince’s highly sought after unreleased recordings will reside with UMG, where we have found a partner who is passionate about presenting Prince’s music with a holistic vision that celebrates his iconic status across recorded music, publishing and merchandise and will continue to deliver the highest quality experiences that fans have come to expect," commented McMillan. "I'm looking forward to seeing Lucian and Michele achieve great things for Prince’s fans, his estate and heirs."

Billboard will have more on this story as it develops.

this line right here is interesting;

.

Beginning next year, UMG will obtain the U.S. rights to what it describes as "certain renowned albums" released by Prince between 1979 and 1995 -- though that's as specific as they're getting.

.

morningsong said:

jseven said:

this line right here is interesting;

.

Beginning next year, UMG will obtain the U.S. rights to what it describes as "certain renowned albums" released by Prince between 1979 and 1995 -- though that's as specific as they're getting.

.

Surely Warners would have somethign to say about that.

Awesome. Glad to see progress being made to uphold the legacy of this prolific genius.

jseven said:

If I'm not wrong, reading the article it looks like UMG will have rights only to unreleased works from 1995 to 2016, not at unreleased works copyrighted during the WB era.

BoraBora said:

BoraBora said:

If I'm not wrong, reading the article it looks like UMG will have rights only to unreleased works from 1995 to 2016, not at unreleased works copyrighted during the WB era.

....humm....more than that it seems !

"“The agreement also provides for UMG and the Estate to collaborate with regard to Prince’s vault of prized unreleased works from throughout his career, including outtakes, demos and live recordings. In addition, beginning next year UMG will obtain US rights to certain renowned Prince albums released from 1979 to 1995.”

SomeSoldier said:

BoraBora said:

If I'm not wrong, reading the article it looks like UMG will have rights only to unreleased works from 1995 to 2016, not at unreleased works copyrighted during the WB era.

It says 'career-spanning unreleased works'

On the line above says "exclusive licensing rights to much of the late artist's catalog of released and unreleased works".

Obviously I hope you're right.

BoraBora said:

SomeSoldier said:

BoraBora said:

On the line above says "exclusive licensing rights to much of the late artist's catalog of released and unreleased works".

Obviously I hope you're right.

We are obviously not understanding the same. English is not my first language, so I guess I'm probably wrong, but I understand the non WB albums and all the unreleased work. Plus it hints that from next year they also get the classic albums. But I have no idea how that would happen, unless they've paid WB a lot of money...

I'm like you, English isn't my first language, so I could be wrong and you right, no problem at all.

Let's hope the rights are to the entire vault.

RicoN said:

how, how, how, how ... interesting

rogifan said:

Awesome, thank you for posting that here, Doc!

Full press release here:

http://www.prnewswire.com...04797.html

"The agreement also provides for UMG and the Estate to collaborate with regard to Prince's vault of prized unreleased works from throughout his career, including outtakes, demos and live recordings."

See http://prince.org/msg/7/438409