Britney Spears sells music catalog

A look at Britney Spears' career

After her 14-year long conservatorship ended in 2021, it's unclear if the 'Princess of Pop' will ever resume making music.

Britney Spears has sold her extensive music catalog, according to multiple reports. 

TMZ says it obtained the legal documents for the purchase, and the New York Times says it spoke to a person familiar with the deal. 

What we know:

The reports say her music was sold to Primary Wave, a music publisher. FOX Television Stations has reached out to Primary Wave for confirmation. 

What we don't know:

The price and details of the sale, such as exactly what rights were transferred, was not made public. 

Britney Spears music catalog

FILE - Britney Spears at a signing event at Virgin Megastore in New York City, Times Square on Nov. 18, 2003. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)

Big picture view:

The iconic pop star has hits spanning multiple decades, beginning in the late ‘90s. Some of her most recognizable songs include: 

• "Baby One More Time" (1998) 
• "Oops! … I Did It Again (2000) 
• "Stronger" (2000) 
• "I’m a Slave 4 U" (2001) 
• "I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" (2001) 
• "Toxic" (2003) 
• "Gimme More" (2007)
• "Circus" (2008) 
• "Womanizer" (2008) 
• "Till the World Ends" (2011) 

The backstory:

Spears rose to fame from "The Mickey Mouse Club" to global pop stardom. 

At the height of her career, in February 2008, she was a 26-year-old new mother when her father established the now-infamous conservatorship after a series of public mental health struggles. The conservatorship controlled her life, money and voice for nearly 14 years until it was dissolved in 2021. 

Since then, she’s released the single "Hold Me Closer," a collaboration with Elton John and "Mind Your Business," a single with will.i.am. Her last full album was 2016’s "Glory."

Britney Spears conservatorship ended: Lawyer speaks moments after ruling

Britney Spears lawyer addresses the media following a judges ruling to terminate a years long conservatorship.

Meanwhile:

She has vowed to "never return to the music industry" but has said she’s been writing music for other people. She also published her memoir in 2023. 

Music catalog sales

Big picture view:

Not every artist disclosed the amounts involved when selling their catalog, but some deals have been estimated at as much as half a billion dollars.

By the numbers:

Here’s a look at some notable cases: 

• Bruce Springsteen: $550 million
• Bob Dylan: $300 million
• Kiss: $300 million
• Phil Collins: $300 million
• Justin Bieber: $200 million
• Stevie Nicks: $100 million for 80% stake 

Taylor Swift music catalog sale

Dig deeper:

Perhaps the biggest artist who’s made headlines in recent years over the sale of a music catalog is fellow pop star Taylor Swift. 

The backstory:

In June 2019, music manager Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings announced that it had acquired Big Machine Label Group, which was led by Scott Borchetta and home to Taylor Swift’s first six albums, for an estimated $300 million to $350 million, the New York Times reported. In response, Swift started to re-record and release new versions of those albums, labeled "Taylor’s Version," in an attempt to reclaim her masters.

The following year, Braun sold Swift’s catalog to private equity firm Shamrock Capital for more than $300 million.