Michael did NOT own "the" rights to the Beatles Songs

I've read so many topics where this was discussed so I decided to make that clear because I think it is important to understand WHAT he owned:

FIRST you have to understand that in music there are always two different rights:

1)
the rights for the RECORDING owned by the Artist / producer and mostly
given to the record company the moment you sign a record deal.

So the RECORDINGS of the Beatles songs do NOT belong to SONY or Michael but to EMI !!!!!!


2)
The rights for the lyrics and Composition which are owned by the
composer / writer and taken care of by (in this case were sold by Lennon / Mc Cartney to) the
PUBLISHER. The publisher gets paid everytime a record is produced in a
CD factory, broadcasted on radio, cinema, tv and so on.

BUT once
a "work" = composition is released you do not have top ask the
publisher for his permission to release a track for a "best of
compilation". So SONY ATV / MJ were definitely NOT involved in the
Beatles Box Set (except that they were paid with the business usual amount of money)

While you have to ask the publisher for
permission if you want to use a song for movies or computer games SONY
ATV was definitely involved in the licensing for the guitar hero game.
But that's just usual business.


So remember: MJ never owned the recordings of the Beatles but 50 % of the composition rights

Thanks justafan,
While MJ may not own the recordings. What he did own cost him 47.5 million in the eighties and the industry to this day is still saying this is the best business move he made inspite of his over spending. I might also add that his estate is making money today from that venture. Also, he and Paul McCarty had a rif in their relationship after his purchase in the eighties. MJ made a move that even Paul hadn't considered. MJ is brilliant. Keep the Faith!

@ Sweet1

Of course you are right. Sometimes the composition is worth more than the original recording. For example everytime someone is doing a coverversion of "Yesterday" (which is the most covered song of all time) the publisher cashes in but not EMI because this coverversion then has got nothing to do with the original recording, only the composition.


These two rights are two different pairs of shoes and I just thought that it could be useful to point that out because most people stated that "MJ owns the Beatles songs" which definitely is not true. He owns the rights of the compositions.


@ Harleyblonde:

You have to see that worldwide:

Everytime a Beatles CD is sold, a Beatles song is performed by an artist, played on the radio, TV, used for a commercial, a movie or played in a bar the publisher cashes in. That's why songwriters, even of one hit wonders sometimes make ten times as much money than singers who had like 10 top ten hits.

Hi Justafan, Thanks for explaining. I get it now and it was a very wise move of MJs. Am sure many others on here didn't understand, or am I the only bimbo?

Sweet1 wrote:Thanks justafan,
While MJ may not own the recordings. What he did own cost him 47.5 million in the eighties and the industry to this day is still saying this is the best business move he made inspite of his over spending. I might also add that his estate is making money today from that venture. Also, he and Paul McCarty had a rif in their relationship after his purchase in the eighties. MJ made a move that even Paul hadn't considered. MJ is brilliant. Keep the Faith!

Well, as far as I know, it was Paul McCartney himself who suggested Michael to buy the catalogue! We hear that they fell out because Paul got upset at Michael for buying it, but all MJ did was follow his advice!

dontmakeitfactual wrote:

Sweet1 wrote:Thanks justafan,
While MJ may not own the recordings. What he did own cost him 47.5 million in the eighties and the industry to this day is still saying this is the best business move he made inspite of his over spending. I might also add that his estate is making money today from that venture. Also, he and Paul McCarty had a rif in their relationship after his purchase in the eighties. MJ made a move that even Paul hadn't considered. MJ is brilliant. Keep the Faith!

Well, as far as I know, it was Paul McCartney himself who suggested Michael to buy the catalogue! We hear that they fell out because Paul got upset at Michael for buying it, but all MJ did was follow his advice!

I imagine the stories are conflicting. At any rate MJ and Paul didn't have a very close relationship as time went on. Personally, I didn't like the comment Paul made after MJ passed (supposedly). He said MJ was a man/boy and blah! blah!. I didn't like that man/boy comment. No one else said anything of that nature in their condolescents. I just don't care for condescending ppl. Thanks for your post to my comment. Keep the Faith!

Thanks!

@justafan

Of course you are right. Sometimes the composition is worth more than the original recording. For example everytime someone is doing a coverversion of "Yesterday" (which is the most covered song of all time) the publisher cashes in but not EMI because this coverversion then has got nothing to do with the original recording, only the composition.


These two rights are two different pairs of shoes and I just thought that it could be useful to point that out because most people stated that "MJ owns the Beatles songs" which definitely is not true. He owns the rights of the compositions.


Keep the Faith!

dontmakeitfactual wrote:

Sweet1 wrote:Thanks justafan,
While MJ may not own the recordings. What he did own cost him 47.5 million in the eighties and the industry to this day is still saying this is the best business move he made inspite of his over spending. I might also add that his estate is making money today from that venture. Also, he and Paul McCarty had a rif in their relationship after his purchase in the eighties. MJ made a move that even Paul hadn't considered. MJ is brilliant. Keep the Faith!

Well, as far as I know, it was Paul McCartney himself who suggested Michael to buy the catalogue! We hear that they fell out because Paul got upset at Michael for buying it, but all MJ did was follow his advice!

That's not true, it wasn't Paul's idea for Michael to buy the catalogue.
Paul inspirated Michael, by talking about the songs that he owned.
Yoko Ono offered Paul to buy his own songs (together), but he found it too expensive.
Paul was not happy at all, when he heard that Michael bought the catalogue. That's why their relationship is not that good.