The Weeknd Lands $1B Catalog Deal While Keeping Control
The Weeknd Secures Historic $1 Billion Catalog Deal While Retaining Creative Control
- The Weeknd's $1B catalog deal is groundbreaking, allowing him to retain ownership and creative control.
- The deal sets a new standard for artist equity, proving they can have financial power and freedom.
- The Weeknd's music success extends beyond the deal, with $1B in tour sales and 120M monthly Spotify listeners.
The Weeknd Secures Historic $1 Billion Catalog Deal While Retaining Creative Control
The Weeknd has officially entered rarefied air in music history.
The global superstar has finalized a groundbreaking partnership with Lyric Capital Group, securing a deal tied to his music catalog that industry sources value at approximately $1 billion.
Unlike traditional catalog sales, the agreement allows him to retain full creative control over his work while remaining a shareholder and owner within the venture.
According to reports, Lyric Capital invested in The Weeknd’s masters and publishing catalog from the start of his career through 2025, but the deal does not include future releases.
Tesfaye will continue his long-standing relationship with XO/Republic/Universal Music Group, while his publishing remains administered by Universal Music Publishing Group.
A representative close to the deal emphasized that selling the catalog outright was never an option.
From the beginning, Tesfaye made it clear that he wanted a partnership model that preserved artistic freedom and ownership.
The resulting structure gives him the ability to execute his creative vision across both publishing and master recordings: a move being hailed as a new standard for artist equity and control.
Because the arrangement is not a conventional catalog sale, exact financial terms have not been confirmed.
However, industry estimates place the catalog’s value at no less than $1 billion, based on roughly $55 million in annual net revenue.
If accurate, the deal places The Weeknd in an elite group of artists with billion-dollar catalogs, alongside legends like Michael Jackson and Queen.
Only a handful of music deals have reached this level. Queen sold its masters to Sony in 2024 for $1.27 billion, while Michael Jackson’s catalog was valued at $1.25 billion in a deal involving a 50 percent stake earlier that same year.
The Weeknd’s financial momentum extends far beyond publishing.
He currently boasts over 120 million monthly listeners on Spotify and recently surpassed $1 billion in ticket sales from his After Hours ‘Til Dawn Tour, making it the highest-grossing tour ever by a solo male artist.
Lyric Capital executives praised the partnership, calling it a first-of-its-kind collaboration designed to reshape how artists think about ownership, legacy, and long-term value.
The firm, which specializes in music royalties, also controls catalogs from artists including Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, and Ingrid Michaelson.
Prior to this agreement, half of The Weeknd’s publishing rights were already owned by Chord Music Partners, backed by Universal Music Group and Dundee Partners.
As artists continue pushing for greater ownership and control over their work, The Weeknd’s deal stands as one of the most significant examples yet — proving that artists no longer have to choose between financial power and creative freedom.
RELATED: Why WWE Keeps Picking The Weeknd to Headline WrestleMania Soundtracks
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The Weeknd Secures Historic $1 Billion Catalog Deal While Retaining Creative Control was originally published on wtlcfm.com