Pop superstar Britney Spears has sold the rights to her entire music catalogue, the BBC has learned.
Spears, 44, reportedly sold the catalogue to independent music publisher Primary Wave on December 30 for around $200 million (£146 million). Details of the agreement and the exact price have not been officially disclosed.
The singer is best known for global hits such as …Baby One More Time, Oops!… I Did It Again, Toxic, and Gimme More. Her catalogue includes nine studio albums released since her debut in 1999.
Primary Wave did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment, while representatives for Spears declined to comment.
In January 2024, Spears said she would “never return to the music industry.” Her most recent release was a duet with Elton John in 2022.
Primary Wave has previously acquired music rights linked to major artists and estates, including Notorious B.I.G., Prince, and Whitney Houston. The publisher was founded 20 years ago by music executive Lawrence Mestel, following his purchase of a 50% stake in Kurt Cobain’s share of the Nirvana catalogue.
The sale comes after several difficult years for Spears. In 2021, she was released from a 13-year conservatorship that placed control of her finances and personal life in the hands of her father. In 2023, she published her memoir, The Woman in Me, detailing her experiences during that period.
Spears remains one of the best-selling female artists of all time, with more than 150 million records sold worldwide.
In recent years, several high-profile musicians have sold their catalogues. Bruce Springsteen sold his to Sony in 2021 for $500 million, while Justin Bieber reportedly signed a $200 million deal with Hipgnosis Songs Capital in 2023.
