According with New York Post and Bertelsmann, the deal for Starr — who finally was knighted last month by Prince William — involves rights in 14 countries including the UK and the US. Terms were not disclosed.
The deal encompasses over 150 titles including his featured songwriting contributions with The Beatles, ‘What Goes On’ from Rubber Soul, ‘Flying’ from Magical Mystery Tour, ‘Don’t Pass Me By’ from The Beatles (aka the “White Album”), ‘Octopus’s Garden’ from Abbey Road, ‘Dig It’ and ‘Maggie Mae’ from Let It Be, as well as Beatles rarities including ‘Suzy Parker’, ‘Christmas Time (Is Here Again)’, ’12 Bar Original’, and ‘Los Paranoias’.
The deal does not cover any of the treasure trove of Beatles songs from John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which was part of a joint venture with Michael Jackson and Sony/ATV. The latter bought out the Jackson estate for $750 million in a 2016 deal that included the Lennon/McCartney Beatles songs and Jackson’s songs.BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “Ringo Starr is a contemporary artist with an incredible history, and BMG is exceptionally proud that he has chosen us to represent his past and future songs.”
McCartney has spent years trying to win back the rights to his own songs and currently a case is pending in Manhattan federal district court to try to terminate Sony/ATV’s rights under provisions of US Copyright Act.
Said Starr, "I love making music and the song writing process - and putting new music out there to play along side the old. How great to be working with BMG who are excited to have my entire catalog."
The contested rights were renewable for two 28-year periods which expire in 2018. The first Beatles song “Please Please Me” was released in 1962. Other songs in that catalog include classics such as “Hey Jude,” “Yesterday” and “Norwegian Wood.”
Yoko Ono, heir to the Lennon half, signed a separate deal in 2009 granting Sony/ATV long term rights that don’t expire until 2050.
The rights for Starr also include his solo catalog derived from 19 post-Beatles albums as well as rights to any future compositions.
“We’ll be administering the catalog, putting his music to work,” said a BMG spokesman, with rights ranging from streaming music to use in commercials, films or future compilations.
