Universal Music Group is in talks to buy Queen's music catalog from Disney for more than $1 billion, according to multiple reports.
Why it matters: Disney is denying that it intends to sell off its British rocker royalties, let alone for a record amount, but even just the chatter is reflective of how music deals have become a thriving, cottage industry.
The big picture: For every deal involving the music of a big-name artist, like Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift or Justin Bieber, there may be a hundred for relatively-unknown musicians, producers and writers.
And that's being driven by three primary trends, according to Mike Poster, music financing chair at law firm Michelman & Robinson:
In the weeds: It's important to recognize that music deals are often bespoke, and what one includes another may not. Thus it can be difficult to make apples-to-apples price comparisons.
The bottom line: For Queen and its peers, the tablature points up and to the right.
2023-06-01T14:16:09Z dg43tfdfdgfd