Justin Bieber Sells Music Copyrights for 246.9 Billion KRW

The Largest Ever Achievement by Artists Under 70
Somewhat Unusual Compared to the 13-Year Activity Period

Justin Bieber

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Junran] Pop star Justin Bieber has sold his music copyrights for over $200 million.

On the 24th (local time), AFP reported that Justin Bieber sold the rights to his songs and albums to the investment company Hipgnosis Songs Capital for $200 million (approximately 246 billion KRW).

Through this deal, Justin Bieber is said to have signed a contract that includes neighboring rights for more than 290 music copyrights, master recordings, and the entire back catalog (all music listings of the musician) released before December 31, 2021.

However, Universal Music, where Justin Bieber has long been affiliated, will continue to manage Bieber's albums and retain ownership of his master recordings separately from this sale.

The CEO of Hipgnosis Songs Management said, "The impact Justin Bieber has had on global culture over the past 14 years is truly remarkable," and regarding this deal, "This is the largest deal ever made by an artist under 70 years old, showcasing the power of amazing music with about 82 million monthly listeners and over 30 billion streams on Spotify alone."

AFP reported, "Rumors about this mega copyright sale have been rampant in recent weeks," adding, "At just 28 years old, Bieber has joined the ranks of entertainment stars who have earned huge sums by selling their copyrights."

AFP evaluated this deal as comparable to the copyright sales of entertainment giants such as Bob Dylan, known as the "Godfather of Folk," and Bruce Springsteen, the "Rock Legend." Springsteen reportedly received $550 million, and Dylan about $300 to $400 million from their copyright sales.

Besides them, American singer and actor Justin Timberlake and Colombian singer Shakira, known as the "Queen of Latin Pop," have also recently sold their copyrights to Hipgnosis Songs Capital.

Canadian-born pop singer Justin Bieber is a global artist with numerous hit songs since his debut in 2009. From 2010 to 2021, he released a total of six studio albums, and eight of his songs reached number one on the Billboard singles chart.

However, the copyright market considers it somewhat unusual that Bieber, with only 13 years of activity, secured a huge amount comparable to lifelong masters through this copyright sale. Generally, works by veteran stars who have been loved by fans for many years are valued higher.