Convoluted, to be sure.
Sir Paul got back the rights to "most" Beatles songs back in 2017. It came in an undisclosed settlement with Sony who acquired the rights from the Michael Jackson estate, he having bought the rights from ATV publishing when that company shut down (McCartney himself had tipped off Jackson to the catalog's value). Not all of the Beatles songs were included... some were gifted to the ATV owner's daughter before all the 'convolution.' 😏 So I have read.
I have also read that some groups/artists refuse to license their music or at least now refuse. I don't know how that fits with publishing rights. And then... in recent years there has been a flurry of artists selling their catalogs.
Thanks for the update john. I do feel better knowing that.
When Sony ended up the rights to the Beatles songs, I had what my mother would term a “conniption fit” and almost uncontrollably raged for a few days. Neil Young was a holdout for years but I think he only owns 50% at this time.
Springsteen famously sold his rights.
I console myself by saying “it’s their stuff, so it’s their business what they do with it”. And indeed it is.
All the best,
Rumble
