Britney Spears has officially transferred the rights to her renowned music catalog, as confirmed by multiple sources to Rolling Stone. Primary Wave has acquired Spears’ ownership share of her extensive collection of hit tracks, which includes classics like “…Baby One More Time,” “Oops!… I Did It Again,” “(You Drive Me) Crazy,” “I’m a Slave 4 U,” “Lucky,” and “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman.”
The deal, initially reported by TMZ, was finalized on December 30. While the specific financial details remain undisclosed, sources indicate that the sale is comparable to Justin Bieber’s $200 million deal with Hipgnosis Songs Capital for his catalog earlier this year.
Rolling Stone is currently seeking additional comments from representatives of both Spears and Primary Wave regarding the agreement. Primary Wave has developed a reputation for acquiring music catalogs from influential artists. In recent months, the company secured a 50 percent interest in The Notorious B.I.G.’s estate and has previously negotiated deals with the estates of icons such as Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, and Prince. Notably, in 2020, Stevie Nicks also sold her publishing rights to Primary Wave.
Acquisition deals like this can provide substantial financial benefits for artists, offering significant payouts while relieving them of the duties associated with managing their music catalogs.
While Britney Spears has not released a studio album since 2016’s “Glory” and has announced that she will not perform in the United States again, she has expressed interest in continuing to create music. In recent collaborations, she worked with Elton John on the single “Hold Me Closer” in 2022 and teamed up with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas for “Mind Your Business” in 2023. This indicates that while she may step back from live performances, her passion for music remains strong.