On Monday (7 December), Variety reported that the record company’s publishing group had acquired more than 600 copyrights to Dylan’s music spanning 60 years.
His catalogue, which was previously owned by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, includes songs ranging from 1962’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” to 2020’s “Murder Most Foul”.
While the terms of the sale were not disclosed, a source quoted in Variety claims that the deal was in the nine figures.
The Independent has contacted Dylan’s representatives for comment.
Aged 79, Dylan has long been a pioneer in the world of music. Since the release of his first album in 1961, he has sold more than 125 million records around the world, with his songs being recorded more than 6,000 times.
In 2016, he was the first songwriter to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for “creating new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”.
His 39th studio album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, was released in June of this year.
In an internal memo sent to Universal Music Group staff, company CEO Lucian Grainge wrote of the purchase of Dylan’s music: “Great songwriters recognise authenticity and gravitate to those companies whose people honour their creativity and, in turn, create true value for their work. And that is exactly what’s happened here because of our incredible publishing company … They have turned a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity into a reality.”
