CH-CH-CH-CHANGES
FOR BOWIE CATALOG
Warner Music Group has added David Bowie’s 21st century works to its catalog, giving it control over all five decades of Bowie’s recordings. It takes effect in 2023.
WMG and the Bowie estate have signed a global, career-spanning partnership that expands on Warner Music’s current agreement, which encompasses Bowie material from 1968 to 1999. Included in the new deal are his final album, ★ (Blackstar), Heathen, Reality and The Next Day.
Much of Bowie’s catalog became part of the Warner Music family in 2013, when WMG acquired the Parlophone Label Group. Since then, Warner Music and the Bowie estate have jointly embarked on an extensive program of reissues and new releases that includes Five Years, Glastonbury 2000 and four Era box sets.
The fifth Era box, Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001), is slated for release this fall.
“The impact of Bowie’s repeated reinvention and endless experimentation continues to resonate around the world—through the genres he transformed, the timeless songs and sounds he invented and the immeasurable influence he’s had on music, art and fashion,” said Max Lousada, CEO, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group. “We’re excited that our expanded partnership with the Bowie estate will help us deliver innovative, career-spanning projects and attract new generations to his extraordinary musical universe.”
Nigel Reeve, Warner Music’s SVP, Content Development & Marketing, Global Catalog, has worked in close partnership with the Bowie estate to curate and present releases, most recently multiple live sets.
Kevin Gore, President, Global Catalog, Warner Recorded Music, said, “Nigel and our entire catalog team have taken great care to be thoughtful and steadfast in our promise to stay true to Bowie's artistic vision while revealing previously unheard music and framing his genius in fresh contexts. With the addition of his immensely powerful later work to the Warner Music portfolio, we’re looking forward to bringing Bowie’s music to fans across the globe for many years to come.”
