Pop superstar Britney Spears has sold the rights to her entire music catalogue in a deal reportedly worth $200 million (£146 million).
The 44-year-old singer completed the sale to independent music publisher Primary Wave on December 30, according to sources familiar with the transaction. While financial details have not been officially disclosed, the deal is believed to cover her full body of work spanning more than two decades.
Spears is one of the best-selling female artists of all time, with over 150 million records sold worldwide and nine studio albums released since her 1999 debut. Her catalogue includes global hits such as …Baby One More Time, Oops!… I Did It Again, Toxic, and Gimme More.
Primary Wave did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while representatives for Spears declined to comment.
The acquisition places Spears among a growing list of high-profile artists who have cashed in on their catalogues in recent years. In 2021, Bruce Springsteen sold his catalogue to Sony for $500 million, while Justin Bieber reportedly struck a $200 million deal with Hipgnosis Songs Capital in 2023. Other artists who have sold their music rights include Justin Timberlake and Shakira.
Primary Wave, founded 20 years ago by music executive Lawrence Mestel, has previously acquired rights linked to major music estates including Notorious BIG, Prince and Whitney Houston.
Spears’ decision follows a turbulent chapter in her life and career. In 2021, she ended a 13-year conservatorship that had placed her finances and personal affairs under the control of her father. In 2023, she released her memoir, The Woman in Me, detailing her experiences during that period.
In January 2024, Spears declared she would “never return to the music industry.” Her last musical release was a 2022 duet with Elton John.
The sale of her catalogue now marks a major financial milestone, and potentially the closing chapter of one of pop music’s most commercially successful careers.
