Paul Simon, a 16-time Grammy Award winner, sells his song catalog to Sony Music Publishing.
The following written content by Cathy Applefeld Olson
Sony Music Publishing has acquired the song catalog of 16-time Grammy Award winner Paul Simon, among the most celebrated singer-songwriters of all time. The milestone deal includes Simon’s songs spanning more than six decades, from his time as a member of Simon and Garfunkel through his career as a solo artist.
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Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Sony now owns classic Simon & Garfunkel tunes such as The Sound of Silence, Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer, Mrs. Robinson, Homeward Bound, I Am A Rock, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard as well as Simonsolo songs such as Graceland.
Simon’s songbook joins a diverse collection of catalogs represented by Sony Music Publishing, including The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Carole King, Lieber & Stoller, Michael Jackson, Motown, Queen, Ashford & Simpson and Stevie Wonder.
Simon has a longstanding relationship with the Sony Music family. In 2010, he and Sony Music Entertainment entered a licensing deal that brought his catalog of recordings together under one roof for the first time since the 1970s. Under that agreement, Simon’s complete catalog of studio and live albums, and DVD releases, came under the purview of Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music.
“I’m pleased to have Sony Music Publishing be the custodian of my songs for the coming decades,” Simon said in a statement. “I began my career at Columbia/Sony Records and it feels like a natural extension to be working with the Publishing side as well.”
Simon follows numerous high-profile songwriters—Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Neil Young among them—who have sold their catalogs in the past year.
“Paul Simon is a masterful, once-in-a-lifetime songwriter whose remarkable body of work has generated an enduring influence on our culture and consciousness,” said Jon Platt, chairman/CEO, Sony Music Publishing. “From Simon and Garfunkel standards to solo classics… Paul Simon’s music resonates deeply as a cultural touchstone for people all over the world. To represent his indelible songs is an incredible honor for Sony Music Publishing, so with tremendous pride, I welcome Paul to our family!” Read more from Forbes.
