The rights to Neil Young’s music are owned by Warner Bros.-Reprise Records. However, he sold 50% of his back catalog of songs to the Hipgnosis Songs Fund. Neil Young took down his music from Spotify after having a dispute with the streaming service and Joe Rogan.
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Neil Young and Reprise Records
Reprise Records, bought by Warner Bros., signed Neil Young in 1968 when he began his solo career. He remains with Reprise Records, which holds the ownership and publishing rights to all his songs, both new and old.
Neil Young and Hipgnosis Songs Fund
Hipgnosis Songs Fund, a UK investment company, supports artists by providing capital in exchange for a share of their song copyrights. In 2021, Neil Young sold 50% of the copyright of his 1,180 songs to Hipgnosis. They now equally share any revenue from these songs.
The Spotify Dispute
In 2022, Neil Young asked Spotify to choose between him and Joe Rogan after Rogan spread false information. Spotify chose to remove Neil Young from the platform instead.
Neil Young was removed from Spotify, leaving only a few of his songs on the platform, which means Neil and Hipgnosis will make little income from it.
The Future of Neil Young’s music
This year, Neil Young released his 14th studio album, “World Record.” However, the songs on this album are still under Warner Records’ copyright. If Neil Young sells the copyright to future songs to Hipgnosis or leaves Reprise Records, this may change. He might also retire from music permanently. Only time will tell.
Who owns a song?
Who owns a song? It can be the songwriter, the performer, or the record label. Sometimes, several people share the rights. For instance, if one person writes a song and another performs it, both typically hold music rights.
What are Music Rights?
Music rights give the song’s owner exclusive control over its use, reproduction, and distribution. This allows them to earn money by licensing the song for movies, TV shows, and commercials.
What are copyright laws?
Copyright laws protect creative works like music, art, and writing. They give creators control over how their work is used, reproduced, and distributed. Creators can earn revenue by allowing others to use their work in films, TV programs, and advertisements.
Conclusion
Warner Bros.-Reprise Records still owns the rights to Neil Young’s music. Hipgnosis Songs Fund handles Neil Young’s entire catalog of old songs and the revenue they generate. New songs he creates will also stay under Warner Bros.-Reprise Records’ ownership.
Neil Young Featured Image by: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
