Primary Wave has acquired a few key rights from Bob Dylan‘s share of the Traveling Wilburys catalog, including master royalties and neighboring rights royalties from both of the group’s albums as well as their 2007 box set, the company announced Wednesday (May 11). Comprised of Dylan and fellow superstars George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, the Traveling Wilburys’ formation was a happy accident. After the five-some gathered to record a B-side single with Harrison in 1988, they went on to record two full-length LPs: the three-times platinum Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 and platinum-selling Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3. For their work, the Traveling Wilburys earned an Album of the Year nomination at the 1990 Grammys for Vol. 1, won the Grammy for Best Rock Performanc...
The catalog includes such hits as “Man in the Box,” “Rooster” and “Would.” In the U.S. alone, the band’s activities generated more than 18 million album consumption units, including 12 million CD sales. “Primary Wave is pleased to partner with the estates of Layne Staley and Mike Starr to honor their musical legacies as part of the classic era lineup of Alice In Chains, who created the amazing songs and records that comprise the albums Dirt and Facelift, and the acoustic EPs, Jar of Flies and Sap,” said Primary Wave’s David Weitzman in a statement. “These projects represent the greatest works from one of the best artists of the iconic ’90’s Seattle based grunge era.” Lead singer Staley died of a drug overdose in 2002, while bassist Starr died of an overdose in 2011. Meanwhile, in addition ...
As a multi-hyphenate musical talent who worked in the industry as a background singer, artist, producer and writer for over three decades, Vandross’s new deal with Primary Wave includes cuts of publishing and master recording income from his production work for Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Dionne Warwick. The deal also includes many of his top tracks from his own artist career, including “Never Too Much,” the titular single from his 1981 album which earned a no. 1 spot on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and his cover “Endless Love,” featuring Mariah Carey, “Here and Now,” and “Dance With My Father.” Born in 1951, New York-raised Vandross began his career when he was still in grade school, singing at Harlem’...
Warner Music Group has signed a licensing deal with China-based short-form video platform Kuaishou. Under the agreement, WMG will make its artists’ music available on all of Kuaishou’s overseas products, including the apps Kwai and SnackVideo. According to a release, Kuaishou boasts over one billion users worldwide, a milestone it hit in June. Outside of China, it has more than 180 million active users in territories including Latin America and MENA (Kwai) and South and Southeast Asia (SnackVideo). The platform encourages its “global community to share their activities, habits, and more with the core mission to ‘embrace all lifestyles.’” Oana Ruxandra, chief digital officer & executive vp of business development at WMG, said, “We’re excited to bring our diverse music ...
New York-based Primary Wave has been acquiring expectancy interests in the Prince estate piecemeal for the last 17 months from three of his six heirs. However, the situation is complicated because the estate remains in probate administered through Comerica Bank & Trust and none of the heirs have received any distribution of assets. Sources say the probate issues could be resolved as early as the end of the year. According to documents filed July 20 in Minnesota’s Carver County district court, in March 2020 “the protocols” surrounding the estate were amended after Primary Wave purchased a portion of Prince sibling Tyka Nelson’s expectancy interest. Subsequently, an April 2021 order confirmed Primary Wave’s acquisition of 100% of the expectancy interest of Nelson’s late half brothe...