The business behind the music, in plain numbers. Independent music business reporting, est. 2026.

Deals & Labels

Deals & LabelsAnalysis

The Chili Peppers Catalog Sold Twice, and Neither Buyer Used Only Its Own Money

The band's masters went to a Warner and Bain venture while its songs ended up with a Sony and GIC vehicle. Both majors are now buying catalogs with partners' capital.

Red Hot Chili Peppers performing on stage at Rock in Rio Madrid in 2012
Deals & LabelsExplainer

How Recoupment Works, Through the So So Def Lawsuit

Jermaine Dupri's short-lived 2026 suit against Sony turned on a $1.5 million unrecouped balance from the 1990s. The case is a clean lesson in how record deal accounting works.

Deals & Labels