Julian Casablancas sold his stake in The Strokes catalog.
The hitmaker “Last Nite” sold some of the publishing and master rights to Primary Wave for an undisclosed amount, though it’s not clear how much of the company’s stake was acquired.
A spokesperson for Primary Wave said the deal only included the singer’s rights from the band, and not his other projects, including his solo material and another band, the Voidz.
David Weitzman, partner at Primary Wave, said in a statement, “Primary Wave is thrilled to be collaborating with Julian Casablancas on The Strokes.
“Julian’s extraordinary talents as a songwriter, singer and leader infuse The Strokes with magic.
“The Strokes are one of the most important bands of this century, loved by a cross-generational audience that has made them the headliners of the world’s festivals.”
Julian is the latest in a line of famous stars who have sold the rights to their music to companies such as Primary Wave and Hipgnosis Song Management.
Last week, Justin Timberlake closed a deal with Hipgnosis Song Management, founded by Merck Mercuriadis and Nile Rodgers in 2018, to sell his back catalog for $100 million.
He confirmed the news in a statement saying, “I am delighted to be partnering with (Founder and CEO of Hipgnosis Merck Mercuriadis).
“He appreciates artists and their creativity and has always been a strong supporter of songwriting and storytelling. I’m looking forward to starting this next chapter.”
Merck added: “Justin’s incredible catalog will join other great work at Hipgnosis, which we know will be a great addition to his work. We look forward to a great partnership between Justin and Hipgnosis.”
The exact amount of the deal was not disclosed, but The Wall Street Journal reports that the deal could be in excess of $100 million.
Justin followed in the footsteps of other stars including Shakira and Neil Young, who sold part of their back catalog to the same company earlier this year.
Shakira sold all of her work for an undisclosed amount, and Neal parted ways with 50 percent of his records for about $150 million.
Stevie Nicks was reportedly paid $100 million in late 2020 after selling a share of their publishing rights to Primary Wave.
