Stevie Nicks has been busy making boss moves during the pandemic. She released documentary film 24 Karat Gold: The Movie which follows her 24 Karat Gold Tour in 2017. Now, Stevie has signed a $100 million deal with Primary Wave for the rights to her multi-decade music catalog. This gives Primary Wave a 80% stake in the catalog. The deal is said to include hits such as “Landslide” and “Dreams.” Primary Wave will also have rights to Stevie’s name and image and will allow Stevie to sign on new songwriters. Below are some details from The New York Post:
Included in the deal are the rights to hits such as “Edge of Seventeen,” “Landslide,” “Stand Back,” “Rihannon” and “Dreams.”
“To say we’re excited to welcome the incredible Stevie Nicks to the Primary Wave family would be a dramatic understatement,” CEO and founder Larry Mestel said. “If Primary Wave were starting our company today, Stevie Nicks would be one of the shining pillars, a true legend among legends.”
He added: “She is a groundbreaking artist, and the longevity of her iconic career comes from writing songs, instantly recognizable and critically acclaimed, that stand the test of time.”
Stevie has been winning the entire pandemic. Last year she was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame for the second time, making her the only woman inducted twice. I been living for how a new generation has been introduced to Stevie through that viral Tik Tok video of Nathan Apodaca lip syncing Dreams while skateboarding and drinking Ocean Spray juice. (He’s been able to move out of his RV and buy a house for the first time in his life.) Even I have been rediscovering her catalog and I’ve been a fan since the 80s. I feel that Stevie is definitely worth the $100 million price tag, but I hope it doesn’t mean that it will restrain her performances. I also look forward to seeing what she’ll do with the new songwriters as well. Perhaps we will get some more amazing music to listen to. I can’t get enough of Stevie as I combat my “winter blues.” I have been listening to some of my favorite songs from Stevie and Fleetwood Mac. I’m going to revisit Stevie’s performance with Harry Styles, with whom I have recently become obsessed with.
Photos credit: WENN and Getty
I don’t know enough about what this all means and if it’s a wise move. I just came here to say Stevie is a legend! Harry does an OK job, but I am used to hearing Tom on the duet. I am sure Harry has talent because Stevie would not have picked him otherwise. She rocks. No pun intended.
My initial reaction was uneasiness, too. Although I gotta believe she has wise counsel and she knows what she is doing in letting others have access to her work.
She is indeed a legend. Fleetwood Mac was one of my first musical obsessions as a kid in the 70s. I would lay in front of our hi-fi stereo and listen for hours while poring over the lyrics and liner notes.
This makes me uneasy, also. I think Bob Dylan just did the same thing. The only explanation I can come up with is that since they are both up there in age, they figure it was better to make the deal themselves instead of leaving it to their heirs. I don’t know. It still makes me sad, though. I remember listening to Rumours over and over as a middle schooler. I love Stevie.
Esmom, I miss the days of liner notes. They were an essential part of my enjoyment of an album. Downloaded music feels like it’s missing something.
I am in the music business and this has been a trend for the last few years. Older artists and pop writers and producers are selling off most of their rights for huge payouts. It isn’t good for the industry at all as it basically means corporations will drive our ears towards certain directions and control how music is used. It homogenizes the business. It’s never good when corporations that are NOT artists start owning all the artwork.
I don’t begrudge this goddess doing what she needs to do, but the situation isn’t good especially for mid tier and developing artists.
I’m assuming this was done after a lot of legal and personal counsel and advice. But I was surprised to hear the news – control over her songs has been the main driving force in her two biggest career decisions – launching her solo career (after Silver Springs was cut from Rumours) and then leaving Fleetwood Mac in the 90s (after Mick refused to let her have Silver Springs for her greatest hits album, Silver Springs being one of the few – maybe the only – FM song for which she did not have rights.) So because of that history, this really did surprise me.
I’m assuming part of it is getting the payday now.
I am a control freak so this was a move that left me uneasy but as you stated, I am sure it came with a lot of legal advice and counseling.
Mick did that to her? They were lovers for awhile. Wow. I thought Lindsay was the abusive ex, not Mick. Stevie is and always will be my Queen. Going to listen to Gold Dust Woman.
according to FM/Stevie lore, yup. She “gave” the song to her mom and didn’t have rights to it – it may have changed at this point, but on the liner notes to the Dance from 1997 (I think 97?) all of Stevie’s songs are under Welsh Witch music with the sole exception of Silver Springs. So when she put together Timespace, she asked Mick if she could use it and he said no (but did put it on the Fleetwood Mac box set that came out in the mid 90s.)
Dreams is one of my favourite songs of all time! Love Stevie. I want her to get all the money – she’s such a talent!
Question – how can you be inducted into the hall of fame twice? Isn’t it, once you’re in, you’re in?
She was inducted with the band Fleetwood Mac and then again for her solo work.
You are inducted as an artist for your work – not as an individual. So she was inducted as part of the artist Fleetwood Mac, and then for her work as a solo artist. Many men are inducted twice (Paul Simon for example, Paul McCartney, I think Eric Clapton, etc) but she is the first woman.
Ahhh yes of course! Thanks!
Lou Reed is in twice as well. Once for the Velvet Underground and once for his solo work.
I LOVE this song and this performance is amazing – he is perfect for the Tom Petty part. Vocally he’s come a long way since One Direction.
It was always said he’d be the one to have the career after 1D parted ways.
I was always very ‘meh’ on Harry Styles and 1D but that was a great performance. His voice is really good and like you said was great for the Tom Petty part. I also liked that his voice fit the vibe but he wasn’t trying to recreate Tom’s performance. He’s grown on me a lot recently.
Wow! That’s a big payday. I’m guessing with the resurgence in the band’s popularity, she decided to strike while the iron is hot. Good for her.
Also I’m glad for the guy who made the viral video, that’s awesome that it’s changed his life in positive ways.
I had to look up her age, 72. She surely has access to the best counsel money can buy, so I have to think that move makes sense for her. I figure, even without selling these rights, she has PLENTY of money. Maybe she wants to sell the rights so she can use that $ to do some good while she is here to do it? I mean, 72 is not super old but I imagine she already has so much more momey than she would ever be able to spend. i could see her setting up charities with it, or donating to causes she believes in.
I’m thinking that’s part of it, cash in now and really establish her legacy with whatever she wants to do with the money, but it was also probably about controlling who gets the rights and how they are managed, and having a saying in all that while she can.
Dear Stevie, source of some of my goofiest mondegreens. I had “Edge of 17” cranked yesterday, singing my heart out, when I realized I may have had the words wrong all these years;
“just like a one-winged dove”
I used to feel sorry for the one-winged dove (damn Stevie, how does a one-winged bird fly?) until yesterday when I looked it up and its a ‘white-winged dove’.
She is the embodiment of coolest cool chick, always will be.
Tailor swift out here still trying to out “ex song” her
One of my favorite memes is the one that goes something like – “Taylor Swift writes whiney songs about her exes. Stevie Nicks made her ex play guitar on the songs she wrote about him and made him sing them with her for 30 years” lol.
@Becks1, That’s hilarious.
This actually surprises me. She’s the last person I’d expect to sell her songs, given the fact that she has maintained ownership of them since the 70s. I guess it is more about controlling her legacy and finding a safe home for them while she can?