Britney Spears Sells Music Catalog for $200 Million to Primary Wave
Pop icon Britney Spears has sold the rights to her entire music catalog to independent music publisher Primary Wave for approximately $200 million, according to multiple reports. The deal, finalized on December 30, 2025, includes Spears’ nine studio albums and iconic hits spanning her decades-long career.
Details of the Sale
The sale encompasses Spears’ extensive discography, featuring chart-topping songs like “…Baby One More Time,” “Oops!… I Did It Again,” “Toxic,” and “Gimme More.” Primary Wave, which as well holds rights to the estates of artists such as Notorious B.I.G., Prince, and Whitney Houston, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Representatives for Spears declined to comment on the transaction BBC News, NBC News.
A Growing Trend Among Artists
Spears is the latest in a growing number of high-profile artists to sell their music catalogs. Bruce Springsteen sold his back catalog to Sony in 2021 for $500 million, and Justin Bieber reportedly secured a $200 million deal with Hipgnosis Songs Capital in 2023. This trend reflects a broader movement where artists are capitalizing on the value of their intellectual property BBC News.
Spears’ Recent History and Future Plans
The sale comes after a tumultuous period for Spears, who was released from a 13-year conservatorship in 2021. She detailed her experiences under the conservatorship in her 2023 memoir, “The Woman in Me,” which sold 1.1 million copies in its first week in the U.S. And is being adapted into a film by Universal Pictures NBC News. In January 2024, Spears stated she would “never return to the music industry,” following a 2022 duet with Elton John, which was her last released song BBC News.
About Primary Wave
Founded 20 years ago by music executive Lawrence Mestel, Primary Wave initially gained prominence by acquiring 50% of Kurt Cobain’s portion of the Nirvana catalog BBC News. The company has turn into a major player in the music publishing industry, focusing on acquiring and managing music rights.
Britney Spears is one of the best-selling female artists of all time, having sold over 150 million records worldwide.