BMG Acquires Mick Fleetwood’s Recorded Music Rights — Over 300 Recordings, Including Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’

Mick Fleetwood is the latest music icon to strike a significant deal regarding his back catalog of music, as BMG announced on Thursday that it has acquired Fleetwood’s interests in more than 300 recordings from his work with Fleetwood Mac.

BMG acquires Mick Fleetwood recorded catalogue interests https://t.co/nvnGdsetxM pic.twitter.com/sAtskAuf9e

— BMG News (@BMG_News) January 14, 2021

More, per BMG’s official announcement:

The deal gives BMG Fleetwood’s royalty interest in over 300 recordings including all of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hits including ‘Dreams’, ‘The Chain’, ‘Go Your Own Way’, and ‘Landslide’ from albums including Fleetwood Mac (1975), Rumours (1977) and Tango In The Night (1987). It includes Fleetwood’s interest in all of their recorded work apart from their first two albums.

Music Business Worldwide notes that the deal does not, however, include the underlying master rights to some of Fleetwood Mac’s most successful albums, such as Rumours or Tango in the Night (as those are owned by Warner Music Group).

The deal includes “Dreams,” which hit “viral sensation” status in 2020 thanks to a TikTok meme launched by a man named Nathan Apodaca. The success of the meme launched the song back into the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time since 1977.

So thanks for the love and support an here it is my original video same as all going around but yes thanks for the love n donations it’s very appreciated an much needed 🤙🏼 vibe on world pic.twitter.com/gkCgc1U9As

— *BLAZIN*4*1*NATION* (@doggface208) September 27, 2020

BMG included quotes from pertinent parties regarding this deal:

BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “Mick Fleetwood is the bedrock of one of the greatest bands in rock, he has a unique talent to bring together musicians of all genres and of course he is one of rock’s greatest drummers. BMG is proud to represent his greatest work and excited about the forthcoming launch of Mick Fleetwood & Friends.”

Mick Fleetwood said, “This is a wonderfully inspiring marriage between two creative partners that understand all aspects of the business. Foremost, BMG understands the artistry and puts the artist first. If this partnership is any indication of my past, and now future, working relationship with BMG, it’s that they truly ‘get it’.”

With this arrangement, Mick Fleetwood joins a notable group of music icons to ink deals regarding classic music in recent months — including pop star Shakira (earlier this week), Fleetwood’s own longtime band mate, Lindsey Buckingham, who sold publishing and writing rights to both his solo music and contributions to Fleetwood Mac to Hipgnosis Songs Fund Ltd and the Family (Music) Ltd. just last month.

Stevie Nicks, it’s also worth pointing out, sold 80 percent of her publishing rights to Primary Wave for around $80m last year.

Neil Young, meanwhile, also secured a deal with Hipgnosis for 50 percent of his catalog in early January.

All of this recent activity comes roughly a month after Bob Dylan made waves for selling his entire songwriting catalog for more than $300 million.