Katy Perry Allegedly Earns a Whopping $225 Million from Selling Her Music Collection

Katy Perry has recently sold a package of her music rights to Litmus Music for an estimated $225 million. This deal includes all five albums Perry released under Capitol Records, from 2008's "One of the Boys" to 2020's "Smile." The sale encompasses some of Perry's biggest hits, such as "Firework," "Teenage Dream," "Hot 'n' Cold," "California Gurls," and "I Kissed A Girl." It is currently the largest catalogue deal for a single artist this year, surpassing Justin Bieber's previous record when he sold his back catalogue to Hipgnosis Songs Capital for $200 million in January. Litmus Music now possesses Perry's stake in the master recordings and publishing for these albums, allowing them to collect future royalties. Notably, two of Perry's songs - "Dark Horse" and "Roar" - have accumulated over one billion streams on Spotify, with "Roar" also becoming one of the most-watched videos on YouTube with 3.8 billion views. Although a prominent figure in the 2010s, Perry has slowed down her musical output in recent years to focus on her Las Vegas residency and her family with actor Orlando Bloom. She will also be returning as a judge on American Idol for its seventh season next year. Litmus Music is a venture co-founded by former Warner Music and Capitol Records president Dan McCarroll, backed by $500 million in funding from The Carlyle Group. This deal with Perry is rooted in McCarroll's previous working relationship with the singer during their time at Capitol. Litmus has also acquired the music rights of Keith Urban and a collection of tracks from songwriter Benny Blanco, known for collaborating with artists like Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd, Rihanna, and Britney Spears. The acquisition of music rights has become a lucrative business in recent years, with artists like Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Shakira, Debbie Harry, and Justin Timberlake trading future royalties for significant upfront sums in the nine-figure range.