Count Who Has Whitney Houston Royalties?

Okay, let’s break down the ownership of Whitney Houston’s royalties.

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. acquired the copyrights to Whitney Houston’s hit songs “How Will I Know” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” as part of a $2 billion investment in music royalties. They partnered with Primary Wave Music, a music publishing company, to make this acquisition.

This deal is part of a larger trend in the music industry where investors are increasingly interested in owning music rights. It’s all about the potential for long-term income. The music rights to classic hits like Whitney Houston’s are considered valuable assets because these songs continue to generate revenue through streaming, radio play, and licensing.

Think about it. Even though Whitney Houston passed away in 2012, her music continues to be popular. Every time someone listens to “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” on Spotify, or when the song is played on the radio, or when it’s used in a movie or TV show, royalties are generated.

These royalties are paid out to the owner of the copyright. So, in this case, Brookfield Asset Management Inc. now receives those royalties for these two songs, along with other music rights they own through their partnership with Primary Wave. It’s a smart investment strategy for companies like Brookfield, as they can potentially make a lot of money over time from music that is already very well-known and continues to be popular.