Big-time musicians have many ways of making money — albums, world tours, brand partnerships. But another way is through the legal rights to their songs.
Some artists choose to keep them, pocketing a fee when their songs are sold, distributed, or monetized in some way, according to Rolling Stone. An example might be when a popular song is worked into the credits of a movie.
A smaller handful though, choose to sell their rights.
On Wednesday, Justin Bieber signed over the rights to his entire song catalog to music investment and song management firm, Hipgnosis Songs Capital, according to a press release Hipgnosis sent to Insider.
While the spokesperson didn't disclose the total value of the deal to Insider, it's reportedly more $200 million— making it one of the most major rights deals secured by an artist in Bieber's generation.
"This acquisition ranks among the biggest deals ever made for an artist under the age of 70," Merck Mercuriadis, the chief executive of Hipgnosis said in a statement Hipgnosis sent to Insider.
It's also the biggest acquisition Hipgnosis has made to date, according to Billboard.
The size of the deal reflects Bieber's impact on the music industry.
Over the past decade, Justin Bieber's catchy tunes ranging from "Never Say Never" to "Love Yourself" captured the attention of fans around the world. He released six studio albums, 290 songs, and sold more than 150 million records worldwide, according to the statement from Hipgnosis.
While Bieber may be the only musician in his generation to score a deal this big, some of the most storied rock stars, pop stars, and folk artists of years past have landed major checks for their song rights.
Insider rounded up some of the biggest deals in recent years, check them out below.