BMG has announced a deal to bring the solo recorded works of George Harrison to Dark Horse Records/BMG.
While Dark Horse Records/BMG already administers the music publishing of George Harrison, it will now also serve as his label home.
BMG notes that his music publishing catalog and recordings will now, for the first time ever, be under one roof, at BMG.
Variety reports that Harrison’s family retains the rights to the artist’s catalog.
Previously in 2022, BMG announced it had entered into a global publishing agreement with the George Harrison Estate to administer the Harrisongs catalog comprising more than 200 songs written with the Beatles, the Traveling Wilburys and Harrison’s solo career.
The partnership announced today (February 21) expands on the relationship with Harrison’s legendary Dark Horse Records, with BMG serving as its global partner and infrastructure across recorded music, music publishing, and merchandise, while developing further areas of business.
Harrisongs Limited, the music publishing entity created by Harrison, contains his nearly two dozen songs written with the Beatles including the band’s most popular song on streaming services.
Amongst those songs are: Here Comes The Sun, as well as I Me Mine, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, and the US Number One single Something, his songs from the two albums recorded by supergroup The Traveling Wilburys featuring End of the Line, Handle with Care, She’s My Baby, and Inside Out, as well as the 12 studio albums of solo works.
In January 2020, BMG entered into a global partnership with Dark Horse Records, which was founded by George Harrison in 1974 as a place for his solo work and a home for supporting other artists. The label is now led by his son Dhani Harrison, and David Zonshine.
The agreement initially brought catalog releases from the record label and Harrison’s Indian label imprint HariSongs, as well as Joe Strummer’s solo works, including The Mescaleros.
Recent Dark Horse Records releases include the newest recordings from Billy Idol Cage, The Roadside and Happy Holidays with upcoming releases including, Benmont Tench’s much-anticipated new studio album, 16 albums from Leon Russell’s recorded catalog spanning 1984 – 2013, Deep Purple’s Jon Lord, and a global publishing administration deal for Joe Strummer’s solo publishing catalog featuring hundreds of songs including all three Mescaleros albums, his scoring contributions, as well as the sixth and final Clash album Cut The Crap.
Dark Horse and BMG’s partnership has expanded to include DH Merchandise, described as a “one stop-shop offering creative design through fulfilment”, including the launch of new merchandise stores for George Harrison, Joe Strummer, Johnny Ramone, and additional partnerships with Traveling Wilburys, Elizabeth Taylor, Leon Russell and Buddy Holly; as well as the introduction of the Dark Horse Sounds wellness music series.
“22 years since his passing, for what would have been his 80th birthday, I am overjoyed to announce that we are bringing my father’s music catalogue back home to Dark Horse Records, the company he started back in 1974.”
Dhani Harrison
Dhani Harrison said: “22 years since his passing, for what would have been his 80th birthday, I am overjoyed to announce that we are bringing my father’s music catalogue back home to Dark Horse Records, the company he started back in 1974.
“We look forward to releasing only the finest of packages and hope the fans join us on the deepest of dives into our archives as we continue to grow his legacy through our partnership with BMG, starting with the release of his entire back catalog in Spatial Audio, for the first time, on Apple Music.
“We also will be using this opportunity to make all the custom limited vinyl that we can get away with. Happy 80th Dad!!! We love you always.”
“This is a banner day for BMG, bringing together for the first time the song and recorded rights of one of the greatest musicians in popular music history under one roof. Only BMG can do this.”
Hartwig Masuch, BMG
BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch, said: “This is a banner day for BMG, bringing together for the first time the song and recorded rights of one of the greatest musicians in popular music history under one roof.
“Only BMG can do this. We look forward to working with the George Harrison Estate and Dark Horse Records to promote George’s peerless music to generations old and new.”
“We are proud to bring all of George Harrison’s music together, under one roof, and are very grateful for Olivia and Dhani’s trust in BMG.”
Thomas Scherer, BMG
Thomas Scherer, BMG President, Repertoire & Marketing, New York and Los Angeles, said: “For years we have had an amazing partnership with Dhani and David that continues to grow to this day.
“What began as working with Dhani on his own albums and publishing, to the re-launch and expansion of the Dark Horse Records business, together we believe in providing white glove service for artists, globally, with enormous opportunities to grow.
“We are proud to bring all of George Harrison’s music together, under one roof, and are very grateful for Olivia and Dhani’s trust in BMG.”
In celebration of Harrison’s 80th birthday, Dark Horse/BMG have also released his entire catalog in Dolby Atmos surround sound exclusively on Apple Music.
Harrison’s recorded catalog features 12 studio albums of solo works including his debut Wonderwall Music (soundtrack to the film Wonderwall), the US and UK chart-topping, 7x Platinum-certified triple album All Things Must Pass featuring the No.1 single My Sweet Lord, What Is Life, Isn’t It A Pity, All Things Must Pass, and the US No.1 Living In The Material World featuring the No.1 single Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth), through the Platinum-certified Cloud Nine featuring his No.1 charting cover of Got My Mind Set On You, to his final studio album Brainwashed featuring the Grammy award-winning Marwa Blues.
The catalog also includes the live double album Live In Japan, featuring Eric Clapton; four compilations Let It Roll – Songs by George Harrison, Early Takes Vol 1, The Apple Years 1968-1975, and The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992.Music Business Worldwide