Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and Grammy Award-winning recording artist and songwriter Lionel Richie have signed an exclusive, global publishing agreement.
The deal includes songs written throughout Richie’s solo career including super hits Hello, Lady, Dancing on the Ceiling, All Night Long, and numerous others.
Richie has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide, and received six Grammy Awards, an Oscar and a Golden Globe, Richie (Capitol Records).
He is one of the only songwriters in history to have No.1 records for eleven consecutive years, as well as one of only two songwriters to solely write eight No.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
In addition to Richie’s extensive catalog of mega-hits like Penny Lover, Truly, Say You, Say Me and Ballerina Girl, he co-wrote We Are the World for USA for Africa.
His song catalog also includes his early work with The Commodores, where he penned hits such as Three Times a Lady, Still, and Easy.
Richie sold out arenas worldwide with a set list of his brightest and best anthems on his All The Hits, All Night Long Tour. In recent years, he also headlined festivals including Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and Glastonbury, drawing one fo the festival’s biggest crowds ever with more than 200,000 attendees.
“I have known Lionel personally for years and have always wanted to be his publisher.”
Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of UMPG, said: “I am thrilled that Lionel Richie has chosen UMPG to take care of his song catalog.
“I have known Lionel personally for years and have always wanted to be his publisher.
“I am so happy the day has finally come. We will be the best publisher Lionel has ever had. My teams around the world couldn’t be more excited to work with his illustrious catalog of hits, spanning many, many decades.”
“Having partnered with Universal Music as recording artist for almost my entire career, joining the UMPG family as a songwriter feels like coming home.”
Lionel Richie
Richie added: “Having partnered with Universal Music as recording artist for almost my entire career, joining the UMPG family as a songwriter feels like coming home.
“With their outstanding global team, I know my songs are in the best hands and I’m excited for what we can accomplish together.”Music Business Worldwide
The best of MBW, plus the most important music biz stories on the web. Delivered for FREE, direct to your inbox each day.
