|
 Streaming giant Spotify said streams of Bowie's music were up
2,700 percent on Monday, while the Official Charts Company in
the UK said Bowie's "Blackstar" album was headed to the top spot
on the charts with sales of 43,000 since its Friday release.
Bowie, who produced hits such as "Ziggy Stardust" during a
career featuring daringly androgynous displays of sexuality and
glittering costumes, died at age 69 on Sunday.
He was the first recording artist to sell bonds, known as 'Bowie
Bonds,' against his intellectual property and backed by future
earnings of his music.
The bonds, which are now paid off, were bought by Prudential
Insurance in 1997 for $55 million, and let Bowie retain
ownership of his work rather than selling the copyright.
The model, constructed by investor David Pullman, was later
adopted by artists such as James Brown and the Isley Brothers.
In an interview on Monday, Pullman estimated that Bowie's estate
could be valued upward of $100 million, in part because Bowie
owned 100 percent of his music.
"He was smart enough to have confidence in himself. Most artists
sell themselves short, and they don't hold out for the rights,"
Pullman said. "He was able to retain his legacy. His songs were
his baby."
The move also spared Bowie taxes he would have faced had he sold
the rights, Pullman said.
"The real annuity for an artist's estate is owning copyright and
catalog. That's the revenue stream," said Bill Werde, chief
executive of entertainment agency Fenton and former editor of
music trade publication Billboard.
Still, he said, Bowie bonds were not all about money. "This was
more about Bowie's blood, sweat and tears, and the idea that
someone else owned part of it never sat right with him," Werde
added.
[to top of second column] |
'PARTING GIFT'
The critically praised "Blackstar" was the top-selling album on
Apple's <AAPL.O> iTunes U.S. and UK platforms on Monday morning.
Bowie's longtime producer, Tony Visconti, called the album the
singer's "parting gift."
The 2002 “Best of Bowie” compilation album was the second most
popular on the U.S. site, outpacing Adele's blockbuster album “25.”
Bowie's 1972 album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the
Spiders from Mars” was in fourth place on the U.S. iTunes platform,
according to the site. Apple does not generally release iTunes sales
or download figures.
On Amazon's <AMZN.O> U.S. and UK websites, "Blackstar" was the No. 1
"best seller" on Monday.
In a music video accompanying the album's first single, "Lazarus,"
the singer is shown in a hospital bed with bandages around his eyes.
"Look up here, I'm in heaven," Bowie sings. "I've got scars that
can’t be seen. I've got drama, can't be stolen. Everybody knows me
now. Look up here, man, I'm in danger. I've got nothing left to
lose."
(Additional reporting by Amy Tennery, Jill Serjeant and Ross Kerber;
Editing by Gareth Jones, Peter Henderson and Peter Cooney)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
