BMG Acquires Primal Scream Song Rights

BMG has acquired a 50% stake in the song interests of Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes and the late Robert Young of legendary Scottish rock band Primal Scream. The deal also includes neighbouring rights for Primal Scream.

BMG now owns the writers’ shares in hit songs such as ‘Movin’ On Up’, ‘Loaded’, ‘Rocks’ and ‘Come Together’. The deal also covers all 11 Primal Scream albums, stretching from 1987’s Sonic Flower Groove to 2016’s Chaosmosis.

“Primal Scream are one of the most influential bands of the past 30 years with a cultural resonance which continues today. We are delighted to become custodians of their work,” said Alistair Norbury, BMG President Repertoire & Marketing UK.

The new acquisition is part of a recent program which has seen BMG gain rights from artists including Mick Fleetwood, Tina Turner, ZZ Top, and Mötley Crüe. Primal Scream are the first UK artists of their generation to strike such a rights deal however.

Primal Scream were formed by Gillespie back in 1985, when he the Glasgow musician was still the drummer for The Jesus and Mary Chain. They soon signed to Creation Records, going on to become one of the biggest bands of the 90s.

Their most influential release was 1991’s Screamadelica, an intoxicating combination of myriad genres, including acid house, rock, dub, and psychedelia. Screamadelica secured the band the inaugural Mercury Music Prize the following year.

Primal Scream’s catalogue since has been remarkably varied, from the Krautrock-influenced Vanishing Point (1997) to the electro-industrial XTRMNTR (2000). Their most recent studio album was Chaosmosis, released six years ago to mostly positive reviews. The album peaked at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart.

Next month will see Gillespie and co. play Screamadelica in full for the first time in a decade at London’s Wide Awake Festival. They’ll then embark on a short tour of the UK and Ireland, including stops in Glasgow, Cardiff, and Dublin.