Hipgnosis adds Blondie to catalogue of hit songs
Updated : 10:43
Hipgnosis Songs Fund has bought the rights to almost 200 songs written by Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie including worldwide hits such as Dreaming and Rapture.
The song rights investment company has bought Harry and Stein's write's share and neighbouring rights to 197 songs. Blondie were one of the biggest acts to emerge from the punk scene of the late 70s, notching up 25 number ones and 73 top 10 hits around the world.
The group's biggest selling album was 1978's Parallel Lines which spawned the hits Picture This, Sunday Girl and Heart of Glass - all written or co-written by Harry and Stein. The album sold more than 20m copies and went to number one in the UK and number six in the US.
Blondie had many more hits, including their biggest selling single Call Me, written by Harry and Giorgio Moroder and released in 1980. The band broke up in 1982 and reformed in 1999 when the single Maria went to number one in the UK. Blondie, featuring Harry, Stein and original drummer Clem Burke, continue to perform and release records.
The purchase is Hignosis's second deal this week after it announced the acquisition of Barry Manilow's recording royalties on Monday. The FTSE 250 company is snapping up song catalogues and music intellectual property rights under the leadership of Mark Mercuriadis, the former manager of acts such as Elton John and Guns N' Roses.
Mercuriadis said: "I have followed every move that Debbie and Chris have made since day one. Their singles have been not only massively successful but era and genre defining. They have made cultural albums of the greatest importance. I look forward to working with them for years to come."
Harry and Stein were a couple throughout Blondie's heyday and wrote many of the band's hits together and with other members. Harry cared for Stein when he was suffering from a rare autoimmune disease and their relationship ended in 1989 but they have continued working together.
Hipgnosis's other assets include the rights to songs by Mark Ronson, US soft rockers Journey, Chic's Bernard Edwards and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi. The company makes money from sales, radio plays and streaming of the songs as well as their use in commercials and film soundtracks.