GEORGE HARRISON CATALOGUE COMES TO DARK HORSE RECORDS/BMG
NEW DEAL BRINGS HIS ACCLAIMED SOLO RECORDINGS AND MUSIC PUBLISHING TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME β ENTIRE CATALOGUE AVAILABLE NOW IN DOLBY ATMOS β IN CELEBRATION OF HARRISONβS 80th BIRTHDAY
BMG is proud to announce a new catalogue recordings agreement bringing the acclaimed solo recorded works of George Harrison to Dark Horse Records/BMG together with his music publishing catalogue for the first time ever, under one roof, solely at BMG. In celebration of Harrisonβs 80th birthday, Dark Horse/BMG have released his entire catalogue in Dolby Atmos surround sound exclusively on Apple Music.
Harrisonβs recorded catalogue features 12 studio albums of solo works including his debut Wonderwall Music (soundtrack to the film Wonderwall), the US and UK chart-topping critically acclaimed, 7x Platinum-certified triple album All Things Must Pass featuring the Number One single βMy Sweet Lord,β βWhat Is Life,β βIsnβt It A Pity,β βAll Things Must Pass;β and the US Number One Living In The Material World featuring the Number One single βGive Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth),β through the Platinum-certified Cloud Nine featuring his Number One charting cover of βGot My Mind Set On You,β to his final studio album Brainwashed featuring the Grammy award-winning βMarwa Blues.β
The catalogue 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.
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 Harrisonβs solo career.
The partnership expands on the relationship with Harrisonβs legendary Dark Horse Records as the boutique music company 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 bandβs most popular song on streaming services, βHere Comes The Sun,β as well as βI Me Mine,β βWhile My Guitar Gently Weeps,β and the US Number One single βSomething,β his songs from the two albums recorded by supergroup The Traveling Wilburys featuring βEnd of the Line,β βHandle with Care,β βSheβs My Baby,β and βInside Out,β as well as the 12 studio albums of solo works.
DhaniΒ Harrison said, “22 years since his passing, for what would have been his 80thΒ birthday, I am overjoyed to announce that we are bringing my father’s music catalogue back home toΒ DarkΒ HorseΒ Records, theΒ 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 80thΒ Dad!!! We love you always.”
BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, βThis 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 Georgeβs peerless music to generations old and new.β
Thomas Scherer, BMG President, Repertoire & Marketing, New York and Los Angeles, said, βFor 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 Harrisonβs music together, under one roof, and are very grateful for Olivia and Dhaniβs trust in BMG.β
In 2020, BMG announced it had entered into a multi-faceted 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, and now led by Dhani Harrison and David Zonshine.
The agreement initially brought catalogue releases from the acclaimed record label and Harrisonβs Indian label imprint HariSongs, as well as Joe Strummerβs 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 Tenchβs much-anticipated new studio album, 16 albums from Leon Russellβs recorded catalogue spanning 1984 β 2013, Deep Purpleβs Jon Lord, and a global publishing administration deal for Joe Strummer’s solo publishing catalogue 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 BMGβs partnership has expanded to include DH Merchandise, 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.
While Dark Horse Records/BMG administers the music publishing of George Harrison, it will now also serve as his label home.