BMG has purchased the rights to an extensive portfolio of Tina Turner’s works, the music publisher and record label announced Tuesday. Included in the deal are Turner’s recordings, her music publishing writer’s share, neighboring rights and name, image, and likeness. Her solo works alone consist of ten studio albums, two live albums, two soundtracks, and five compilations, which have sold over 100 million records to date.
“Like any artist, the protection of my life’s work, my musical inheritance, is something personal,” said Turner in a statement. “I am confident that with BMG and Warner Music my work is in professional and reliable hands.”
The Tennessee native made her name in the 1960s as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue alongside her then-husband. The fruits of this collaboration include some of the era’s biggest hits, among them “River Deep Mountain High” and “Proud Mary.” Two decades later, she reemerged as a venerable solo artist in her own right, adding to her accolades with ’80s megahits like “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and “Better Be Good To Me.” She has earned a total of 12 Grammys and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (with Ike Turner) in 1991.
Turner’s life story has been adapted for the screen multiple times, most recently for HBO’s 2021 documentary “Tina.” The Tony-winning stage adaptation of her biography, “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” debuted in 2018.
Up next for Turner: her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist at the end of October.
In partnering with BMG, the artist, who will remain signed with Warner Records, joins a wide-ranging roster of artists. BMG’s portfolio includes Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Mick Fleetwood, Roger Waters, Kurt Cobain, Blondie, David Bowie, Scorpions, The Kinks, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden.
Commenting on the deal, BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “Tina Turner’s musical journey has inspired hundreds of millions of people around the world and continues to reach new audiences. We are honored to take on the job of managing Tina Turner’s musical and commercial interests. It is a responsibility we take seriously and will pursue diligently. She is truly and simply, the best.”
