McCartney signed to new Starbucks label, becomes world's richest indie rocker

[LTR]

SEATTLE - Paul McCartney was introduced Wednesday as the first artist signed to Starbucks Corp.'s new record label. The former Beatle made an appearance via a video feed from London at the company's annual meeting.

The world's largest specialty coffee retailer announced earlier this month that it was partnering with Concord Music Group to launch the Los Angeles-based Hear Music label.

The McCartney announcement is another big step for Seattle-based Starbucks' attempts to spin part of its consumer appeal into the entertainment business. The coffeehouse chain already has produced and sold some albums, markets books, and helped develop a feature-length movie.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070321/ap_on_en_mu/starbucks_mccartney

I gotta say, not a bad move. Considering radio doesn't play his new stuff anymore, he's now getting marketed by Starbucks and their various channels. Good for him.

[graywarrior]

1. Yabut, will he sign with Whole Foods.

And when does he get the EMO do?

[LTR]

2. Well, Olive Garden doesn't have a record label

Not sure about the emo thing, but I did hear that he stocked up on flannel shirts.

[graywarrior]

3. He wants to be Neil.

[Ivan Sputnik]

4. A coffee dessert

yes you know it's good news

[Ishoutandscream2]

7. Oh, Will, that is the Beatles

but it's Harrison. Well, I know where you're coming from.

[hickman]

5. Does Heather Mills get part of this money too?

I hope not.

[LTR]

9. Actually, this was likely one of the motivators

According to some British tabloid, McCartney was offered $25M up-front by Capitol to stay. Of course, this money could come into play in the whole divorce thing, so he declined.

The Starbucks deal was for less up-front money (like he needs the money anyway) and his first album under the new deal won't come out until summer. Therefore, he dodges that bullet. The divorce should be resolved by then.

As I see it, this whole deal makes a lot of sense. I don't think Capitol was doing much with his newer stuff (and his past few albums have been among his best solo work). Those big labels really don't know what to do with aging rock stars. The big draw for Capitol was his legacy with the company (going back to The Beatles) and his back solo catalog, which will go with him to Starbucks (he owns the masters). As for money, he'll probably get more on an indie label, with higher royalty amounts and without feeding the corporate structure of a company like EMI. Starbucks has been doing a pretty good job with promoting books, music and movies, and I'm sure that intrigued him too, since corporate radio in this day and age won't touch his new stuff, but will play the shit out of "Band On The Run" and the like. Hell, he had to license a song from his last album to Lexus to use in a commercial, not for the money but just to get people to hear it. And it was still a top ten album, even without airplay. And the Starbucks crowd is his core demographic - basically middle-aged yuppies driving Volvos listening to Elvis Costello, Steely Dan and Bob Dylan.

I'm sure in this day and age, McCartney doesn't have to worry about every nickel and dime that comes in. He can retire and still have enough to live a few hundred more years and beyond (with more coming in every day through his music publishing business). I'm sure he just wants his newer music promoted properly and put into peoples' ears. And Starbucks has been doing a pretty good job in that regard. He's basically sidestepping the major label model. Yet another nail in the RIAA coffin.

[SPKrazy]

6. Sick Starbucks Antichrist on them...

the java bean killer d00d could surely create havoc for them

:rofl:

[catzies]

8. He can use their $$ to buy back the Beatles Catalogue when Jacko's forced to sell!

:woohoo:

[LTR]

11. Shit, he could pull that out of his wallet

That's walking-around money for him.

Rumor has it that Jackson may be forced to sell his share (Sony owns the other half of the publishing rights). He may even sell it to McCartney. Some rumors say that Mac's interest in the Beatles catalog has waned in recent years, but I doubt that. He's made more off song publishing royalties than anything he ever recorded (even with the Beatles), and I'm sure he'd love to add his most famous works to his catalog. He knows it's profitable, and he could definitely afford it. His publishing site shows what he owns the rights to:

http://www.mplcommunications.com/index.asp

Basically, hit songs from Buddy Holly, the Four Seasons, Johnny Mercer and others; "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts)"; the official fight songs from Notre Dame, U of Nebraska, UCLA, U of Minnesota and others; and the scores from musicals and movies such as Grease, Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line, La Cage Aux Folles, to name a few; and even the theme from "I Love Lucy". Some serious royalties in all that stuff.

[barb162]

12. That's right; he has way more money than Jackson

[catzies]

13. I agree with you there's no way he won't buy the catalogue as soon Jacko sells

and oh yes he knows how much money it makes.

[LostInAnomie]

10. This will go great with their new "Grande Lame Old Turd" promotion

:evilgrin: