Shaggy full beards, dark sunglasses, long coats, large hats and very, very loud music – these were and are the trademarks of ZZ Top. The American rock band, formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas, is a legend. Their heyday were the 80s of the last century, when ZZ Top toured around the world and filled halls and stadiums with their fans. Hits like “Gimme All Your Lovin”, “Cheap Sunglasses” or “La Grange” are still heard and loved up and down today – ZZ Top is cult for many. Bassist Dusty Hill, who founded the band with Billy Gibbons (guitar, vocals) and Frank Beard (drums), died in Houston in July.
Now BMG, the music division of the Gütersloh media company Bertelsmann, has secured all the music rights from ZZ Top – and is hoping for good business. “This deal is proof of the success, stamina and ongoing musical relevance of ZZ Top,” said Hartwig Masuch, BMG boss and formerly a musician himself. “This new deal ensures that ZZ Top’s remarkable legacy will continue for generations to come,” said Carl Stubner, the band’s manager. The contract includes the takeover of the publisher’s catalog as well as the income from the exploitation of the recordings and performance licenses from ZZ Top. Over the course of their 50-year career, the band released a total of 15 albums. How much BMG pays the band was not disclosed, it will be a lot of money. Co-financier is the American holding company KKR, with which BMG has a partnership.
ZZ Top at a concert in Munich in 2009.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
BMG was founded in Berlin in 2008 and is currently number four in the music industry – albeit far behind the big three: Universal Music, Sony and Warner. But that can change, the market is on the move. On the one hand, the old stars are celebrating a kind of renaissance. On the other hand, superstars like Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen and now also ZZ Top sell their song rights. According to earlier estimates, the volume of the rights of well-known musicians that will become available in the coming years will amount to between 200 and 250 billion dollars.
Everyone wants to earn money and so prices rise. More and more financial companies are entering the fast-growing market in search of investment opportunities and good returns. “Big capital has discovered the music market,” said Masuch recently. The list of the great, established artists who are looking for a reliable partner in the market is very long. For example, BMG recently did business with Tina Turner – and now with ZZ Top. Even rockers need money in their old days.