BMG Acquires Nilsson Songbook

• BMG announced the acquisition of the rights to the critically-acclaimed songbook of the late Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson. The deal includes Nilsson’s publishing catalog, as well as artist and writer revenue streams of his hit songs including “Without You,” “Everybody’s Talkin,'” “One,” “Coconut,” and classics “Jump Into The Fire,” “Gotta Get Up” and “Me and My Arrow,” among many others, along with titles co-written with John Lennon, Danny Kortchmar, Dr. John, and Ringo Starr.

Featured among the 18 albums released over his two-decade long career include his debut, Spotlight on Nilsson, Harry, Nilsson Sings Newman, the critically acclaimed Nilsson Schmilsson, standards album A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night, Pussy Cats — produced by John Lennon, Nilsson’s personal favorite, Knnillssonn, and his final studio album Flash Harry; as well as the original film soundtracks for Skidoo, The Point!, Son of Dracula, and Popeye; in addition to the collection of his final collection of studio recordings, Losst and Founnd, released posthumously.

BMG will also begin collaborating with the Nilsson family in exploring global creative opportunities for their creative assets such as the The Point! story and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) including film, television, theatrical stage productions, books, and further areas of business. In a statement, the Nilsson family said, “We are delighted to have found a partner that shares our love and reverence for Harry’s legacy. We look forward to a long relationship with BMG, working together to celebrate this true genius of pop music.”

Thomas Scherer, BMG’s President, Repertoire & Marketing, Los Angeles and New York, said, “For generations, Harry Nilsson’s timeless music has captivated millions of people all around the world. A brilliant songwriter with an exceptionally beautiful and unique voice, we will ensure his spirit thrives for generations to come. We are honored the Nilsson family chose BMG to entrust as the custodians of his musical legacy and are proud to represent the cherished works of Harry Nilsson.”