Popular music icon Prince has announced that his massive catalog of classic material is now under the control of his own NPG Music Publishing. This is the first time Prince’s publishing has been controlled independently; for the better part of two decades it has been controlled and administered by Universal Music Group. Prince established NPG Music Publishing a little over a month ago as an LLC.
The announcement was made via press release confirming that “the terms of the deal are not public” and that “it includes a schedule of songs that Prince considers ‘fit 4 eternal publication.'” It also, somewhat quizzically, states that NPG Music Publishing was founded “by Artists for Artists.”
Prince is currently signed to Epic Records, with NPG Music Publishing assisting on the release of “FALLINLOVE2NITE,”
Prince has famously fought for control of his music and brand for years. He drew the world’s attention to his battle with Warner Bros. in the mid-1990s when he began performing with “SLAVE” scrawled across his cheek and went so far as to cease performing under the name “Prince” for several years–changing his stage moniker to an unpronounceable symbol–due to conflicts with his label.
