The Bee Gees, one of the world's most commercially
successful and acclaimed bands in the history of popular music, has signed a
long-term worldwide agreement with Capitol Records that encompasses the
legendary trio’s entire catalogue of recorded music, it was announced today by Capitol
Music Group (CMG) Chairman and CEO Steve Barnett and Bee Gees founding member
Barry Gibb. In addition to 22 studio
albums and several soundtracks, including the mega-selling Saturday Night Fever,
the agreement includes the rights to numerous compilation albums, unreleased
recordings and long-form audiovisual projects.
Capitol, in conjunction with Universal Music Enterprises
(UMe), Barry Gibb and the estates of co-founding members Robin Gibb and Maurice
Gibb – will spearhead an array of comprehensive and forward-thinking sales and
marketing campaigns designed to reinvigorate The Bee Gees’ illustrious
catalogue. As Steve Barnett explained,
“The Bee Gees catalogue is one of the most esteemed and important bodies of
work in the history of recorded music, and we are brimming with ideas that will
remind fans of its brilliance and further the band’s legacy by introducing
their music to new audiences. All of us
at the company are honored that The Bee Gees have chosen Capitol as their new
home.”
According to Barry Gibb, “The whole family is overwhelmed
by this new agreement. To be surrounded by the greatest record people and
artists of all time is a very humbling experience. Wish my brothers were here
to share it.”
Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO Sir Lucian
Grainge commented, “There are few artists in history who have created a body of
work so successful, diverse and timeless as Barry, Robin and Maurice. We’re
delighted to welcome the incomparable music of the Bee Gees to the Universal
Music Group family and we look forward to building upon their incredible
legacy.”
Universal Music Enterprises President & CEO Bruce
Resnikoff added, “The music of the Bee Gees appeals to music lovers in every
corner of the globe, and it is an honor to work with this incredible catalog of
recorded music. We look forward to showcasing their exceptional
body of work and introducing them to a new legion of fans while staying true to
their longtime, loyal audience.“
In an extraordinary recording career that took off in
1967 with their hit single, “New York Mining Disaster 1941,” and continued into
the 21st Century with their final album, This Is Where I Came In, in 2001, The
Bee Gees – brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb – sold more than 220 million
records worldwide and earned their stature as one of the biggest selling groups
of all time. Recording 22 studio albums
and numerous soundtracks – including the monumentally-successful and
best-selling soundtrack of all time, Saturday Night Fever – The Bee Gees
infused popular culture with dozens of worldwide hit singles that featured
their singular and highly-influential three-part harmonies. They achieved nine #1 and 23 Top-Ten singles
on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Night
Fever,” and “Stayin’ Alive” from Saturday Night Fever, plus “How Can You Mend A
Broken Heart,” “I Started A Joke” “One,” “Lonely Days,” “Words,” and numerous
other classics.
Their soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever is one of the
biggest-selling and culturally significant albums of all time, having sold more
than 40 million copies around the world, spawned four Bee Gees global hits and
reinvigorated the trio’s earlier hits “Jive Talkin’” and “You Should Be
Dancing.” The album was added to the
National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress in 2013 for long-term
preservation, having been cited for its cultural, artistic and historic
importance.
Among the countless awards and accolades bestowed upon
The Bee Gees are eight Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, a Brit Award
for Outstanding Contribution to Music and a Legend Award from the World Music
Awards. They have been inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall
of Fame and the Dance Music Hall of Fame.
All three brothers were appointed Commanders in the Order of the British
Empire in 2001.
