Following in the footsteps of everyone from Bob Dylan to Justin Bieber, Bryan Ferry has made the decision to sell off a portion of his catalog. In this case, the former Roxy Music frontman has made the sale for half of his sound recording, publishing, and name, image and likeness rights to Irving Azoff's Iconic Artists Group.
Azoff, who has spent time managing various recording artists - most notably the Eagles - as well as running record labels like MCA and Giant, co-founded Iconic Artists Group in 2018 with Oliver Chastan. Over the course of the past several years, the organization has acquired the catalogs of a number of high profile artists, including The Beach Boys, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and Rod Stewart.
Bryan Ferry performing at Hyde Park in London on July 7, 2019.
"The deal encompasses a range of assets from Ferry’s career including his solo work, as well as his time with Roxy Music," the Iconic Artists Group announced on its website.
“Bryan Ferry is a true musical pioneer who blended art, fashion, and rock & roll into a captivating and enduring sound," said Jimmy Edwards, president of the Iconic Artists Group, in a statement posted on the website Music Business Worldwide. "Iconic is deeply honored to celebrate his enduring influence and share his legendary catalog with the world.”
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“Bryan’s unique voice and genre-defying music have earned him a place among the most influential artists of our time," added Beth Collins, co-president of the Azoff Company. “We are honored to work with him to ensure his legacy continues to inspire and resonate with audiences.”
As for Ferry himself, he's quoted as saying, “I’m pleased to be working with everyone at Iconic on finding new ways to share my music with the world [and] I’m excited to see what possibilities unfold.”
Ferry’s career stretches back to the early 1970s, when he co-founded Roxy Music with bassist Graham Simpson and then expanded the lineup to include guitarist Phil Manzanera, synth player Brian Eno, drummer Paul Thompson, and saxophonist Andy Mackay.
Simpson left after the band’s self-titled debut album and Eno left after 1973’s For Your Pleasure, but the rest of the lineup stayed the same for the majority of the band’s career. Although Thompson left for a stretch in the early ‘80s, he’s been back with his bandmates for their subsequent reunion tours, the most recent of which took place in 2022 to commemorate Roxy Music’s 50th anniversary.
Ferry famously maintained a solo career throughout Roxy Music’s run in the ‘70s, releasing five full-length studio releases, all of which climbed into the top 20 of the UK Albums chart. When he returned to solo work after the demise of Roxy Music, the fans were ready and waiting, with 1985’s Boys and Girls – featuring the hit single “Slave to Love,” which he performed with the assistance of David Gilmour of Pink Floyd during Live Aid – topping the UK charts. Ferry’s most recent studio album, Bitter-Sweet, was released in November 2018.
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