BMG Acquires Rights To Peter Frampton Catalogue
BMG has acquired the music rights of the celebrated British rock musician Peter Frampton. The rights cover Frampton's entire musical career, which began in the late 1960s and continues to this day. Frampton's greatest success was his 1976 live album "Frampton Comes Alive!" which has sold some 17 million copies to date.
BMG has acquired the music rights to the catalog of the celebrated British rock musician Peter Frampton. The deal includes Frampton’s publishing interests, songwriter, recording artist, and sideman revenue streams, and neighboring rights, spanning his entire musical career from his late-60s work with UK hitmakers The Herd, to 70s breakthrough supergroup Humble Pie, through gaining superstar status as a solo artist with hit songs including “Show Me The Way,” “Baby, I Love Your Way,” “Do You Feel Like We Do,” “I’m In You,” and “I Can’t Stand It No More,” among many others.
Over the course of his long career, Frampton has collaborated with legendary artists such as George Harrison, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Carly Simon, David Bowie, Donovan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ringo Starr, Steve Miller, and Diana Ross, Herb Alpert, Dionne Warwick, Steve Miller, Mike McCready & Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam), among many others. His boyhood friend David Bowie, who he accompanied on the “Glass Spider Tour,” lauded Frampton’s guitar-playing, describing it as an “English approach to the blues, American music played in an English style.” “I am so pleased to join the BMG family,” said Frampton, commenting on the sale of his music rights. “As an artist-first company, I trust BMG will care for my legacy and that my songs are in good hands.”
Jeff Brabec, BMG SVP, Business & Legal Affairs, who oversaw the deal, said, “BMG is honored to represent the creative works of Peter Frampton, a truly unique songwriter, recording artist, performer and guitar player who continues to produce exceptional work.” Thomas Scherer, BMG President, Repertoire & Marketing, Los Angeles and New York, added: “From his incredible early rise of success with Humble Pie, to his countless collaborations, to achieving global stardom as a solo artist, Peter Frampton is one of the most inspirational and tireless musicians of his time. We are proud a legendary artist of his caliber entrusts BMG as the custodians of his most treasured works.”
Frampton was a successful child guitarist and at the age of 16 joined the band The Herd, landing three British Top 10 hits. At 18, Frampton co-founded one of the first supergroups, seminal rock act Humble Pie, recording four studio albums, as well as the Gold-certified live album “Rockin’ The Fillmore.” As a solo artist, Frampton achieved enormous commercial success releasing 18 studio albums and four live albums. In 1972, he released his debut album “Wind of Change,” followed by “Frampton’s Camel,” “Somethin’s Happening,” and the Gold-certified “Frampton.” In 1976, Frampton redefined his music career, releasing the U.S. chart-topping, 8x Platinum-certified “Frampton Comes Alive!,” featuring live versions of songs from his first four solo albums. The album would go on to receive a Grammy nomination for “Album of the Year” and remain Number One on the Billboard charts for 10 weeks in the US. It was certified 3x Platinum in Australia and Gold in both the UK and Canada. After more than four decades, the album remains one of the top-selling live records of all-time with sales of over 17 million worldwide.
“Frampton Comes Alive!” was followed by the studio album “I’m In You,” which again achieved commercial success around the world with the album being certified Platinum in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Silver in the U.K. I In 2007, Frampton won the Grammy award for Best Pop Instrumental Album for “Fingerprints,” and in 2014 he was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was the recipient of the prestigious Les Paul Innovation Award from NAMM’s TEC Awards and in 2020 was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. His 2019 album “All Blues,” was Number One for 15 weeks on Billboard’s Blues chart, his 2020 autobiography “Do You Feel Like I Do?: A Memoir” debuted on The New York Times Bestsellers list, and most recently, his new album “Frampton Forgets The Words” was released to widespread critical acclaim.
