The Ramones, best known for their iconic alternative anthems, I Wanna Be Sedated and Pet Sematary have just sold their music publishing to Primary Wave Music for $10 million.
The Ramones frontman, Joey Ramone, was a complete original, and it is this originality that has brokered a deal that includes the non-exclusive rights to license Ramones name and likeness, and a stake in the income of the band’s catalog.
It is reportedly part of a more significant $2 billion partnership with Primary Wave and investment company Brookfield Asset Management.
Lexi Todd, vice president, at Primary Wave Music said. “Joey Ramone was a total original—his songwriting, style, and voice are all undeniably unique and immediately recognizable still today. A counterculture icon and prime mover of punk rock, Ramones demonstrated first-hand the power of music in influencing culture and built a foundation that has influenced decades of musicians.”
The band released 14 albums, from the 1976 self-titled debut through their final Adios Amigos in 1995 before breaking up in 1996.
Joey Ramone also released three EPs, and a slew of singles, including his 2002 cover of the 1967 Louis Armstrong classic What a Wonderful World, in addition to two posthumous solo albums of previously recorded material, including debut Don’t Worry About Me in 2002—released a year after his death on April 15, 2001, and Ya Know? in 2012.
Joey Ramones brother Mitchel Hyman (Mickey Leigh), has shared in a statement. “I’m happy to welcome Primary Wave as partners in my brother’s interests in Ramones,” said “I’m thoroughly convinced of their eagerness to perpetuate his legacy and their sincerity about doing it in a way that will never compromise his credibility. I, very much, am looking forward to working with them.”
The deal includes non-exclusive rights to license Joey Ramone’s name and a stake in income for the band’s catalog. https://t.co/r9K0K40wnP
— billboard (@billboard) October 6, 2022
