Elton John signs on with UMPG

UMPG Signs Elton John

By Chris M. Walsh, N.Y.

Universal Music Publishing Group has signed an exclusive agreement with Elton John and his songwriting collaborator Bernie Taupin, that will put the entire Elton John catalog under one publishing roof.

The two new long-term, exclusive, worldwide agreements are to administer John's and Taupin's post-1974 publishing interests. Each songwriter controls his own interest in the songs they've written, and separate arrangements were entered into with each. UMPG already owns the copyrights in the John/Taupin catalog written up to 1974.

Through the new arrangement with Elton John, the company will administer all his songs written between 1974 and 1992 (as well as new works), with immediate effect, and his songs written between 1993 and 2004 commencing in 2006. More than 250 copyrights are covered by the arrangement.

Through the new arrangement with Bernie Taupin, the company will administer all of his songs written between 1974 and the present, as well as new works written with or recorded by Elton John.

Both deals were previously administered by Warner Chappell.