David Lee Roth has joined the growing wave of legendary artists cashing in on their music rights, revealing that he sold his publishing catalog last year for a substantial sum.
The 71-year-old singer broke the news during a backstage interview with the Associated Press on April 10 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California. Roth was appearing at the event as a guest alongside Teddy Swims, teaming up for a performance of the Van Halen classic “Jump.”
“I sold my publishing eight months ago,” Roth said, before jokingly prompting the interviewer to ask how he felt about the move. He then added: “[I feel] rich. [Laughs] For the first time in my life I can rub two coins together and create a little interest. No, really.”
Best known for his work on Van Halen’s first six albums, Roth is widely credited with writing the bulk of the band’s lyrics during his tenure, and has long maintained that he crafted every word, syllable and melody in that era.
His deal comes amid an ongoing boom in catalog acquisitions, with investors and major music companies spending heavily on song rights in recent years. These purchases are seen as long-term investments, driven by the continued rise of streaming and the enduring value of classic songs, which can generate revenue for decades.
Several high-profile transactions have helped define this trend. Bob Dylan sold the rights to his recorded music catalog to Sony Music Entertainment in 2021 for a reported $200 million, after previously selling his songwriting catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group for around $300 million. That same year, Stevie Nicks sold a portion of her publishing rights to Primary Wave for approximately $100 million, while Bruce Springsteen reportedly struck a deal with Sony worth more than $500 million.
More recently, KISS sold its catalog, brand name and intellectual property to Pophouse Entertainment Group in a deal estimated to exceed $300 million. Queen also made headlines after finalizing a massive agreement with Sony Music reportedly valued at $1.27 billion, making it the largest music catalog deal to date.
Earlier this year, Roth had announced a 30-date North American solo tour, which launched in Airway Heights, Washington. The run includes stops across California, Arizona and Texas in April, followed by dates throughout Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina and Ontario in May. June will bring additional shows in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin, before he wraps things up with an appearance at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip in South Dakota this August.
