You never give me your money: Paul McCartney sues Sony for the rights to the Beatles songs he wrote with John Lennon estimated to be worth $2bn

  • Paul McCartney filed a lawsuit against Sony/ATV Music Publishing Wednesday
  • Michael Jackson famously bought ATV's back catalog in 1985, which includes more than 200 Beatles tracks, before they were sold back to Sony 
  • Under the US Copyright Act of 1976, songs written before 1978 can return under the songwriter's property after 56 years
  • Songs in Lennon-McCartney catalog will start hitting their 56-year mark in 2018
  • McCartney has filed the suit since he has not been able to get Sony to confirm they will transfer the copyrights under his name, according to the lawsuit

By Dailymail.com Reporter and Reuters

Published: 21:23 EST, 18 January 2017 | Updated: 10:51 EST, 19 January 2017

Paul McCartney has filed a lawsuit against Sony/ATV Music Publishing in hopes of winning back the copyrights to a host of songs he wrote with John Lennon. 

McCartney filed the suit in federal court in New York on Wednesday, seeking to gain ownership of the copyrights in 2018, according to court documents.  

Michael Jackson famously bought ATV's back catalog in 1985, which includes more than 200 Beatles tracks, before they were sold back to Sony by Jackson's debt-ridden estate after his death.

Paul McCartney has filed a lawsuit against Sony/ATV Music Publishing in hopes of winning back the copyrights to a host of songs he wrote with John Lennon

McCartney has missed out on several opportunities to own the copyrights to his own songs. Under the US Copyright Act of 1976, songs written before 1978 can return under the songwriter's property after 56 years

McCartney explained the significance of music publishing to Jackson, only for the King of Pop to obtain more than 200 Beatles songs  in a move that left McCartney feeling betrayed

Both McCartney and Lennon lost out to ATV, which purchased their original publishers, Northern Songs, in 1969.

When McCartney explained the significance of music publishing to Jackson years later, the King of Pop took note and purchased the back catalog to ATV Music in 1985.

Jackson obtained more than 200 Beatles songs from the publisher, which collects and distributes royalties to songwriters, in a move that left McCartney feeling betrayed, Billboard reported. 

McCartney has filed the suit since he has not been able to get Sony to confirm they will transfer the copyrights under his name

Jackson's ownership returned to Sony in September 2016, after his debt-ridden estate sold off the King of Pop's stake in the music publishing company for $750million.

The catalog is now estimated to be worth upwards of $2bn. 

Now, McCartney is hoping to regain the rights to his songs under the US Copyright Act of 1976 - which allows songs written before 1978 to return under the songwriter's property after a period of 56 years.

Songs in the Lennon-McCartney catalog, composed between September 1962 and June 1971, will start hitting their 56-year mark in 2018.

McCartney, eager to obtain the copyrights, started sending notices to Sony/ATV in 2008, stating his desire to reclaim the copyrights to songs including Across the Universe, Love Me Do, and I Want to Hold Your Hand, the suit said.

McCartney's lawyers have repeatedly asked Sony/ATV to acknowledge the musician's rights to terminate copyright transfers of the music, and the company has declined to do so, the suit said.

'Because the earliest of Paul McCartney's terminations will take effect in 2018, a judicial declaration is necessary and appropriate at this time so that Paul McCartney can rely on quiet, unclouded title to his rights,' the suit said.

Sony/ATV Music Publishing called the lawsuit 'unnecessary and premature' in an emailed statement.

'Sony/ATV has the highest respect for Sir Paul McCartney with whom we have enjoyed a long and mutually rewarding relationship with respect to the treasured Lennon & McCartney song catalog,' Sony/ATV said. 'We are disappointed that they have filed this lawsuit, which we believe is both unnecessary and premature.' 

Songs in the Lennon-McCartney catalog will start hitting their 56-year mark in 2018, and Sir Paul is taking a proactive role in making sure the songs don't slip out of his grasp again (pictured, the Beatles in 1963)

McCartney (pictured with Nancy Shevell in December 2016) started the process last year and filed termination notices for 32 songs with the US Copyright Office, Billboard reported

The lawsuit said Sony/ATV attempted to stall talks with McCartney until the conclusion of a lawsuit involving similar claims by British pop band Duran Duran that was playing out in an English court. Duran Duran lost the legal battle to a Sony/ATV subsidiary in December.

'Rather than provide clear assurances to Paul McCartney that defendants will not challenge his exercise of his termination rights, defendants are clearly reserving their rights pending the final outcome of the Duran Duran litigation,' McCartney's lawsuit said.

The suit is seeking a declaration from the court that McCartney can reclaim his copyright interests in the songs, as well as attorneys' fees.

 

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