No touring in 2020 and 2021 has put a large crimp in the Beach Boys organization. There’s no money coming in.
So rock and roll’s most entrepreneurial maestro, Irving Azoff, has swept in and bought everything from them, lock, stock, and sandbox.
Azoff, already the top manager in rock with Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, and Earth Wind & Fire on his roster, also has a company called Iconic Artists Group with Olivier Chastan. They announced today that they’ve bought the rights to the Beach Boys master recordings, controlling interest in their intellectual property, including their sound recordings, the brand, select musical compositions, and memorabilia.
And surfboards, of course.
The Beach Boys and their heirs will retain an interest in their assets to “participate in the upside Iconic expects to create by actively marketing and promoting the Beach Boys.”
No dollar amount is mentioned, but it’s got to be in the $100 million range. Beach Boys’ songs like “God Only Knows,” “California Girls,” “Wouldn’t it Be Nice,” and “Good Vibrations” remain huge staples on radio and in commercials, with plenty of opportunities to monetize them into infinity.
“The Beach Boys are an American treasure,” added Azoff, Chairman and CEO of The Azoff Company. “I am honored that the Beach Boys have entrusted Iconic to preserve and grow their legacy. And I’m thrilled that the Beach Boys want to stay invested in the growth of the incredible cultural brand they created.”
The fact that Azoff was able to get Brian Wilson on the same page with Al Jardine, as well as the much loathed Mike Love, not to mention the estates of his two brothers, Carl and Dennis, is really a tribute to the famed manager.
Not mentioned is who gets to keep John Stamos. But I’m sure they’ll work that out!
The Beach Boys official statement:
“The Beach Boys and our songs have been one of the great joys of our lives. For more than half a century, we’ve witnessed generations of fans from all corners of the world come together to celebrate our music, dancing and singing along to the songs that we have loved and performed for decades. As we look towards the upcoming 60th anniversary of The Beach Boys, we wanted a partner to help expand opportunities for our brand, while continuing to preserve our tradition as a band whose music transcends the test of time. We are confident that Irving and Iconic are the ideal partners and are confident that The Beach Boys’ ongoing legacy is in the best possible hands. We are very proud of what we have achieved as The Beach Boys and how our songs continue to resonate with our fans.”
