Iron Maiden is making a major change to its iconic music catalog.
Pophouse Entertainment and Iron Maiden have entered into an agreement for the Björn Ulvaeus-founded firm to own a stake in the metal music legends’ catalog.
The sale also includes the band’s eponymous ghoul mascot, Eddie, with the intention of starting a digital universe inspired by the gaunt figure that’s been the band’s concept album cover main character since their 1980 self-titled release.
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Previously, Pophouse was known for brokering similar deals with ABBA and KISS for their music catalogs and brands. While the exact number has not been disclosed in the announcement published by Variety, the breaking report notes that it’s a 50% “stake” in the British heavy metal band’s “publishing and master music rights, and the name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights.” In comparison, the KISS deal was publicized to be upward of $300 million in Pophouse’s acquisition. They also own stakes in rights for Tina Turner, and Cyndi Lauper.
Fans might be wondering what this means for Iron Maiden’s footprint in pop culture and Eddie’s future in digital media. When sales like this happen, there’s a vibe of concern that more rock titans are selling out. The band’s manager, Rod Smallwood, assured that’s not the case: “I am very excited about our relationship with Pophouse and the ability we now have to pursue, facilitate, and finance our many plans and dreams quicker than we ever hoped.”
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The sale emphasizes an investment in immersive experiences for fans, led by Eddie, to take them throughout the band’s musical eras in various projects like their Infinite Dreams Museum, inspired by their book, and Knebworth’s EddFest.
Smallwood continued, “The interest in the band has never been bigger, and this strategic partnership, which we’ve been quietly working together on now for over a year, has already had results with the progress on the Infinite Dreams Museum and the filming of the current show. The fans can be assured there is a great deal more to come for Maiden, and Eddie will rule, OK!!”
Iron Maiden will celebrate 50 years with an induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame later this year as they expand their legacy through this deal.