Story perspectives

Warner Music Buys RHCP Catalog for $300 Million

5/9/2026

Summary

Warner Music Buys Chili Catalog

Warner Music Group purchased the Red Hot Chili Peppers' recorded catalog for more than $300 million.
The acquisition was financed through WMG’s $1.2 billion joint venture with Bain Capital.
Billboard reported the band had been shopping the catalog since February 2025 and had targeted a price of up to $350 million.
The catalog, which includes the band’s 13 studio albums and other U.S. releases, generates about $26 million in annual earnings, primarily from WMG’s share.

Summary

Warner Acquires Catalogs

Warner's joint venture with Bain Capital has spent $650 million on catalog acquisitions, with the Red Hot Chili Peppers deal covering roughly half.
Universal Music Group holds a minority stake in Chord Music Partners.
Sony Music Group has partnered with Singapore’s GIC to launch a catalog-acquisition vehicle.
Sony is in talks to buy Recognition Music Group, which owns publishing catalogs for Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake and Neil Young.

Summary

Warner Acquires Chili

Warner Music Group now owns the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ master recordings, originally released by Warner.
Six of the band’s singles have each surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.
The Hollywood Reporter said neither the Red Hot Chili Peppers nor Warner Music Group commented.
The deal reunites the band’s historic releases with the label that first launched them.

1 of 3

Warner Music Buys Chili Catalog

Warner Music Group purchased the Red Hot Chili Peppers' recorded catalog for more than $300 million.
The acquisition was financed through WMG’s $1.2 billion joint venture with Bain Capital.
Billboard reported the band had been shopping the catalog since February 2025 and had targeted a price of up to $350 million.
The catalog, which includes the band’s 13 studio albums and other U.S. releases, generates about $26 million in annual earnings, primarily from WMG’s share.

1 / 3