Deftones Sell Majority of Music Rights to Warner Music Group in Multi-Million Dollar Deal
Deftones are the latest major act to sell a significant portion of their music rights, reportedly fetching between $40 million and $75 million.
Deftones have joined the growing list of high-profile artists selling their music rights to major publishing companies.
According to Billboard, four of the band's five members have sold their shares of master recording royalties and publishing rights to Warner Music Group (WMG), with one member retaining their stake.
The deal, potentially finalized within the last two years, is estimated to be worth between $40 million and $75 million, depending on the exact terms and timing. WMG already possessed the original master recordings and publishing rights through Warner Chappell, and this deal consolidates their control over the band's royalty streams.
This move follows a trend of prominent musicians cashing in on their catalogs. Recent examples include Bruce Springsteen's staggering $500 million deal, as well as similar agreements made by Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, Neil Young, and Jack White.
Other notable sales include Slipknot's $120 million deal with HarbourView Equity Partners, Pink Floyd's $400 million sale, and acquisitions of catalogs from Queen, KISS, and Tame Impala.
Deftones released their critically acclaimed 10th studio album ‘Private Music’ last summer. NME awarded it a full five stars, praising it as "a whole journey through a full-bodied and expansive fever dream...Deftones’ 10th album is a gift for fans old, new, and certainly finding them in the very distant future. Their peers can’t touch them."
The album was also featured on NME's list of the best albums of 2025, and the single ‘Milk Of The Madonna’ made their Top 50 Songs of 2025 list.
Deftones are scheduled to perform a series of UK and European arena shows, including London’s O2 in February, followed by an Australia and New Zealand tour with Interpol in May. They will also headline All Points East presents Outbreak Fest in London, alongside IDLES and Amyl & The Sniffers.
Speaking to NME last summer, frontman Chino Moreno reflected on the vulnerability in Deftones' music, citing ‘Mascara’ from ‘Around The Fur’ as an early example. He also noted his growing confidence in expressing himself in love songs.
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