Account

Sign in to access your account and subscription

Securitization May Work Beyond Music Royalty Income Stream

A securitization is a process whereby an individual or entity pools the right to future payments that it is owed, and sells this right as a security. The first individual to capitalize on the concept of securitization of intellectual property (IP) assets was musician David Bowie. He issued a bond offering backed by his copyright royalties in 25 of his albums comprising approximately 250 songs. Although industry experts expected a flood of music rights securitizations following the launch of the "Bowie Bonds" in 1997, this did not come to pass. However, securitization as a concept is not limited to just music copyright royalties. Any IP right with a proven revenue stream could be used as the underlying asset in a securitization. Therefore, there is a huge potential for extending the concept of IP securitizations to other areas of the entertainment industry.

23 minute read August 01, 2003 at 08:27 PM
By
Sean F. Kane
Securitization May Work Beyond Music Royalty Income Stream

A securitization is a process whereby an individual or entity pools the right to future payments that it is owed, and sells this right as a security. The first individual to capitalize on the concept of securitization of intellectual property (IP) assets was musician David Bowie.

This premium content is locked for LawJournalNewsletters subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN LawJournalNewsletters

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

Most firms are aiming their newest tools at the work they already do — pouring their most powerful technology into running the same tasks a little faster. But when everyone automates the same tasks at once, no one pulls ahead. That reaches the future a little faster while leaving a firm’s largest opportunity untouched — and that opportunity isn’t doing more of the existing work, but transforming how the high-value work gets done.

June 01, 2026

Artificial intelligence is rapidly embedding itself into legal workflows, but much of the conversation treats all use cases as if they carry the same level of risk, even if they do not. The more useful question is not whether AI works, but where it can be safely applied and where it cannot.

June 01, 2026