Primary Wave Music Buys Neil Finn’s Music Publishing Catalogue

Neil Finn has sold his music publishing catalogue to Primary Wave Music.

In a “multi-million-dollar deal” announced this week, Primary Wave Music acquires the legendary New Zealand singer, songwriter and musician’s catalogue and writers share of public performance for his work with Crowded House, as well as his solo material.

Works included in the deal include Crowded House classics “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” “Weather With You,” and “Better Be Home Soon”.

Finn is the reigning Icon Award recipient at the 2024 Shure Rolling Stone Australia Awards at The Ivy, where he performed a mini solo set of “Fall at Your Feet” and “Teenage Summer,” lifted from Crowded House’s forthcoming eighth album Gravity Stairs, due out May 31, their first through a new, separate recording deal with BMG.

“I look forward to seeing Primary Wave’s plan for the ongoing care of my songs,” says Finn in a statement. “I am confident they see the body of my work as music that matters. This deal has been a good while in the making and feels right.”

When Split Enz dissolved in 1984, Finn threw his energies into Crowded House and had an immediate impact, with 1986 release “Don’t Dream It’s Over” going on to become the band's  biggest hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

In the decades that followed, Crowded House has shifted over 15 million records worldwide, won 13 ARIA Awards, eight APRA Awards, a BRIT Award, an MTV VMA, and, in 2016, was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Four of their seven studio albums peaked at No. 1 on the the ARIA Albums Chart, the band has a U.K. No. 1 LP and, last year, had an unlikely leader on a Billboard chart.

Produced by the band with Steven Schram. Gravity Stairs is the followup to 2021’s Dreamers Are Waiting, which peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart and won an ARIA Award, for best contemporary album.

Crowded House’s current incarnation features founding members Finn and Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom, and Finn’s sons Elroy and Liam.

Primary Wave Music was formed in 2006 and now proudly claims to be the “Home of Legends,” representing many greats of popular music, including Bob Marley, Prince, Stevie Nicks, James Brown, The Doors, Olivia Newton-John, and many others.