Scorpions extend publishing agreement with BMG

04 February 2021 - Press release

Scorpions, one of the greatest rock bands of all time with more than 110 million albums sold, have extended their exclusive long-term publishing relationship with BMG. The agreement coincides with the 30th anniversary of their worldwide hit single ‘Wind of Change’, which was released in January 1991.

The deal covers the majority of the works written by Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs post-1990. Songs directly published by BMG span the albums Crazy World (1990) including hit singles ‘Wind Of Change’ and ‘Send Me An Angel’, Face The Heat (1993), Pure Instinct (1996), Eye II Eye (1999), Unbreakable (2004), Humanity – Hour I (2007), Sting In The Tail (2010), and Return To Forever (2015). 

BMG also represents much of the band’s recorded catalogue from the early years including Taken By Force (1977), Tokyo Tapes (1978), Lovedrive (1979), Animal Magnetism (1980), Blackout (1982), Love At First Sting (1984), World Wide Live (1985), and Savage Amusement (1988). They include rock anthems such as ‘No One Like You’, ‘Still Loving You’ and ‘Rock You Like A Hurricane’.

Said Scorpions, “We are pleased to extend our publishing relationship with BMG after a long and successful collaboration. The journey together is the reward – we look forward to it.” 

BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “Scorpions are among the true greats of rock music. We are lucky to enjoy a multifaceted relationship with them and are delighted that they have chosen to renew their publishing relationship with BMG.”

The extension of Scorpions’ decade-long relationship with BMG comes just three months after ‘Wind Of Change’ became the subject of the first of a new series of definitive super deluxe boxes from BMG devoted to a single track, called The Iconic Song. The release was accompanied with a podcast series devoted to ‘Wind Of Change’ in cooperation with Bertelsmann’s Audio Alliance.

Featured on the Scorpions’ eleventh studio album, Crazy World (1990), and released in January 1991, ‘Wind of Change’ is inextricably linked to the end of the Cold War, the Fall of the Berlin Wall and eventually the reunification of East and West Germany.

The single topped the charts in Germany and across Europe, climbed to number four on the Billboard 200 and number two in the UK, giving the Scorpions – then 25 years into their career – their biggest hit to date. With estimated sales of 15 million copies sold worldwide, ‘Wind of Change’ is one of the best-selling singles in history.

BMG Managing Director GSA Maximilian Kolb said, “‘Wind Of Change’ has the power to touch people across continents and across time with universal appeal. With The Iconic Song, we aim to honor that music and have shown how far a collaboration in music publishing can go. We are looking forward to the next chapter with the Scorpions and all the projects ahead of us.”