Primary Wave Signs Catalog & NIL Deal with Donna Summer’s Estate
The singer sold more than 100 million albums across her career
Independent music publisher Primary Wave Music has partnered with the estate of legendary singer Donna Summer, who passed away in 2012.
What it means:
Summer’s estate will work alongside Primary Wave on the singer’s catalog and recordings, as well as share in her name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights.
The estate will receive access to Primary Wave’s marketing team and publishing infrastructure, working closely on new marketing, branding, digital, and sync opportunities, as well as film and television projects.
Why it matters:
Summer sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.
She had 32 Billboard Hot 100 singles, 14 of which made the Top 10, with four reaching Number One.
Her catalog includes hits such as “Hot Stuff,” “I Feel Love,” “She Works Hard For The Money,” and “Last Dance.”
Summer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2025.
Ongoing acquisitions:
The agreement comes off the back of several catalog and NIL deals for Primary Wave with artists such as Intocable, Pete Townshend, and Hipgnosis Co-Founder Aubrey “Po” Powell.
👋 Disclosures & Transparency Block
This story was written with information from Primary Wave’s press release.
We covered it because it’s news of a high-profile catalog partnership.
