Pophouse Entertainment, the investment firm co-founded by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus, has announced a partnership with legendary British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, acquiring a stake in the publishing and master music rights, and the name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Billboard reports that Pophouse has acquired a 50% “stake” in the assets; further terms were not disclosed.
The deal includes rights to the band’s iconic mascot, the ghoulish character “Eddie.”
However, for the sake of context, Pophouse paid upward of $300 million for a similar deal with Kiss, although the percentage was unclear.
The partnership, which has been structured and developed over the last year between Pophouse and the band’s co-manager, Andy Taylor, “will enable Iron Maiden to pursue new creative ventures that connect with existing fans as well as bringing their extensive catalogue to new audiences,” according to the announcement.
Formed in London in 1975, Iron Maiden are one of the longest-running and most influential metal bands of all time, having sold an estimated 100 million records across 17 studio albums amid Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello Awards. The band is a touring powerhouse, with legions of fans following them across multiple dates on the group’s frequent tours.
