Deftones sells large portion of music catalog to Warner Music.
In a recent deal closed within the last two years, Deftones made a significant move by selling the majority of their music rights to Warner Music Group. This comprehensive transaction encompassed master-recording royalties, co-publishing shares, and writer royalties.
Prior to this deal, Warner Music Group already held the band’s master recordings, while Warner Chappell controlled the co-publisher rights. Despite this transaction, one member of the band retained their publishing stake and will continue to receive master-recording royalties.
While the exact financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, sources have estimated the transaction to be anywhere from $41 million to $75 million. Billboard reports that the band aimed for a ‘mid- to high-double-digit multiple’ for the rights, with music assets typically trading within a 12- to 18-times-multiple range. It is worth noting that some top-tier artists and songwriters can command multiples exceeding 20.
The band experienced a surge in popularity between 2023 and 2025, with growth nearly tripling compared to the previous three-year period. Older albums, particularly ‘Around the Fur’ (1997) and ‘White Pony’ (2000), saw the most significant gains during this time frame.
According to Billboard estimates, the catalog generated approximately $18 million annually from 2023 to 2025. With a 25% royalty rate split among all five members, this translated to $3.6 million per year for the four members who sold their rights.
The band’s back catalog witnessed a resurgence on TikTok, attracting a new generation of fans. This renewed interest propelled the band to headliner status at arenas and secured consistent placements on charts. Last July, several releases from the discography achieved platinum and gold certifications in the US. In December, ‘Around The Fur’ even reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart.
Frontman Chino Moreno reflected on the band’s success in August 2025, stating, “We literally are bigger than we’ve ever been in our almost 30-year existence,” as reported by The PRP. This milestone serves as a testament to Deftones’ enduring impact and ongoing relevance in the music industry.