Primary Wave Music has struck a deal with the estate of soul legend Wilson Pickett, announced on September 2, 2026. The agreement covers a stake in Pickett's music publishing catalog and a share of his name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. Financial terms were not disclosed.
What changes hands
This is a partial deal: Primary Wave takes a stake in the publishing rights rather than the whole catalog. The estate, led by Pickett's brother Max Pickett, gains access to Primary Wave's marketing and publishing teams to pursue new sync, branding and digital opportunities, as well as film and TV projects.
The catalog
Pickett, who died in 2006, placed more than 50 songs on the US R&B charts. Key titles tied to his legacy include:
- In the Midnight Hour (1965), co-written with Steve Cropper. It hit No.1 on the R&B chart and sold over a million copies.
- Mustang Sally (1966), inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.
- Land of 1000 Dances (1966), his highest Hot 100 placing at No.6.
His songs have been covered by acts such as The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Bruce Springsteen, and he entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Why it matters
Primary Wave already acquired Steve Cropper's publishing catalog in 2016, so this deal puts the company on both sides of the writing credit for In the Midnight Hour. Consolidating both writers' shares of an evergreen song is a clear strategic play: it simplifies licensing and increases control over sync and adaptation decisions.
The deal also shows that selling a stake rather than 100% of a catalog remains a popular route for estates that want liquidity and a marketing partner while keeping part of the upside.