More than three decades of Mary J. Blige's music are at the center of a new business deal with Primary Wave Music. The Queen of Hip Hop Soul has partnered with the independent publisher to explore new opportunities for her catalog. This will help bring some of R&B's most recognizable records into an arrangement that could expand their presence beyond streaming platforms.
Primary Wave announced the partnership on Monday (Oct. 26), confirming that the agreement covers Blige's musical compositions and recordings. Among the songs included are "Family Affair," "My Life," "Mary Jane (All Night Long)," and "Be Without You." The company will also provide access to its publishing and marketing resources, with potential opportunities for advertising placements and music licensing for film and television.
The company did not disclose financial terms, and neither party specified whether Primary Wave acquired an ownership stake in Blige's catalog. While some reports have characterized the arrangement as a catalog sale, the company's announcement describes it as a partnership without identifying any transfer of rights.
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Mary J. Blige Joins Primary Wave's Roster Of Music Legends
The agreement brings Blige into a company whose portfolio includes music associated with Prince and Whitney Houston. Primary Wave has built its business around established catalogs, seeking new commercial opportunities for recordings that continue attracting listeners long after their original release. For Natalia Nastaskin, Primary Wave's chief content officer, the partnership also carries a personal connection to Blige's early career.
"From the moment I heard 'You Remind Me' on NY's KISS-FM, I became a Day 1 Mary J Blige fan," Nastaskin said in the company's announcement. She praised the singer's influence across generations of listeners and described working with her catalog as an honor. Blige has sold more than 50 million records worldwide and won nine Grammy Awards. Her 1994 album My Life was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2025, recognition of its cultural significance decades after its release.
Blige is also keeping busy onstage. Her My Life, My Story Las Vegas residency continues at Park MGM on Oct. 28, with additional performances scheduled through February 20, 2027. Primary Wave's announcement also leaves open the possibility of helping market new music, though no specific projects have been announced. The company will have plenty of material to work with, but it has yet to detail how it plans to introduce those records to new audiences.
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