Queen has reportedly finalized a deal with Sony Music for the acquisition of their music catalogue. According to Variety, Sony has initiated the process to acquire Queen’s extensive back catalogue, along with merchandise and various business ventures. However, the band will retain revenue from live performances. The deal is valued at USD $1.27 billion (£1 billion), making it the largest ever of its kind. For comparison, Bruce Springsteen sold his catalogue to Sony for an estimated $500 million (£393 million) in 2021, and Sony also acquired Bob Dylan’s catalogue in 2022. The specifics of the deal are still unclear, as Disney currently holds the rights to Queen’s music in the US and Canada due to a 1990s agreement. Additionally, Universal Music Group will continue as Queen’s worldwide distributor until their long-term deal concludes in the coming years. Queen’s members—Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon—and the estate of Freddie Mercury are equal shareholders in Queen Productions Ltd, which generated $52 million (£40.8 million) in revenue in 2022. In a notable recent sale, Freddie Mercury’s piano, used to compose "Bohemian Rhapsody," was sold for $2.2 million (£1.7 million) as part of Sotheby’s auction of his estate. This sale surpassed the $2.1 million paid for John Lennon’s Steinway, which was used to write "Imagine" and purchased by George Michael in 2000. Mercury’s collection, which he called “exquisite clutter,” included handwritten lyrics for "Bohemian Rhapsody" that sold for $1.7 million. These 15 pages of lyrics, written on stationery from a defunct airline, reveal that the song was initially titled “Mongolian Rhapsody” before being changed to “Bohemian Rhapsody.”