In August 1985 Michael Jackson completed the purchase of ATV Music Publishing, a move that gave him ownership of a catalog containing the publishing rights to a substantial portion of The Beatles' songs. ATV (Associated Television) had acquired Northern Songs—the company formed in 1963 to publish Lennon–McCartney compositions—and over the years that catalog changed hands. ATV's ownership meant that whoever controlled ATV held the song copyrights that governed licensing and mechanical and performance royalties for many Beatles compositions. The deal was structured as Jackson buying ATV Music for a reported $47.5 million; newspaper and trade reports at the time described the purchaser as Michael Jackson and business partners, although Jackson emerged as the controlling figure. The acquisition was notable because it placed a globally famous performer in control of some of the most valuable and culturally significant pop songs in history. The purchase intensified public and industry attention on how songwriting catalogs were bought and sold. Some commentators and figures in the music world criticized the idea that a performer could own the publishing rights to songs written by other artists, while others framed the purchase as a savvy business move consistent with growing interest in music copyrights as investment assets. The deal illustrated the separation between songwriting/publishing rights and the performers' recordings: owning the publishing meant controlling licenses for uses of the compositions themselves (for covers, films, commercials, and other reproductions), not necessarily the original Beatles master recordings. Over subsequent decades the ownership and control of the Beatles' publishing rights remained a matter of transactions and negotiations. In 1995, ATV merged with Sony's music publishing division to form Sony/ATV, and in 2016 Sony acquired full control of the joint venture. Meanwhile, Paul McCartney and others had publicly discussed attempts and hopes to regain the publishing rights, reflecting long-standing disputes and emotional stakes tied to those songs. Jackson's purchase of ATV is frequently cited in discussions about the increasing monetization of music catalogs in the late 20th century and the legal and ethical complexities surrounding copyright ownership. It also underscored the commercial value of songwriting royalties and helped catalyze the later consolidation of major catalogs under global corporations. While the transaction made Jackson a major figure in music publishing, it also provoked debate about the concentration of cultural properties in private hands and the disparities between performers, songwriters, and corporate owners when it comes to rights and revenues. Historical accounts of the purchase draw on contemporaneous reporting from 1985 and on later analyses of the business of music publishing. Exact terms, including any private arrangements among investors, have been reported in varying detail by different sources; widely cited public figures focus on the purchase price and the inclusion of the Northern Songs/Beatles compositions within ATV's holdings. The event remains a key episode in the broader history of popular-music copyright and the modern music-business landscape.