The musician’s entire back catalog is now the property of Universal Music Publishing Group.

Singer-songwriter and American folk music legend Bob Dylan announced today that he has formally signed over the write to all of his songs to Universal Music Publishing Group. This includes the 600-plus songs Dylan has written over the course of his 60-plus year career. While an exact price tag on the agreement has not been divulged, New York Times analysts suspect the deal to be in the ballpark of $300 million.

Dylan, currently 79 years old, has spent most of his career in direct control of his intellectual property. However, music publishing has recently become a much more profitable business, and with the pandemic rendering live performances out of the question, it has become one of the most sensible ways to get music to wanting ears. Just last week, Stevie Nicks sold her back catalog of songs for approximately $100 million.

Universal Music has expressed intent to handle Dylan’s Pulitzer-winning career with the reverence it has earned. “To represent the body of work of one of the greatest songwriters of all time – whose cultural importance can’t be overstated – is both a privilege and a responsibility,” said Universal Music Publishing Group CEO Jody Gerson in a statement.

“It’s no secret that the art of songwriting is the fundamental key to all great music, nor is it a secret that Bob is one of the very greatest practitioners of that art,” added Sir Lucian Grainge, the CEO of Universal Music Group. “Brilliant and moving, inspiring and beautiful, insightful and provocative, his songs are timeless—whether they were written more than half a century ago or yesterday.”

Over the course of his career, Dylan has sold over 125 million records and counting, and prior to the pandemic, was still touring the world on a regular basis.