Partial Sale vs. Full Sale: How Much of Your Catalog Should You Sell?
When monetizing a music catalog through a sale, the question isn't just whether to sell — it's how much to sell. A full sale (100% of rights) provides maximum capital but eliminates your future income and ownership stake. A partial sale (selling 20%, 50%, or any fraction of your rights) provides some capital while preserving ongoing income and potential upside. Partial sales have become increasingly accessible through platforms like Royalty Exchange and through direct negotiations with investors. For ambient and meditation music creators, partial sales offer a particularly attractive middle ground: access capital for new productions, equipment, or personal needs while retaining majority ownership of a catalog that's likely to grow in value as the wellness market expands. This comparison examines both approaches to help you determine the right selling strategy for your specific situation.
Partial Sale
A partial sale involves selling a percentage of your music rights (e.g., 20%, 30%, or 50%) to an investor while retaining the remainder. Revenue is split according to the ownership percentages, and both parties co-own the asset.
Pros
- +Access capital while retaining ongoing income from the retained portion
- +Preserve upside potential if the catalog grows in value
- +Maintain creative and administrative control if you retain the majority stake
- +Lower emotional impact — you don't fully give up ownership of your work
- +Can sell additional portions later as your financial needs change
- +Investor's capital and expertise may help grow the overall catalog value
- +Flexible deal structures — sell 10%, 30%, 50%, or any amount
Cons
- −Smaller upfront payment compared to a full sale
- −Ongoing co-ownership requires relationship management and shared decision-making
- −Administrative complexity — revenue splits must be managed accurately
- −Minority interest discounts may reduce the effective per-unit price
- −Potential for disagreements with the co-owner on licensing and management decisions
- −Future sale of the remaining interest may be complicated by existing co-ownership
- −Legal costs for structuring a partial sale can be proportionally higher
Best for: Ambient and meditation music creators who need capital but believe their catalog will grow significantly. Ideal for creators with catalogs in the early-to-mid growth phase of the wellness music market who want to raise funds without fully divesting from a valuable asset.
Full Sale
A full sale transfers 100% of your music rights to the buyer. You receive the maximum upfront payment and have no further ownership, revenue share, or decision-making authority over the sold catalog.
Pros
- +Maximum capital — the full valuation of your catalog as an upfront payment
- +Clean, simple transaction with no ongoing obligations
- +Complete separation from the sold catalog — focus on the future
- +No co-ownership complications or shared decision-making
- +Buyer is more motivated (and may pay a premium) for full control
- +Simplest tax treatment — single capital gains event
- +No risk of co-owner disputes or misalignment
Cons
- −Permanent loss of all future revenue from the catalog
- −No benefit from future growth in streaming, sync, or the wellness market
- −Emotional finality of completely separating from your creative work
- −One-time cash influx requires careful financial management
- −May undervalue catalogs with strong growth trajectories
- −Loss of all creative control — buyer can license your music however they choose
- −Cannot reverse the decision if the catalog's value increases dramatically
Best for: Creators who are confident the catalog has reached peak or stable valuation, those who need maximum capital for a major financial goal, and artists transitioning out of music who want a clean break.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Partial Sale | Full Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Capital | Proportional to percentage sold | Full catalog valuation |
| Ongoing Revenue | Yes — from retained percentage | None |
| Ownership Retained | Yes — you retain what you don't sell | None — full transfer |
| Future Upside | Preserved on retained portion | Completely forfeited |
| Administrative Complexity | Higher — co-ownership management | Lower — clean transfer |
| Control | Shared with co-owner | Fully transferred to buyer |
| Flexibility | Can sell more later, or buy back | No flexibility — final transaction |
| Buyer Premium | Possible minority discount | May include control premium |
Verdict
For ambient and meditation music creators with catalogs in growth mode, a partial sale is almost always the better strategy. Selling 20-40% of your catalog provides meaningful capital while preserving the majority of your future revenue stream and ownership stake. The wellness music market is expanding, and your catalog's value is likely increasing — selling 100% today means the buyer captures all that future growth. A common smart approach: sell a minority interest (20-30%) to raise capital for new productions and marketing that accelerate the catalog's growth, then benefit from the increased value of your retained 70-80% stake. Reserve a full sale for when you're confident the catalog has reached its maximum value or when you're ready for a complete career transition.
FAQ
Related content
Comparisons
Glossary terms
Want to monetize your catalog?
SPACE buys music catalogs in ambient, lo-fi, and meditation genres.
Apply Now