Company Auctioning Rights to Songs By Aerosmith, Underwood, Starr

SongVest, a Wisconsin-based company, has figured out a new way to make money off old songs: Auctioning a portion of the rights of tracks by Aerosmith, Ringo Starr, Ozzy Osbourne, Carrie Underwood and others to fans of the music. In addition to claiming ownership, the winner will also collect royalties from the track, which SongVest will handle for you. The fall '08 auction features former hit songs like All-4-One's "I Swear" and the Monkees' theme song, as well as Aerosmith's "Gotta Love It" and Carrie Underwood's "I Ain't in Checotah Anymore." SongVest's first auction went down last year, with buyers spending $25,000 for a 25% interest in two songs by Christian metalheads Stryper. "No one is buying records. This to me is just another angle," says songwriter Mark Hudson, whose songs for Ozzy Osbourne ("Denial") and Ringo Starr ("Never Without You") will also feature in the upcoming auction.

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Song Stories

“My President”

Young Jeezy | 2008

Young Jeezy teams up with Nas on this track, in which he compare his own success with the idea of an African-American winning the Democratic Party's nomination in the 2008 presidential election. "When I pulled up in my car, that s--- was unbelievable to people in my neighborhood because they were like, 'We grew up with him. How the hell did he accomplish this?'" he told Rolling Stone. "I feel like it was the same way with Obama. I grew up all this time, but I've never seen a black man this close to running this country."

More Song Stories entries »

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