The Living End frontman Chris Cheney has struck a new publishing deal with BMG, transferring ownership of a catalogue that helped define Australian rock across three decades.
by Paul Cashmere
BMG has acquired the publishing catalogue of The Living End songwriter, guitarist and frontman Chris Cheney, deepening a relationship that has already spanned a decade. The agreement comes days after The Living End were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and follows the release of the band’s latest album, I Only Trust Rock ‘n’ Roll, which recently returned to the ARIA charts as the No. 3 Australian album.
The acquisition formalises BMG’s long-term association with Cheney’s songwriting. The company has served as his global publisher since 2016 and has released The Living End’s recordings globally since 2018. The new deal places ownership and administration of a catalogue that includes some of Australia’s most enduring rock songs under the BMG banner.
For the Australian music industry, the transaction highlights the growing value of songwriter catalogues at a time when publishing rights have become one of the most sought-after assets in the global music business. While high-profile catalogue sales have become commonplace internationally, Cheney’s body of work represents one of the most significant collections of Australian rock songs from the modern era.
Founded in Melbourne in the mid-1990s by Chris Cheney and Scott Owen, The Living End broke through nationally with the release of “Second Solution/Prisoner Of Society” in 1997. The single became the biggest-selling Australian single of the decade and established the group as one of the country’s defining rock acts.
Their 1998 self-titled debut album debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, achieved four-times Platinum certification and remained on the chart for 83 weeks. Over the next three decades, The Living End built a catalogue that included major singles such as “All Torn Down”, “Pictures In The Mirror”, “Roll On”, “One Said To The Other”, “What’s On Your Radio”, “Wake Up”, “White Noise” and “Who’s Gonna Save Us?”.
The band’s distinctive combination of punk, rockabilly and rock and roll also translated internationally. The Living End toured alongside acts including AC/DC, Green Day, The Offspring and The Rolling Stones, while securing chart success in overseas markets including the United Kingdom and the United States. Their achievements include six ARIA Awards and APRA’s Song of the Year honour for “White Noise”, written by Cheney.
Reflecting on the agreement, Cheney spoke about the central role songwriting has played throughout his career.
“One of the great joys of being a musician is songwriting. The magical feeling you get from the process of creating something from nothing,” Cheney said.
“Songs can take weeks to write, or they can appear in minutes seemingly out of nowhere, they are the most wonderful, mysterious, powerful things. The Living End have always had an incredibly strong connection with our audience around the world through our catalog of songs. I’m thankful and very honored to have done this deal with BMG who I know share the same passion and enthusiasm for music and for this catalog.”
The catalogue acquisition also arrives at a moment of renewed recognition for the band. Their induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame on June 11 acknowledged a career that has influenced generations of Australian musicians and audiences. The honour places The Living End alongside some of the most significant names in Australian music history.
From BMG’s perspective, the acquisition strengthens its investment in Australian repertoire with proven local and international appeal. Heath Johns, President of Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia at BMG, described The Living End’s music as part of the soundtrack to Australian life while noting the band’s standing as a live act beyond Australia’s borders.
“The Living End has been the soundtrack to countless Australian stories and memories while the band has simultaneously achieved cult status internationally as one of the best live rock bands of all time,” Johns said.
“As The Living End enter the ARIA Hall of Fame, we are incredibly honored that Chris has chosen BMG as his forever home for these iconic publishing rights, and we look forward to finding new opportunities for them at home and abroad.”
The deal ensures that one of Australia’s most successful rock catalogues will continue to be actively managed as opportunities emerge across streaming, film, television, advertising and international licensing. For Cheney and The Living End, it marks another milestone in a career that has now stretched beyond 30 years, while signalling that the value of their songwriting legacy remains as relevant as ever.
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