History: Early Years Of The Beatles

Most of The Beatles' catalogue was published by Northern Songs Ltd., a company formed in February 1963 by music publisher Dick James especially for Lennon and McCartney, though it would later acquire songs by other artists. The company was organised with James and his partner, Emmanuel Silver, owning a controlling interest, variously described as 51% or 50% plus one share. McCartney had 20%. Reports again vary concerning Lennon's portion—19 or 20%—and Brian Epstein's—9 or 10%—which he received in lieu of a 25% band management fee.
In 1965 the company went public. Five million shares were created, of which the original principals retained 3.75 million. James and Silver each had 937,500 shares (that is, each had 18.75% of the total 5 million); Lennon and McCartney each had 750,000 shares (15% each); and Epstein's management company, NEMS Enterprises, had 375,000 shares (7.5%). Of the 1.25 million shares put up for sale, Harrison and Starr each acquired 40,000. At the time of the stock offering, Lennon and McCartney renewed their initial three-year publishing contracts, binding them to Northern Songs until 1973. Harrison created Harrisongs to represent his solo compositions, but signed a three-year contract with Northern Songs that gave it the copyright to his work during that period, which included "Taxman" and "Within You Without You". The few songs on which Starr received cowriting credit before 1968, such as "What Goes On", were also all Northern Songs copyrights.
Harrison did not renew his contract with Northern Songs when it ended in March 1968, signing with Apple Publishing instead while retaining the copyright to his work from that point forward. Harrisongs thus owns the rights to his later Beatles songs such as "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Something". That year, as well, Starr created Startling Music, which holds the rights to his solo Beatles compositions, "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden".
In March 1969, James arranged to sell his and his partner's shares to British television company Associated Television (ATV) without informing the band members. The Beatles then bid to gain a controlling interest in Northern Songs by working out a deal with a consortium of London brokerage firms that had accumulated a 14% holding. The deal collapsed in May over the objections of Lennon, who declared, "I'm sick of being fucked about by men in suits sitting on their fat arses in the City." By September ATV had acquired a majority stake in Northern Songs. Lennon and McCartney sold their shares to ATV one month later.