Billboard Explains: Why Songwriters Are Selling Publishing Catalogs

Recently, some of the most well-known songwriters on the planet have made headlines for cashing in on their publishing catalogs. Stevie Nicks, Shakira and Calvin Harris are just a few of the stars to score multi-million dollar deals thanks to their songwriting credits.
In a time where artists, producers and songwriters are often drawing attention to music rights and the importance of owning catalogs, why are so many selling them off? And what does it mean for the current state of the music indus