“A Soul for Sale” — Morrissey Seeks Buyers for His Rights to The Smiths

Morrissey has announced that he is looking to sell off “all of his business interests” in The Smiths to any interested party or investor. The former Smiths frontman declared in a statement on his website that he’s been “burnt out by any and all connections” to his ex-bandmates and has “no choice” but to sever ties. In what he’s dubbing the “A Soul for Sale” offer, Morrissey says the deal would encompass everything from the band’s name and iconic artwork to his share of song rights and royalties.

Morrissey’s message – posted September 3rd on the Morrissey Central site – finds the singer venting that he’s had “enough of malicious associations” with guitarist Johnny Marr, drummer Mike Joyce, and the late bassist Andy Rourke. “With my entire life I have paid my rightful dues to these songs and these images,” Morrissey wrote, adding that he now wants to “live disassociated from those who wish me nothing but ill will and destruction.” adding that “The songs are me – they are no one else – but they bring with them business communications that go to excessive lengths to create as much dread and spite year after year.” He then signs off by imploring “serious investors” to make their inquiry email — [email protected].

Everything Must Go: What’s Included in the Sale

In his announcement, Morrissey rattled off a comprehensive list of assets he’s willing to part with — essentially, his portion of the Smiths’ entire legacy. According to the singer, the for-sale package includes his share of:

1. The Smiths’ name (as created by Morrissey)

2. All The Smiths artwork (as created by Morrissey)

3. The band’s merchandising rights

4. All Smiths songs (lyrics and music)

5. All synchronization/licensing rights

6. The Smiths’ master recordings

7. All publishing contractual rights

No asking price was given, but the 64-year-old vocalist signaled that any offer would be entertained in hopes of a clean break.

But there’s an immediate complication: Morrissey only ever owned about half of The Smiths to begin with. Guitarist Johnny Marr holds the legal rights to the other 50% of the band’s music and brand. In fact, Marr registered “The Smiths” as a trademark in 2024 after discovering it hadn’t been filed, later offering Morrissey joint ownership of it — but only if Morrissey signed the necessary paperwork. That leaves any prospective buyer with, at best, Morrissey’s half-interest, raising questions about how much practical control or value the deal would provide.

The Smiths’ messy legal history is long established. Drummer Mike Joyce successfully sued Morrissey and Marr in the 1990s over royalties, with a judge memorably labeling Morrissey “devious, truculent and unreliable.” Joyce has just published a memoir, The Drums, revisiting his side of the story — another reminder that the band’s legacy has generated as much courtroom drama as it has musical reverence.

The timing of Morrissey’s offer comes as he continues to spar publicly with Johnny Marr over The Smiths’ legacy. Last year, Morrissey claimed that promoter AEG had extended a “lucrative offer” for a Smiths reunion tour — an offer Morrissey says he accepted, only for Marr to reject it. Marr, for his part, has said he turned down a huge payday to re-form the group, citing irreconcilable differences with his former bandmate.

More recently, Morrissey accused Marr of blocking a planned greatest-hits compilation called Smiths Rule OK!, along with a 40th anniversary box set of the band’s debut LP and a reissue of “Hand in Glove.” Morrissey claimed Warner Records had been on board until Marr nixed the cover artwork he submitted. Marr’s side countered that he simply declined another compilation because there were already too many in existence.

With his stake now officially on the block, Morrissey looks determined to sever ties once and for all — even if it means auctioning off half of The Smiths. Whether anyone is willing to gamble on such a fractured partnership is another matter, especially when the obvious question hangs in the air: what if Marr himself offered to buy out Morrissey’s share, and would Moz even sell to him?