Cyndi Lauper never planned to sell her back catalog. But now she’s had a Change of Heart. Turns out, with the right investor, Money Changes Everything. The deal is all about finding new outlets for her work, so you’ll soon be hearing her All Through the Night, Time After Time.

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Veblen and Giffen goods

Econ 101 teaches us about the inverse relationship between supply and demand. But what about the exceptions to the rule? Here are two examples:

If you sell widgets and put your prices up, it’s fair to assume your sales will fall. Buyers will find a cheaper solution or make do with fewer widgets. Now imagine Rolex put its prices up. The theory goes that demand will increase because it’s a Veblen good – luxury items that act as status symbols. As they get more expensive, their status-boosting powers increase, so they become more desirable.

The same unusual relationship between supply and demand also exists for cheaper goods. Think about a low-income country experiencing high inflation. Sales of staples like rice are likely to increase despite becoming more expensive because people will stock up on basic foods. These are known as Giffen goods.

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Cyndi Lauper sells her back catalog to ABBA star

80s icon Cyndi Lauper is selling her back catalog to Sweden’s Pophouse Entertainment Group in a move to create new outlets for her work. Lauper and Pophouse, cofounded by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus, is forming a joint venture to manage the catalog.

The play is to explore new avenues for Lauper’s music, such as live shows and television. One creative project being planned is an immersive theater experience that follows in the footsteps of ABBA Voyage, which saw the band members rendered as 3D holograms. 

Pophouse is Abba Voyage’s biggest investor, and is planning a similar show based on rock band KISS. Lauper’s show will be based on the women in her life and will be set in her grandmother’s garden in New York, with the singer hoping to take the stage.

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