In a recent LinkedIn post, Emily Lyons highlights a critical distinction between owning assets and cultivating genuine human connection, using the example of Justin Bieber’s music catalog sale to illustrate her point. Lyons uses the pop star’s recent performance at Coachella, where he reportedly sang along to his hits via a laptop, to question the true ownership of artistic success.
“Justin Bieber does not own his greatest hits. He sold his entire catalog to an investment fund a few years ago. Every song he made before 2021. Gone. Which means every time he performs those songs live, the money goes to them, not him.”
The Limits of Catalog Ownership
Lyons probes the implications of Bieber’s catalog sale, noting that the financial rights to his pre-2021 work now belong to an investment fund. This arrangement, as she points out, means that even live performances of these iconic songs do not directly benefit the artist financially. She presents the Coachella incident not as a defiant act, but as a clever maneuver to navigate the complex web of licensing and royalties.
“Technically not a performance. No licensing triggered. No royalties owed,” Lyons writes, describing the event. She posits that this situation raises questions about the value of contractual ownership versus the intangible essence of an artist’s relationship with their audience.
The Unquantifiable Bond
The core of Lyons’ argument centers on what she identifies as the most valuable, yet unownable, asset in any business: the bond between a person and their community. She contrasts this with tangible assets like products, intellectual property, or financial catalogs, which can be bought and sold.
“The reason the loophole worked at all is because of something no contract could ever capture. No fund can buy it. No AI can replicate it. You cannot inherit it or acquire it or scale it. It is the bond between a person and the people who grew up with them.”
According to Lyons, this deep-seated connection is what truly resonates with an audience. She emphasizes that the collective experience of the crowd singing along at Coachella was a testament to this bond, not to the ownership of the songs themselves.
Beyond the Balance Sheet
Lyons challenges business leaders to consider what they are truly building. Is it a portfolio of assets, or is it the emotional resonance and loyalty of their customers and fans? She argues that while legal and financial ownership can be transferred, the emotional connection remains with the creator.
“That is what filled a field in California and sang every word back to him. Not the songs. Not the rights. Not the asset on a spreadsheet somewhere. Him.”
In her analysis, the feeling people associate with a brand or a personality is the ultimate differentiator. This feeling, she asserts, cannot be bought, sold, or replicated through artificial intelligence. It is a unique and personal creation.
The True Measure of Value
Lyons concludes by reinforcing that while one can own the legal rights, the contracts, and the financial assets, the genuine connection—the bond—remains beyond acquisition.
“You can own the rights. You can own the paper. You can own the asset. You still do not own the bond. Nobody does. Except the person who built it.”
Emily Lyons’s insights serve as a powerful reminder for businesses to focus on cultivating authentic relationships and emotional engagement, as these are the foundations of lasting success that transcend mere financial transactions.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Emily Lyons on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on April 13, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →