Financial models tend to use interest rates to discount future income streams. Interest rates have been very very low lately, even rates going far out into the

Financial models tend to use interest rates to discount future income streams. Interest rates have been very very low lately, even rates going far out into the future. So where before a £100 income you get in 10 years might have been worth £50 now, you might get £95 now instead when rates are lower. Incomes from music would be inflated by low rates. The other thing that is very hard to model is that songs might become unpopular. This is probably more of a downside risk though I suppose it's happened that a song becomes more popular due to a new recording. If you're an artist it makes a lot of sense to cash out given these two things. Rates cannot get much lower, and chances are your songs will go out of fashion. Now why does anybody want to buy them? Well just like before the GFC people are looking for all sorts of bonds to sell, and this is one of those unusual deals you can pass by your investors that will make them feel young again, dressed up as a sound financial investment. Of course there's also actual income being made, so it's not a complete scam, but the logic is like any other financial instrument that has long and uncertain future flows.