Paul McCartney has recently opened up about his complicated history with the King of Pop, Michael Jackson—particularly focusing on the purchase of the Beatles’ song catalog, which he describes as the breaking point in their friendship.

McCartney, one of the founding members of the Beatles, shared that he and Jackson were once close collaborators and good friends. “I worked with Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder… We had a really good time,” McCartney said in a reflective interview. Their creative partnership produced hits like “Say Say Say” and “The Girl Is Mine.”

It all began when Jackson reached out to McCartney over the phone, expressing interest in making music together. McCartney, intrigued and excited, agreed. “Michael originally rang me and said, ‘You want to make some hits?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, sure I do,’” McCartney recalled.

The two soon bonded, writing songs and hanging out in England. McCartney praised Jackson’s musical talent and personality, calling him “a nice fellow… talented and great to be around.” As their friendship deepened, McCartney even offered Jackson business advice, suggesting he consider investing in music publishing.

“I said, you ought to think about getting into song publishing. It’s a very rewarding business,” McCartney said. But what began as friendly advice would later become the source of a painful rift.

Jackson, apparently inspired by the conversation, joked repeatedly to McCartney: “I’m going to buy your songs.” McCartney laughed it off—until the joke became reality. Just weeks later, Jackson purchased ATV Music in 1985 for $47.5 million, which included the rights to approximately 250 Beatles songs.

“I thought he was kidding. But it turned out to be true,” McCartney admitted.

McCartney had long wanted to regain control of the Beatles’ catalog, which he and John Lennon had lost decades earlier due to unfavorable publishing deals. He revealed that he once had the chance to buy the catalog alongside Yoko Ono, Lennon’s widow, for $20 million. “She said, ‘I think we can get it for five.’ In fact, they went for 50.”

Despite the disappointment, McCartney tried to speak to Jackson about the situation. “I thought, OK, here’s the guy historically placed to give Lennon/McCartney a good deal at last,” he said. But when he approached Jackson about better terms, the response was cold.

“He kind of blanked me on it. He kept saying, ‘That’s just business, Paul.’ And I said, yeah, sure it’s business. But it’s also friendship. It’s also morals.”

What stung McCartney even more was how the Beatles’ music was later used in advertisements—something the band had always resisted. “Songs like Revolution didn’t mean a pair of sneakers. It meant a revolution,” he explained, criticizing the commercial use of their iconic songs.

McCartney believed that over-commercializing their music damaged the artistic integrity the Beatles had always fought to protect. “We believed it devalues the whole thing,” he said.

The dispute over the catalog created an unspoken divide between the two. “We kind of drifted apart after that,” McCartney reflected. “There was no big bust-up. But we never really got over it.”

Despite the fallout, McCartney still expressed admiration for Jackson, who died in 2009. “He was a lovely man, massively talented. And we miss him.”

The story of their friendship—and its unfortunate end—remains one of the most bittersweet chapters in music history. What began with melodies and camaraderie ended in boardrooms and business, leaving behind a cautionary tale about trust, ownership, and the cost of success.