George Harrison donated his album royalties to charity. In 2024, his foundation spent £573,221

More than 50 years after George Harrison promised to donate his solo music earnings to charity, the late Beatle's foundation continues to give hundreds of thousands of pounds each year to causes around the world. Annual financial records filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales show that the Material World Foundation spent £573,221 on charitable work during the 2024 reporting year. The money comes from an agreement Harrison made in 1973. He gave all publishing royalties from his hit solo album Living in the Material World to his newly created foundation permanently. Even decades after his death, income from record sales, streaming and radio play continues to support emergency relief, medical research and community arts projects around the world.Establishing a permanent giftHarrison founded the organisation in autumn 1973. He assigned the copyright income from nine tracks on his album Living in the Material World directly to the foundation. These included the publishing rights to his worldwide number-one single, Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth). By handing over these rights permanently, Harrison ensured that money earned from sales, radio broadcasts and public pe...