Its copyright holdings span several decades and include music from such Academy Award-winning motion pictures as The Godfather and Forrest Gump.
Some of the classic songs in the Famous Music catalog that originated in motion pictures include "Thanks for the Memory" (from The Big Broadcast of 1938), "Mona Lisa" (from Captain Carey, U.S.A.), "Silver Bells", "Moon River" (from Breakfast at Tiffany's), "Where Do I Begin?"
Starting mostly in the late 1980s and continuing until the company was sold in 2007, Famous Music was active in acquiring songs that did not originate in Paramount motion pictures or television programs.
These included the purchase of many works from the Duke Ellington catalog, as well as acquisition or administration agreements with recording artists and producers such as Shakira, Eminem, Akon, She Wants Revenge, Boyz II Men, Paula Cole, The Cunninghams, Björk, Gavin Rossdale, Daniel Powter, Harvey Danger, Martika, KC Porter, Linda Perry, Kike Santander, Irv Gotti, Placebo, Modest Mouse, Jet and P.O.D.
In December 2012, Sony/ATV sold the Famous Music UK song catalogue (which included Placebo and The Kooks) to BMG Rights Management.