5. "RE: Giving Up The Publishing & Masters Is The Shocking Part To Me" In response to In response to 3
I don't think this is that surprising for someone at the end of a long career. The headache to manage rights for an extensive catalogue might be something that no heir wants to take on. It also might allow the artist to directly support causes late in life.
A sale to an entity like Sony makes sense because they are paying over current value. The studio is planning on creating monetizing opportunities by incorporating the music into their properties.
It's far more about giving up legacy and control in exchange for the bag. It would take a looong time for Bruce's estate to make $550M.