We catch up on this week’s music publishing news, from key deals and signings to new hires, legislation and more.
Deals and Acquisitions
Imagine Dragons catalogue sells to Concord for reported $100m+ (Music Ally)
The latest megabucks publishing-catalogue acquisition is bucking the trend… by not involving Hipgnosis Songs Fund. Instead, it’s Concord Music Publishing that has swooped to buy the writer’s share and a co-publishing share of the band Imagine Dragon’s back catalogue.
BMG and TV production company Fremantle extend global partnership (MBW)
The extended deal includes a global music publishing and administration agreement for Fremantle’s catalog, as well as an agreement with BMG’s production music business which, in addition, has been expanded to a now global partnership.
Tencent Music partners with Thailand’s largest record and publishing company (Music Week)
Tencent Music Entertainment has established a strategic partnership with Thailand’s largest international record and publishing company, GMM Grammy.
Modern Sky inks sub-publishing deal with The Royalty Network for Chinese Catalog in North America (MBW)
The deal is for North America and marks the first time Modern Sky’s Chinese copyrights will be represented for publishing outside of its home territory.
Reservoir invests in India, inking JV with Gully Gang Entertainment and signing DIVINE (MBW)
Reservoir called the JV “the first deal of its kind for India”, adding that it “reaffirms our commitment to supporting creators in emerging markets”.
Signings
Round Hill Music Signs Songwriter/Publisher Collective 4 Horsemen Music (Music Row)
Round Hill Music has signed a global exclusive publishing deal with songwriting/publishing collective 4 Horsemen Music, including Marti Frederiksen, Zac Maloy, Blair Daly and Scott Stevens, who have together earned more than 35 No. 1 hits in various genres over three decades.
Red Triangle sign global publishing deal with BMG (Music Week)
Consisting of Rick Parkhouse and George Tizzard, Red Triangle have sold over 15 million records, working with acts such as Charlie Puth, David Guetta, Green Day, James Arthur, Machine Gun Kelly, Little Mix, The Vamps, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Lukas Graham, Take That, Faouzia and Sabrina Carpenter.
Facts & Figures
Publishers Quarterly: Sony/ATV Music Tops Hot 100 and Radio Rankings (Billboard)
In the second quarter of 2020, Sony/ATV Music Publishing topped both the Top Radio Airplay songs and Hot 100 publisher charts with market shares of 20.11% and 20.18%, respectively.
Hirings & Promotions
Round Hill Music names Steve Clark as global COO (Music Week)
Round Hill Music has appointed Steve Clark as its global chief operating officer. Clark was previously at Warner Chappell Music, where he spent over two decades, most recently as executive VP of global operations.
NMPA Hires Ashley Joyce as SVP, Legal and Business Affairs (Broadway World)
The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) today announced that Ashley Joyce has been hired as SVP, Legal & Business Affairs. Ashley was previously an Associate at DLA Piper in the Trademark, Copyright and Media Group based in Washington, D.C.
Finance & Investment
Concord raises another $600m via J.P. Morgan-placed debt offering (MBW)
Combined with its existing $450m revolving credit facility, the new term loan B debt offering provides Concord with access to over $1bn of debt financing in total.
One Media iP raises £6m to fund rights acquisitions (ShareCast)
One Media iP said the net proceeds of £5.6m would be used to fund the acquisition of exclusive rights to create and expand its digital assets over a portion of copyrights in performance and writers shares, primarily through the Harmony iP asset release programme.
Royalties & CMOs
PRS AGM backs major governance changes at collection society (Music Week)
The reforms are the first proposed major governance changes for PRS in 20 years. The changes were approved by members at the virtual PRS AGM.
APRA’s Dean Ormston hits out at proposed copyright reform (The Music Network)
APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston has expressed concern that songwriters, composers and publishers will once again end up on the wrong end of new copyright reform.
SOCAN Secures $1.5 Million In CBC Royalties on Behalf of SODRAC Members (Digital Music News)
SOCAN has secured a $1.5 million payment from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) on behalf of its SODRAC subsidiary, in addition to obtaining the right to collect royalties from incidental music usages in future television broadcasts.
Legal
Lizzo Notches a Win in ‘Truth Hurts’ Copyright Case (New York Times)
A judge ruled that just because a group of songwriters worked on one “DNA test” song with Lizzo doesn’t mean they have a claim to another.
Supreme Court Asked to Review “Stairway to Heaven” Fight (THR)
The petition comes from Michael Skidmore, trustee for the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust — which is to say he’s representing an interest once belonging to Randy “California” Wolfe, singer-songwriter for the rock band Spirit.
China gets new ‘Music Industry Legal Professional Committee’ (Music Ally)
Last week, a panel of Chinese copyright legal experts and representatives from various DSPs and majors formally established a “Music Industry Legal Professional Committee” to create a strengthened legal backbone for the Chinese music industry.
Interesting Reads
Universal Music Publishing China Hosted a ‘League of Legends’ Songwriting Camp With Riot Games (Billboard)
As the music industry continues to invest deeper into the lucrative esports space, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) China and Riot Games China have concluded a songwriting camp focused on promotional songs for the game publisher’s upcoming 10th League of Legends World Championship.
Three Music-Industry Trends From Quarantine That Are Here to Stay (Rolling Stone)
Artists from Cardi B and Neil Young to Taylor Swift and Melissa Etheridge are using the crisis as a chance to rethink their business models.
How Michael Jackson outbid Paul McCartney to own the publishing rights to all The Beatles music (Far Out Magazine)
On August 14th, 1985, Michael Jackson astonishingly paid a whopping $47.5 million to own the entire back catalogue of material by The Beatles.
A Short History of 200 Years of Campaign Music: From the Apt to the Weird to the WTF (Variety)
A look back at political campaign songs (authorized and not), from Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” to the Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”… along with “Nixon’s the One” and “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too.”
How Much Is an Album Worth in 2020: $3.49? $77? $1,000? Maybe $0 (New York Times)
It depends who’s selling. As some artists release records that feel like footnotes to bigger businesses, others double down on their value.
The Pandemic Has Changed the Music Industry Forever. Meet the LA Music-Tech Startups Poised to Reshape It. (dot.LA)
Los Angeles is home to a bustling ecosystem of startups empowering musicians through a variety of next-generation technologies.
Stores are Misusing Background Music and It’s Costing the Record Industry Billions (Rolling Stone)
Artists finally have a chance at properly benefitting from their songs being played in shops and cafés around the world — thanks, in large part, to Swedish company Soundtrack Your Brand.
Why Warner Music Group just paid $85m for a company that makes Instagram memes (MBW)
Why has Warner splashed such a sizable sum on IMGN, a company which owns no music rights and, to the layperson, appears to spends its days mucking about on social media?
The Music Industry’s Side Ways: Top Execs Often Hold Down Separate Gigs Simultaneously (Variety)
It’s not uncommon for a music exec to hold down a top label or publishing job while also maintaining a distinct manager or producer gig. For power players, it signifies prestige as well as an abundance of creativity… but on lower rungs, double duty can also be a result of a single salary not cutting it.
TikTok’s Fate Matters to the Music Industry, But Not For The Reasons You Think (Billboard)
TikTok’s potential U.S ban has sent alarm bells ringing throughout the creator community. Here’s how the music business is preparing for a world without it.
Music Publishing Job Spotlight
Manager, Publisher Services – The MLC (Los Angeles)
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) is seeking a Manager, Publisher Services to manage relationships with music publishers to ensure client satisfaction.
To expand their team in Berlin, licensing and processing hub ICE are looking for a Manager Licensing Administration.
Manager Music Identification – ICE (Berlin)
ICE are looking for a Manager Music Identification. As part of the team, you will be working with some of the most knowledgeable and dedicated experts in the industry.
Check out more available positions here or get in touch to post a free job listing.
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