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Publishing Catch Up: Songwriters & Publishers Are Making Over $11bn, Warner Chappell Music signs Diplo, Budweiser’s Royalty Loophole Ad, & More.

  • Writer: Meg Adams
    Meg Adams
  • Jul 3, 2025
  • 8 min read

Q2 2025 has come to a close and we are back with this quarter's publishing catch up, where we collate the latest music publishing news, including; acquisitions, signing, funding, facts and figures, new hires, legal and more.


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Deals & Acquisitions

Bucks Music Group has signed an administration deal with London-based independent record label Bigo & Twigetti. Bigo & Twigetti mixes classical music, electronica, sound design and more.


Anthem Music Publishing has acquired the catalog of songs from legendary Country-Western singer-songwriter Marty Robbins. The catalog represents a cornerstone of American music history, marking a powerful addition to Anthem’s growing collection of culturally significant works.


Hipgnosis Songs Group is a subsidiary of Recognition Music Group. The catalogue includes 4,400 copyrights which Hipgnosis acquired from Big Deal Music in 2020. It includes songs recorded by One Direction, Shawn Mendes and Panic! At The Disco.


Spirit Music Group has formed a joint music publishing venture with NFL player DeAndre Hopkins, in conjunction with writer/producer/manager Erik Belz. In the deal, Hopkins has officially established LASA Music, his own music publishing company. Belz will join LASA Music as Chief Creative Officer, collaborating with Spirit Music Group to sign and oversee artists, writers and producers.


The multi-strategy investment firm’s deal was facilitated by Swedish music technology company, Chapter Two, which specialises in advanced royalty data analytics and music rights transactions. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.


Independent record label K Music has partnered with Kobalt to handle global publishing administration for all of K Music via K Music Publishing’s future output and select tracks in the company’s repertoire.


Warner Chappell Music has extended its strategic joint venture partnership with Lilly Raye Music, the management company and publisher run by founder Edward Matthew and A&R Manager Justin Martinez. The partnership, established in 2020 and expanded in 2023, is focused on supporting collaborations between creatives across Asia, Europe and the US.


PopIndia, Reservoir Media’s newly launched subsidiary based in Mumbai, has acquired the publishing and master rights to the entire Musicraft Entertainment catalogue. The deal marks the company's first catalogue deal in India.


Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Verse 2 Music, led by Kane Brown and Kent Earls, have renewed their partnership. Established in 2021 as a joint venture with Sony Music Publishing, Verse 2 Music represents Josh Hoge, Rivers Rutherford, Dylan Schneider, Joybeth Taylor, Gabe Foust, Alex Maxwell and more.


Armada Music Publishing has revealed a series of new deals with Bloom Twins, Shells and Trance Wax, as well as the extension of its partnership with Da Beatfreakz.


Seeker Music has agreed a partnership with Blackheart, the independent entertainment company founded over four decades ago by Joan Jett and her creative partner Kenny Laguna. The deal includes the acquisition of a substantial share of publishing and recorded music rights.



Signings

Songwriter and producer Foster Ferrell has inked with 507 Publishing. Ferrell is a Nashville-based songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist known for his versatile work across genres.


BMG has signed multi-platinum singer-songwriter James Arthur to an exclusive global publishing agreement.


Jay Webb has signed a global publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing Nashville. “Songwriting is where the magic happens, and it’s always been my goal to write music that real people can relate to,” shares Webb.


Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn signs rising singer-songwriter Briana Calhoun to a global publishing agreement.


Ryan Kohn has inked a global publishing deal with Concord Music Publishing, in partnership with John Dennis‘ InDent Music, the publishing arm of Dennis Entertainment. The deal includes Kohn’s full catalog and future works.


Grammy-winning songwriter and composer Marcus Hummon has signed with Salinger Songs, the activist music publishing fund.


Bucks Music Group has signed Icelandic composer and producer Snorri Hallgrimsson to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal.


Warner Chappell Music has signed producer, DJ and remixer Bob Sinclar to a global administration and sub-publishing deal. The deal covers a catalogue of more than 350 works written or composed by Sinclar, and published or co-published by Mighty Bop Sessions.


Inverted Music UK has signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with the influential indie rock band Thinking Fellers Union Local 282.


Kobalt has signed songwriter Bizzy Crook, who played a pivotal role in Leon Thomas’ breakout hit Mutt.


Warner Chappell Music has signed a worldwide administration deal with the DJ, record producer and label executive Diplo.


Position Music has signed rock band Polyphia to a global publishing deal with the company - to date, the group have released four studio albums.


Sony Music Publishing Nashville has signed rising singer-songwriter Averie Bielski to a global publishing deal. Bielski first captured attention in 2021 with the release of her viral, debut single I Do Too, which made an impact on TikTok ahead of its release.



Funding, Facts & Figures

PRS For Music increased revenues by 6.1% year-on-year in 2024 to £1.15 billion. At today’s AGM, Andrea Czapary Martin, CEO of PRS For Music, announced that in 2024 the society paid £1.02 billion to rights-holders, up 8.1% on 2023.


A new study on music publishing revenues in sixteen key markets shows that digital now dominates, generating 47.1% of publisher income. The study includes revenues from both direct and collective licensing, and therefore provides a fuller picture of the role digital plays in the wider songs business.


Swedish music and tech company MAIA Universe –  a sync licensing platform that simplifies the search and execution of licenses for creators of visual content, led by CEO David Wille – has announced it has closed a €1M investment round and welcomed new investors on board, with Max Martin being one of the significant backers.


While collections in France have remained stable for several years (€852 million in 2024), international and digital revenues continue to grow, reaching €749m in 2024. That represents an increase of 15% compared to 2023 (and up approximately 29% compared to 2022).


New numbers from the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) show that publishing revenue growth actually accelerated in 2024, compared to the year before, rising 13.41% to $7.039 billion.


GEMA has published stats detailing song rights income in Germany in 2023. While it was a financially successful year, the collecting society says that digital growth was disappointing in the country, especially when compared to gains enjoyed by the record industry


The latest report, based on the last full year of data available, finds that the global independent music publishing business continued to grow in 2023, with a total value of €2.57 billion ($2.8 billion), up 5.7% year-on-year. That’s also up 105.6% since 2018.



Legal

After almost one year of litigation, music publishers including Kobalt, Artist Publishing Group, and Prescription Songs have settled the copyright infringement actions they filed against 14 NBA teams.


In a joint motion the 17 publisher plaintiffs and defendant X wrote that they “have determined to engage in good-faith efforts to fully and amicably resolve this lawsuit.” Work on the case between the parties, including depositions and expert testimonies, “would interfere with prospects of an amicable resolution,” the joint motion says.


Eight Mile Style alleges that the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp has distributed the rapper’s music across its platforms without proper licensing permissions.


US music publishers are ready to “fight again” as they attempt to halt efforts by Spotify to reclassify its subscription package. The streaming service wants to say that its main subscription product is a ‘bundle’ of music, podcasts and audiobooks. This would allow it to pay less to songwriters.



People

Chloe Clevenger has joined SmackSongs as its new Catalog Manager. In her new role Clevenger will oversee organization of the company’s expansive song catalog, and support the publishing team’s administrative operations at large.


Sony Music Publishing has promoted Margherita Gnech to Managing Director of Italy, effective Wednesday. Gnech will remain based out of Milan, reporting directly to Sony Music Publishing President, International Guy Henderson.


Publishing veteran Lisa Ramsey joins Disney Music Publishing Nashville as VP, effective immediately. She previously was VP/GM of Mosaic Music Publishing Nashville.


Payday Music Publishing (recently rebranded from Ultra International Music Publishing) has made two senior hires to further bolster its LA-based sync department. Jamey Sussman has been appointed as sync director, trailers & ads, and Desiree Autobee has been appointed as sync director, TV & film.


Downtown Music Publishing has appointed Jason Taylor as Vice President of Business Development. The company also announced an expanded role for Bea Koramblyum, Global Head of Business Affairs & Vice President of Business Development.



Interesting Reads

We’ve been working with a growing number of libraries, labels and publishers who want to make sync a more meaningful part of their business. If that sounds like you – but the world of sync licensing still feels like a maze of jargon and guessing games – you’re not alone.


Earlier in June 2025, the Cannes Lions awarded Budweiser the Grand Prix in Audio and Radio for its “one second ads” campaign. Judges noted its creativity, and “efficiency” for not having to pay licensing fees.


Breaking through requires more than just talent — it demands a strategic combination of craft, savvy and the kind of persistence that borders on obsession.


 

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