We catch up on this week’s music publishing news, from key deals and signings to new hires, legislation and more.
Deals and Signings
Reservoir invests In MENA via PopArabia partnership, headed by Spek (MBW)
Fast-growing rights company Reservoir has inked a fresh partnership with PopArabia – the music publisher and music rights consultancy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
peermusic signs exclusive deal with Jason Aldean collaborator Michael Dulaney (MBW)
Peermusic has signed hit songwriter Michael Dulaney to an exclusive songwriter agreement as announced today by Kathy Spanberger, President & COO, peermusic and Michael Knox, SVP, peermusic Nashville.
Kehlani Signs Worldwide Publishing Deal With Pulse Music Group (Forbes)
R&B star Kehlani has inked an exclusive global publishing agreement with Pulse Music Group, which specializes in music publishing, management and music services, the company announced Thursday (Feb. 27).
Atlas Music, Quincy Jones Productions Sign Bay Area Jazz Talent Julia Lewis (Variety)
Said Richard Stumpf, who founded the digital market-minded publisher Atlas in 2013: “With roots in jazz sax and a prowess for contemporary writing, [Julia Lewis] is exactly the type of talent the JV with Quincy is going for. We are thrilled to have him as part of the family.”
Disney Music Publishing And Sea Gayle Music Sign Jesse Lee (Music Row)
Disney Music Publishing and Sea Gayle Music have signed singer-songwriter, Jesse Lee to a worldwide co-publishing agreement. Lee has enjoyed the success of two No. 1 songs: Kelsea Ballerini’s 2016 “Peter Pan” and Brett Young’s “Like I Loved You,” which stayed at No. 1 for three weeks.
UMPG signs Meghan Trainor, Garth Brooks and Lady Antebellum songwriter Caitlyn Smith to global publishing deal (Music Week)
Universal Music Publishing Nashville has announced that it has entered into an exclusive global publishing agreement with songwriter and artist Caitlyn Smith.
BMG signs Neil Finn to exclusive global publishing (Music Week)
An official press release stated that the deal encompasses Finn’s entire catalogue, included his work with Crowded House as well as his songwriting catalogue with Split Enz, solo releases and future works.
Licensing and Royalties
Canadian Performance Rights Org SOCAN Collected Record $405 Million in 2019 (Billboard)
The Society of Composers, Authors & Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) again reports record-breaking numbers, issuing preliminary year-end figures for 2019 of an estimated CA$405.5 million (USD $305.38 million) collected, an 8% increase over 2018’s $375 million ($282.41 million).
Reach Music Publishing joins IMPEL for global collective licensing (Music Week)
Reach Music has signed up to IMPEL for digital licensing globally. The publisher, including its affiliate Reach Global, is an independent music that controls its own worldwide copyright administration and royalty collections through a network of direct society affiliations and sub-publishers.
BMI Paves The Last Mile Of Music Royalty Payments With Muzooka (Forbes)
The music industry is benefiting from an increasing number of technology-based solutions that help get musicians and songwriters paid accurately and timely.
Hirings and Promotions
Legal
Peloton Settles Legal Fight With Music Publishers (Variety)
Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed. As part of the agreement, Peloton and the trade association have entered into a “joint collaboration agreement and will work together to further optimize Peloton’s music-licensing systems and processes.”
‘This Land Is Your Land’ Is Still Private Property, Court Rules (New York Times)
A federal judge shot down a challenge to the copyright of the Woody Guthrie folk anthem, blocking an attempt to put it in the public domain.
Lizzo Hit With ‘Truth Hurts’ Lawsuit by Songwriting Brothers (Billboard)
Brothers Justin and Jeremiah Raisen, along with Justin “Yves” Rothman, have filed a counterclaim against the superstar singer born Melissa Jefferson, demanding they be compensated for their contribution to the song based off an earlier writing session with Lizzo years before “Truth Hurts” was released.
Yeasayer Suing Kendrick Lamar and the Weeknd Over Black Panther Song (Pitchfork)
Yeasayer have sued Kendrick Lamar and the Weeknd over the Black Panther soundtrack single “Pray For Me”. The band claims in the lawsuit that “Pray For Me” infringes on their All Hour Cymbals song “Sunrise.”
Interesting Reads
Over and Over: How the Digital Song Economy is Generating Hit After Hit (Synchblog)
Ben Gilbert takes a look at the song economy and how digital platforms and sync placements are allowing classic songs to be hits over and over again.
Is the Music Copyright Business Worth More Than Ever? (Billboard)
The recorded-music business has been trumpeting big gains in recent years, sparking a flood of new interest from investors. But music is just one piece of a pie that also includes publishing revenue from the underlying compositions. So what’s the overall value of the world’s music copyright today?
Rell Lafargue: on music publishing, his road to Reservoir and building a complete music company (CMRRA)
“Our strategy is to become a complete music company, rather than just a music publisher or music label.” – Reservoir President & COO Rell Lafargue on the company’s growth, his history in music, The Mechanical Licensing Collective & more.
Songwriting Camp Brings Nashville, Los Angeles Writers to the Table (American Songwriter)
When you sit 17 of the most accomplished songwriters from Nashville and Los Angeles down at the writer’s table, something magical is bound to happen. That’s exactly what industry veterans Alicia Pruitt and Katie Vinten set out to do with a three-day “Songwriting Camp,” March 2-4.
Netflix 2020: What Does a $17 Billion Budget Mean for the Sync Industry? (Synchblog)
We take a look at what Netflix’s $17 billion original content budget and increased focus on localised programming could mean for the music industry.
Buyout controversy: PRS for Music pens open letter to broadcasters (Broadcast)
PRS for Music CEO Andrea C. Martin has published an open letter to broadcasters and commissioners following recent controversy surrounding broadcasters attempting to force composers to accept buyout deals.
Music Publishing Jobs
Copyright & Contract Administrator – Primary Wave Music Publishing (New York)
Primary Wave Music Publishing looking for an enthusiastic colleague with a dedicated work ethic and a sharp mind who will be responsible for copyright royalty administration, contract management, and statement production.
Sync Director – Primary Wave Music Publishing (New York)
Primary Wave Music Publishing are seeking an experienced New York-based Creative Sync Licensing executive to join their Sync Licensing team.
Publishing Lead – We Are Hear (LA)
We Are Hear are seeking a hands on Publishing Lead who will report directly to Linda Perry & Kerry Brown, as well as Peermusic.
For more positions check out our music industry jobs board. To post a listing for free get in touch at jobsboard@synchtank.com.
