We catch up on this week’s music publishing news, from key deals and signings to new hires, legislation and more.
Deals and Signings
peermusic re-signs Nashville songwriter Michael Tyler to exclusive deal (MBW)
Tyler’s first RIAA platinum multi-week No.1 single, Somewhere On A Beach (Dierks Bentley), earned him SESAC’s Song of the Year Award in 2016. He has also delivered cuts for artists Blake Shelton, Tyler Farr, LoCash and more.
Kobalt Signs Japanese Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto To Publishing Deal (MBW)
The worldwide deal, excluding Japan, includes administrative, creative, and global synch services for Ryuichi Sakamoto’s catalog, excluding a handful of select compositions, and future works.
Mau y Ricky Renew Publishing Deal With Sony/ATV (Billboard)
“We are happy to remain part of the Sony/ATV family where our songs have a house and are well maintained,” Mau and Ricky tell Billboard. “It’s been many years now. [President and CEO, Latin America and U.S. Latin] Jorge Mejia trusts in our talent and we trust him.”
Publishing Briefs: Mojo Music Acquires Emerald Forest Catalog, eOne Signs Kalie Shorr & More (Billboard)
Mojo Music & Media acquired the assets of Emerald Forest Entertainment, the company announced Thursday (Dec. 5).
PRS For Music renews partnership with BMI (Music Week)
In a statement, PRS and US-based society BMI said that the agreement would maintain transparency and accountability, as well as tackling key industry issues such as limitations on administration fees and arrangements related to digital rights flow.
BMG expands into artist management, partners with Carl Stubner’s Shelter Music Group (MBW)
Now, the Bertelsmann-owned firm has a new string to its bow, artist management – complete with an approach which it says will “set the pace for the industry”. According to BMG boss Hartwig Masuch, the company believes it can attract top management talent into its stable by offering them an attractive revenue share deal.
Acquisitions
German Rights Body GEMA Acquires Majority Stake in Distribution Firm Zebralution (Billboard)
“By taking a stake in Zebralution, GEMA has made a targeted investment that secures its future viability,” said Dr. Harald Heker, GEMA’s CEO.
Hipgnosis Acquires Catalog of Adele, Stormzy Collaborator Fraser T. Smith (Billboard)
Music IP investment company Hipgnosis continues to grow its catalog roster with the acquisition of just under 300 songs by British songwriter and producer Fraser T. Smith, best known for penning hits for Adele, Stormzy and Taio Cruz.
Hirings and Promotions
‘One of the most well-respected A&R execs’: Rich Christina joins Warner Chappell (Music Week)
Based in New York, Christina will report to Ryan Press, WCM’s president of A&R, US. Christina was most recently with Sony/ATV, where he served as SVP and head of East Coast A&R.
‘Creative has always been our strength’: Manners McDade makes key appointments (Music Week)
Music and composition producer Jenna Fentimen has been upped to head of creative across Manners McDade’s music publishing and composer agency companies. Ed Marquis has joined Manners McDade as music and composition producer.
Awards and Accolades
Atlas Music Group Awarded the 2019 AIMP New York Chapter Indie Award
Huge congratulations to our client Atlas Music Group who were awarded the 2019 New York Chapter Indie Award at their holiday party this week! Check out this video reel celebrating the award:
Legal
‘A Great Day For Artists’: Irving Azoff Wins DOJ Support In Battle With Radio Stations (Billboard)
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has weighed in on a long-running legal battle between Global Music Rights, the performing rights organization set up by star artist manager Irving Azoff, and the Radio Music License Committee, which represents most U.S. radio stations, over how much money radio stations owe songwriters.
Genius sues Google for ‘no less than $50m’, alleging ‘anticompetitive practices’ over lyrics (MBW)
The company behind Lyrics website Genius, Genius Media Group Inc., is suing Google for “unethical, unfair and anticompetitive” behaviour.
Lawmakers Urge American Law Institute Not to Publish New Copyright Restatements (Billboard)
The lawmakers — along with plenty of music and media business lawyers — are concerned as to why the American Law Institute is meddling in this copyright law, which for the past 100 years has been left to the privy of the legislature.
Jason Mraz Sues Coors Light for Copyright Infringing ‘I’m Yours’ (Digital Music News)
The lawsuit, which includes Mraz’s publishing company Goo Eyed Music as a plaintiff, is seeking $150,000 for every copyright MillerCoors infringed. This includes the use of the song as well as Mraz’s image and voice.
Bright Lines: Musicologists Police the Boundaries of Copyright Law (Variety)`
The murkiness of copyright law long predates “Blurred Lines.” The law protects the expression of an idea, but not the idea itself, leaving it to juries to assess where the line is.
Interesting Reads
Sales, Lawsuits and Data: The Music Publishing Business in 2019 (Synchblog)
Eamonn Forde looks back on the past year in music publishing, from major deals and the booming catalogue acquisition space to ongoing disputes with DSPs.
‘My goal is to have 250,000 songs and be worth $1 billion’ (MBW)
“I’ll never forget. My bankers who helped me, when we closed [the Spirit deal], said, ‘Singer, you’re a crazy motherfucker.’” Spirit Music Group boss Jon Singer candidly recalls the moment his $350 million recapitalization and buyout of the independent publisher was confirmed.
ICE CEO Thorsten Sauer on Tackling Data Challenges in the Digital Era, Paying Out First €1bn in Digital Royalties (Synchblog)
ICE Services CEO Thorsten Sauer explains how their unique processing hub is tackling the data challenges presented by the digital era and helping rightsholders get paid.
Five Years In, How Hitmakers’ Top Executive Jody Gerson Remade UMPG in Her Image (Variety)
The industry’s highest-ranking female executive scored the most points on 2019’s all-genre consumption board.
REDEF MusicSET: Best Music of 2019: The Year in Lists (REDEF)
When we all fell asleep in 2016, where did we go? To the old town road, that’s where. Our annual running list of top 10s, top 40s, top 50s and top whatevers from around the music universe.
Latest Jobs
Publishing Royalties Onboarding and Data Specialist – Synchtank (London)
The ideal candidate should have significant publishing and label royalties experience on a global basis. Good financial/accounting knowledge is also essential.
VP of Creative Sync – Burnett Music (Los Angeles)
This role will be working closely with our roster of talent, catalogue of music, and Executive team to strategize and execute on creative pitches for sync, custom music projects, artist releases, and branding partnerships.
The Music Market – VP, Creative, Latin (Los Angeles)
Our client, a global leader in music rights management, are seeking a new Vice President Creative for their Latin market, based in LA, to create and maintain relationships with songwriters, artists and publishers worldwide and within the music community at large.
Webinar
Best Practices for Managing Your Catalog and Assets (December 12, 2-3pm ET)
At Synchtank, we understand that effective catalog and asset management is now more important than ever. As part of the Music Business Association’s Common Ground Webinar series, we’ll be hosting a webinar to run through the best practices for rightsholders to manage their assets and data in order to maximize revenue and avoid legal complications. Register here.
