Finance

Spirit Music Group owner Lyric Capital Group and global investment firm Northleaf Capital Partners have struck a strategic alliance, through which funds managed by Northleaf hold an interest in certain music royalty catalogs managed by Lyric, led by Jon Singer, Managing Partner, and Ross Cameron, Partner.

Source: Another massive music deal, as Spirit Music Group parent strikes $500m alliance with Northleaf Capital Partners

Artists using UnitedMasters can now choose to be paid in US Dollars or in a cryptocurrency of their choice. UnitedMasters says that the goal is “to create more financial opportunities, equity and transparency to the dedicated, rising musicians utilizing our platform and to level the playing field so that they can stay independent and in control of their respective futures”.

Source: UnitedMasters partners with Coinbase to let artists get paid in cryptocurrency

Universal Music’s stock spinoff shows that equity markets like the sound of music companies — and its stock’s performance so far raises the odds that more companies will join the growing gang of public firms that now includes WMG and three publishing companies. Here’s an informed but speculative guide to which companies are likely candidates, how the market might receive them and what issues they would face.

Source: Who’s Next: Five Music Companies That Could Follow UMG and Go Public

As negotiations between the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) resume this week, crews across the pond will be watching closely. Because while a film and high-end TV production boom in Britain has seen rates and opportunities blossom, it has also resulted in longer working hours, pressurized working conditions and an acute skills shortage.

Source: As IATSE Threatens Action in the U.S., Are U.K. Crews Ready to Do the Same?

As expected, Blackstone and Hipgnosis Song Management have launched a $1 billion partnership to invest in songs, recorded music, music IP and royalties, the companies announced Tuesday morning. The news comes amid a flurry of activity by major finance players in the music space, with KKR reportedly in negotiations to buy a $1 billion catalog from Kobalt Capital and Apollo Global Management is investing up to $1 billion in the new music rights firm HarbourView.

Source: Blackstone and Hipgnosis Song Management Launch $1 Billion Partnership

Primary Wave has acquired a stake in the assets owned by HLC Properties Ltd, the company owned by the estate of the legendary Bing Crosby. This includes the Bing Crosby Archives, featuring thousands of recordings by Bing Crosby and other artists, many of which have never been released.

Source: Another $50m+ music deal, as Primary Wave buys stake in Bing Crosby estate

Kobalt Music has been shopping its Kobalt Music Royalty Fund II, sources say, and is now involved in final negotiations or may have already closed the deal — which sources say is the $1 billion ball park — possibly with a group of investors that includes private equity firm KKR.

Source: Kobalt Seeking $1B Buyer for Catalog Believed to Include Lorde, The Weeknd Hits

UMG’s spinoff makes it obvious that the industry has entered a new phase, which looks like a boom for the kinds of acts that do well on streaming and the labels and distributors that work with them. It could further drive up the value of recording and publishing catalogs, which have already risen to unprecedented multiples, plus inspire other companies to go public.

Source: How Universal Music Going Public Ushers in a New Era for Music

The Blackstone Group is in serious discussions to inject more than $1 billion into a dedicated music copyright investment fund — with Hipgnosis Songs Fund founder Merck Mercuriadis potentially running the show. Here’s what we know so far. Neither Blackstone nor Mercuriadis are officially commenting at this stage, though the deal is understood to involve a fund separate from Hipgnosis Songs Fund.

Source: Blackstone Is About to Drop $1 Billion on Music Copyrights

BMG has acquired what it calls “an extensive portfolio of rights” related to the music and image of Tina Turner. The deal sees BMG acquire the artist’s share of her recordings, plus her music publishing writer’s share and neighboring rights, plus her name, image, and likeness. Warner Music remains the record company for Turner’s catalog.

Source: BMG buys bundle of Tina Turner rights in music’s latest big-money deal