Publishing Briefs: Lou Reed Re-Ups Admin with Sony/ATV, the Weeknd Signs with SONGS, Bicycle Buys MPCA

Ed Christman
·5 min read
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— In completing its one-hundredth transaction, Bicycle Music and its affiliates have acquired the Music Publishing Company of America, which includes in its catalogs songs by Robert Johnson, Sammy Cahn, Richie Sambora, Todd Rungren and Donovan. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Building MPCA, [which was founded in 2006] has been one of the highlights of my career,” says MPCA’s CEO John Titta. “I’ve gotten the chance to work with so many amazing songwriters and treasured songs here. It is important to me that I pass this legacy on to the right people and organization. [Bicycle Music co-president] Steve Salm has been a very close friend of mine and Bicycle has proven itself as an industry leader. The MPCA catalog has found the right new home.”

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The catalog also includes songs from the Smithereens’ Pat DiNizio, X’s Exene Cervenka, Michael Murphy, Chris LeDoux and Rick Hall Music/Fame Publishing.  “John Titta has put together an incredible collection of songs, including some of the most important blues music ever created,” Bicycle Music CEO Roger Miller said in a statement.

“One hundred transactions later, Bicycle has steadily proven itself a market leader amongst independent music publishers in acquiring important creative and commercial works. MPCA fits perfectly into our collection of catalogs as we continue to execute our growth strategy”, Salm added in a statement.

— Round Hill Music and indie record label Mexican Summer have created a music publishing joint venture. Under the deal the two companies will be combining creative forces in order to provide publishing services to the Brooklyn-based indie label’s artist roster, as well as teaming up to merge resources in order to provide primary creative development for a new indie artist division.

“We really wanted to find a home for our roster and work with a publishing company that would spend the time and attention on new artists…,” Mexican Summer president Andrés Santo Domingo said in a statement. “Round Hill Music just seemed to operate on the perfect size and scale of what we have in mind for the way that we handle our artists. We’re extremely excited to be working with them and can really lay down the groundwork to building a really solid division of new up and coming indie artists for them.”

Round Hill CEO Josh Gruss added in a statement that the partnership is “powerfully complementary.” Gruss added, “We benefit from their ability to discover and sign amazing talent early on, and it gives Mexican Summer a full-service publishing platform that is similar in terms of culture and boutique feel.”

— Primary Wave Music and indie label Elm City Music have created a joint venture publishing vehicle. The deal gives Primary Wave administration rights to market and leverage the label’s current artist roster as well as co-publish future songs. Elm City was founded in 2012 by Michael Caplan, a veteran A&R executive.

“Michael and I worked together for years while he was at Sony and I’m excited to have his ear for talent as part of the Primary Wave team,” Primary Wave Music Publishing president Justin Shukat said in a statement. “He is a true A&R man and very few exist in this business anymore.”

When he worked in the Sony Music camp, Caplan signed such artists as Living Colour, Matisyahu, and Los Lonely Boys. Caplan said in a statement that “it’s refreshing to see a team like Primary Wave, who thinks so large and doesn’t wait for the opportunity to come to them. They have always approached publishing with an unfettered naked aggression. They not only land syncs consistently for their publishing roster, but also market their catalogs in ways that other music publishers don’t.”

— Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed a long-term extension to its worldwide administration agreement for the Lou Reed catalog, which has been handled by EMI Music Publishing for more than 20 years.

The deal covers hit solo catalog — including “Perfect Day,” “Walk on the Wild Side,” and “Satellite Of Love” — as well as his shares in Velvet Underground songs.

“Lou Reed is an iconic storyteller and a music innovator,” Sony/ATV chairman Martin Bandier said in a statement. “His influence can be heard in music today and we are thrilled to continue to work with such a prolific artist.”

Lou Reed’s worldwide manager Tom Sarig added in a statement: “I look forward to working closely with the Sony/ATV Music Publishing team in taking Lou Reed’s publishing catalog to never-before-reached heights and exposure around the world.”

— SONGS Music Publishing signed the Weeknd, also known as Abel Tesfaye, to a worldwide co-publishing agreement in a deal that includes both future recordings including his upcoming album “Kiss Land” on Universal Republic/XO Records; as well as his “Trilogy” album, released last year.

“Abel is one of the most gifted writers, producers and vocalists to come along in recent memory,” SONGS president and head of A&R Ron Perry said in a statement. “His music extends across all genres.”

SONGS founder and CEO, Matt Pincus added in a statement, “At SONGS we invest in people and we invest in music. On both counts we couldn’t have done better than Abel.”

— ole has signed artist/songwriter Josh Door to a worldwide publishing agreement.  His first cut under the deal will be coming from singer/guitarist Casey James, according to the announcement.

— BMG Chrysalis U.S. has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with the Orwells, a rock group which released its debut album, “Remember When,” on Autumn Tone Records last year.

— Big Machine Music has signed songwriter Josh Thompson, who has had cuts with Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley among others, to an exclusive publishing agreement.  As an artist, he will have his latest album of mostly self-penned songs due out later this year on ShowDog Universal Records, which will include his current single, “Cold Beer With Your Name On It.”

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