There’s been a lot of talk this year about tThe music rights M&A market slows down in 2022, but that hasn’t stopped Round Hill and Hipgnosis from spending more than half a billion dollars between them.
Macroeconomic headwinds have blown many of the issues in the direction of the music industry this year, from soaring interest rates to rising inflation, plus the strength of the US dollar affect the global market. But the rights acquisition space hasn’t stopped yet.
In fact, two prominent names in the rights-buying field, both of which became famous for their fund listings on the London Stock Exchange – Hipgnosis and Round Hill Music – has been associated with 500 million USD the value of the agreements between them in 2022.
First of the two, through Hipgnosis Songs Capital, a private fund fully funded by Blackstone (and is part of the Hipgnosis Group along with UK listed companies Hipgnosis Song Foundation; and Manage Hipgnosis Songs) sent around 300 million USD acquired the rights in 2022 to date, from the likes of Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney and the Leonard Cohen estate.
Meanwhile, New York-based private equity firm Round Hill Music Royalty Partners confirmed to MBW today (Monday, December 19) that it has completed “one of its year in operation.” the most positive move in history”. [our] 12 year history”. The company said it spent more than 200 million USD across 40 acquired in 2022.
Those acquisitions were made through Round Hill Music’s private equity funds, which include Round Hill Music Royalty Fund III and Round Hill Music Royalty Fund III Plus, as well as Round Hill Music Royalty Fund LTD, the vehicle owned by the company’s listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Across these three entities, Round Hill says it has raised more than 800 million USD of equity commitments. Along with Fund II and other co-investment vehicles, Round Hill Music says they now manage more 1.3 billion USD music rights.
Round Hill said they bought more than 170 catalog since its inception. Some of RHM’s acquisitions in 2022 include:
- On January 5, 2022, the company announced the acquisition of a substantial portion of the master artist’s royalties and the conclusion of a long-term agreement to manage the income from the adjacent rights of the Nancy catalog. Wilson, singer, songwriter and guitarist of Rock ‘n ‘ The famous band introduced by the Roll Hall of Fame.
- On January 14, 2022, the company purchased the music publishing rights, main rights and royalties for the main rights, and entered into a long-term management agreement for the neighborhood rights income from the portfolio of the Prime Minister. Whitesnake leader and lead singer of Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976, David Coverdale.
- On February 8, Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Limited acquired the “majority of rights” to legendary American rock band Alice In Chains from band members Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, Mike Inez and ca. Their current doctor is William Duvall. The acquisition includes what Round Hill says is a substantial majority of publishing, original and neighborhood rights in the catalog, which includes 94 works and 159 sound recordings.
- In September, Round Hill Music, through Fund 3 Plus, buying music royalties, including production royalties and related rights, from legendary producer Bruce Fairbair.
“We look forward to continuing to perform on behalf of the investors, artists and partners we serve in 2023 and beyond.”
Josh Gruss, Music of the Hill
Josh Gruss, CEO of Round Hill Music, said: “Round Hill Music continues to stand out even further in 2022 by continuing to serve as the partner of choice for artists and musicians, and at the same time get blue chip catalogs and songs with lasting popularity.
Gruss added: “Our achievements are testament to the team, culture and expertise we have developed over the past 12 years as one of the first institutional investors in the sector. music royalties.
“We look forward to continuing to perform on behalf of the investors, artists and partners we serve in 2023 and beyond.”
Further proof of the emergence of music rights in 2022 are the many big money deals this year.
For example, in November, Primary wave beaten one 2 billion USD dealing with financial giant Brookfield. The deal includes the acquisition of minority stakes in Primary Wave and Brookfield Investment 1.7 billion USD into a new “perpetual capital vehicle”.
This year also saw Primary Wave get, get copyrighted hit Whitney Houston songs as part of a deal for about 60 songs written by songwriters Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill, by American pop duo Boy Meets Girl, in a deal. Financial Times The report is estimated to be worth between $50 million and $100 million.
harmonywhile valuation one 1.8 billion USD bond offering in early December backed by over 1 million music copyrights, declared by Concord is “the largest asset-backed securitization offering in the industry to date in terms of both issuance size and number of assets (over a million copyrights)”.
In September, harmony buying catalog of published and recorded music by Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford, as well as a catalog of published and recorded music from their years with the band Genesis in an agreement The The Wall Street Journal report be ‘more valuable’ 300 million dollars’.
In February, legendary artist and musician Sting sold his entire song catalog arrive Popular music Publishing Corporation (UMPG). An industry expert source told MBW at the time that the acquisition fee had finally reached the north $300 million. Global Music Business
