News

Reservoir Media acquired the catalog of singer-songwriter Bertie Higgins in a deal that encompasses his publishing and master recording rights. Higgins is best known for his 1981 debut single, “Key Largo,” which reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. His 1983 debut album, Just Another Day in Paradise, was released in 1983 and included the title single and another of his best-known songs, “Casablanca.” He subsequently released more than 20 albums, including several compilations.

UN Tourism partnered with UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle (UMHL), the entertainment-driven hospitality venture from Universal Music Group and the Center for Music Ecosystems (CME), “to harness the power of music tourism to drive economic growth and job creation, with a focus on high-growth-potential economies,” according to a press release. The partnership will “draw on the influence of some of the biggest names in global entertainment,” including influencer and newly appointed UN Tourism ambassador Khabane Lame, to amplify the mission to encourage people “to recognize music as a viable path to entrepreneurship, job creation, and economic mobility,” the release adds.

“By identifying and investing in cultural hubs around the world, we’re not just creating destinations, we’re amplifying the creative energy that drives tourism, inspires pride, and generates lasting economic impact,” said UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle CEO Robert Lavia in a statement. “This partnership with UN Tourism to enable CME to accelerate its work in music tourism will demonstrate music’s power to deliver economic growth for communities everywhere.”

In the coming year, CME will issue several reports to expand on the potential of music tourism. That information will be used by UMHL, which is developing hotels and creative hubs across the globe, to support UN Tourism stakeholders and signatories.

Armada Music struck a deal with singer, songwriter and DJ Sonique, best known for her iconic 1998 dance hit “It Feels So Good,” that grants Armada global rights to her full catalog. The partnership is meant “to amplify the legacy of” Sonique’s catalog through re-issues and remixes from “influential” electronic music producers, according to a press release. The catalog will be managed by Armada team members in London, Amsterdam and New York.

Warner Music Group is the launch partner for Feed Clips, a new music clip API from Feed.fm that allows digital platforms to integrate licensed song clips from major labels’ catalogs. According to a press release, Feed Clips “offers a turnkey system complete with curated content, full API support, and built-in usage reporting.”

GoDigital Music acquired Switzerland-based digital music distributor Octiive as part of a strategy to provide a full-service offering for artists throughout their careers. Focused on early-stage DIY artists, Octiive has more than 3,000 label clients worldwide and has served over 20,000 artists since launch. It specializes in independent European electronic dance music but has also distributed projects by major artists, including Snoop Dogg and Chaka Khan. Octiive’s leadership team, including CEO Mershad Javan and COO Tobias Witt, will continue as part of the GoDigital team following the acquisition, with Javan now serving as head of Europe at GoDigital.

Boutique agency Allegro Talent Group, which represents composers and music supervisors, joined WME to beef up WME’s Music for Visual Media department. Allegro founder Patty Macmillan and agent Laurent Kahler will join WME following the acquisition and continue representing their existing clients. WME partner Bradley Rainey will continue leading the agency’s Music for Visual Media department.

Too Lost signed a deal with Kakao-operated South Korean music streaming platform Melon to bring the music of the more than 400,000 independent artists and labels that distribute through Too Lost to the service. According to a press release, Melon is South Korea’s second-largest streaming service, having reported more than six million monthly active users earlier this year.

Myndstream, which designs wellness-focused functional music, struck a deal with Mayo Clinic “to research the clinical applications of music in healthcare,” according to a press release. Under the deal, Mayo Clinic has taken an equity stake in Myndstream. Together, the partners will study “the clinical potential of functional music in healthcare settings” to understand how music can be utilized to help patients recover and contribute to the well-being of clinicians, the release adds. Clinical trials and pilots will be conducted across Mayo Clinic’s healthcare institutions, including on-campus hospital environments and on digital platforms, over a 12-month period.

Sony Music Continental Europe and Africa announced a major partnership with Avalon Music, one of the bigger independent labels in the Netherlands. The deal includes A&R, marketing and investment so Sony Music can put money and marketing behind Avalon acts that have the potential to reach an audience across Europe and North Africa. Avalon, founded in the Netherlands in 2014 by Redouan Ait Taleb and brothers Jaouad and Anouar Taleb, has managed to find artists that resonate across the region. According to a press release, the label’s successes include Dystinct, who has driven more than a billion total streams, collaborated with J Balvin and French Montana and was named artist of the year at the Billboard Arabia Music Awards; as well as Dopebwoy, Dior and Qlas. — Robert Levine

Oak View Group (OVG) announced a multi-year partnership with Lyft. Under the deal, Lyft will become OVG’s official rideshare partner for more than 75 OVG-managed venues. Lyft will enjoy prominent branding across existing rideshare zones at all of the participating venues, “ensuring clear pick-up and drop-off locations with accurate pin names, coordinates, and real-time updates on road closures before and after events,” according to a press release. OVG and Lyft will also collaborate on local community programs, co-branded social and digital media content, and in-venue signage across all locations covered by the partnership.

Bustle Digital Group, home to editorial brands like NYLON, Bustle and Elite Daily, signed a partnership with multi-city music festival and live experience platform Breakaway. Through the deal, Bustle and Breakaway “will co-program talent, curate editorial moments, produce creator-driven experiences, and host community events and nightlife-adjacent programming backed by both companies’ talent-buying and guest-list engines” at live events including Breakaway’s 14 festivals across the U.S., according to a press release. The partnership is aimed at the “post-college demo” aged 21 to 30, the release adds. The companies have invested in a joint sales team for the venture, led by former Google and Dorsia executive Gabby Martinez.

Sony Music Masterworks partnered with family entertainment brand Chuck E. Cheese and HappyNest Entertainment to release two original new songs from the upcoming special, A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas: “What Would We Do Without Christmas” and “Robot Banana Christmas.” The special debuts on Prime Video and YouTube on Thursday (Nov. 27). Sony Music will handle global distribution of the tracks across streaming services; both are available starting Friday (Nov. 21).