sony music
Universal Music Group (UMG) signed a strategic partnership deal with global advertising and public relations giant WPP that will center around audience engagement strategies “leveraging the power of music,” according to a press release. The deal will allow WPP clients access to UMG’s music catalog, with the two companies working together to “unlock additional areas of amplification through data-driven and technological innovation” and exploring ways artificial intelligence “can better help brands and artists connect and create authentic cultural moments,” the release adds. The partnership builds on a pre-existing relationship between UMG and WPP, which have previously teamed up on initiatives including the Coke Studio and Sprite Limelight music platforms. In a statement, UMG chief digital officer and executive vp Michael Nash said that by “combining innovative new technologies with UMG’s industry-leading data insights, we can create significant new commercial opportunities for our artists and songwriters. In addition, working together with WPP, we will harness and amplify the unmatched power and reach of music for WPP’s clients and brands through new strategic initiatives and programs.”
Sony Music launched in Greece following its acquisition of Cobalt Music, one of the country’s biggest independent labels, to re-establish Sony Music Entertainment Greece. The deal will allow Cobalt artists to connect with audiences internationally. it was concurrently announced that Anna Maria Antippas will serve as MD of Sony Music Entertainment Greece after having held leadership roles in the Greek music industry for nearly 20 years. Greek music industry revenues reached $70.4 million last year, a 14.91% increase from the prior year. Streaming accounts for 63.1% of that revenue, marking year-over-year growth of 15.2%, while synch revenues have increased 49.4%, according to a press release.
Virgin Music Group struck a strategic long-term agreement with Hungama Digital Media, a leading digital entertainment company operating out of India. Through the deal, Virgin will help expand the global reach of Hungama’s music catalog, including SVF, Grassroute, OTV and numerous film soundtracks. In turn, the deal will allow Virgin to deepen its presence in India’s regional music scene. “Hungama’s expansive network will enable us to unlock incredible new opportunities for our artists,” said Amit Sharma, country manager of India for Virgin Music Group, in a statement.
CTS Eventim acquired a 17% stake in French ticketing company France Billet from Fnac Darty, making it France Billet’s majority shareholder. Fnac Darty retains a 35% stake after the transaction and will continue its involvement in the company’s governance. France Billet’s management team will remain in place following the deal.
AEG Presents assumed a partnership stake in Germany-based concert promotion company MCT Agentur. “I wanted a partner who shared my vision of how our business should run and could provide some extra muscle in my corner when needed,” said MCT Agentur founder Scumeck Sabottka in a statement on the deal. “Concert promotion is still a gamble…that’s what makes it fun, but it’s a full-contact sport at times. You need a teammate you can trust and Jay and I trust each other.”
Warner Music Japan (WMJ) entered a strategic partnership with NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan (NBCUJ) through which it will produce and promote new releases by NBCUJ’s artists. WMJ will additionally acquire the distribution rights of more than 9,000 works in NBCU’s music catalog, including anime-related tracks, and begin digitally distributing them globally starting early next year. WMJ will also handle distribution and sales of physical products. The two companies will also work to expand opportunities for music tie-ins with anime projects, exploring possibilities for WMJ artists to contribute songs to NBCUJ titles. With the deal, WMJ has also launched an anime business division, which has brought on former Aniplex president/CEO Koichiro Natsume and former TMS Entertainment Co. senior executive officer Hiroyasu Shinohara as external advisors. “This partnership will not only enable us to help bring NBCUJ’s catalog to the world through our global network, but also give our artists opportunities to further grow their careers by leveraging anime-related collaborations,” said Takeshi Okada, president/CEO of WMJ, in a statement.
Under a new strategic partnership, ADA — Warner Music Group’s indie music distribution and artist services arm — will now oversee worldwide distribution for music projects developed by FaroLatino Music, the label division of ForoLatino. “This alliance marks an important chapter for both companies as we unite to champion Latin American music on a global scale,” Javier Fainzaig, president of FaroLatino, said in a statement. ADA president Cat Kreidich added, “We’re excited to partner with FaroLatino and help lead the charge on the global growth and recognition of the many diverse artists and genres that make up Latin music.” Launched in 1995, FaroLatino offers artist services ranging from marketing and press to strategic partnerships. Some of its latest projects include Jessi Uribe and Alejandro Fernández’s collab “Tu Maniquí” and Noche de Brujas and Jorge Celedón’s cross-genre single “Vente Conmigo.” – Griselda Flores
Event management platform Events.com acquired the Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival out of San Diego. “Under our ownership, we’ll streamline operations and create more digital engagement opportunities for guests,” said Stephen Partridge, president/COO of Events.com, in a statement. Launched in 2019, Wonderfront boasted nearly 42,000 attendees at this year’s edition of the festival. “With Events.com’s expertise in event management and the innovative capabilities of its platform, we’re looking forward to creating even more memorable experiences for our guests as we enhance our operational efficiencies, including ticketing, guest engagement, and overall festival management,” added Wonderfront founder/executive producer Paul Thornton. The 2025 iteration of the festival is slated for May 16-18.
Create Music Group acquired a 50% share of the London-based dance music label and music publisher Enhanced Music, which boasts such genre brands as Enhanced Recordings, Enhanced Progressive, Colorize, Shapes of Solitude and Enhanced Chill. Enhanced has publishing rights to thousands of songs by artists including The Chainsmokers, Elley Duhé, Tiësto and Steve Aoki.
Symphonic Distribution partnered with Masterchannel to provide artists with an AI mastering tool that makes tracks release-ready and optimized for streaming. Under the deal, Symphonic artists can upload as many tracks as they want and receive unlimited free full-length master previews.
Also at Symphonic, the company signed South Korean lable EchoesInDream (EID) to a global distribution deal. Upcoming EID releases include “Swimmin’”, a collaboration between Filipino R&B artist Jay R and emerging artists PAAK and AVN, along with new music from PAAK, an Afrobeats artist. Both are slated for release in January.
Sony Music UK has appointed Azi Eftekhari as its chief operating officer, effective immediately. Reporting directly to Jason Iley, chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK & Ireland, she’ll oversee key operational areas, including the label’s Commercial Group, and play a pivotal role in shaping the company’s overall growth strategy.
Eftekhari brings two decades of experience in the music and entertainment industries to her new position, having most recently served as co-president of Universal Music Recordings, managing global artists such as The Beatles, Elton John, Amy Winehouse, The Rolling Stones and The Spice Girls at the label’s catalogue division.
Prior to UMG, Azi held a significant role at YouTube as head of label relations, where she spearheaded the launch of YouTube Music across Europe and secured a landmark partnership with The BRIT Awards, further cementing her reputation as an innovator in the intersection of music and technology. Additionally, she co-led Remedy Inc., a creative agency delivering projects across music, theatre and branding.
Trending on Billboard
Eftekhari’s career began at Mercury Records, where she collaborated with Iley as director of digital and publicity, contributing to campaigns for artists like U2, Justin Bieber and Rihanna. Her leadership extended beyond individual companies, as she also served on the boards of the Official Charts Company and the Entertainment Retailers Association, showcasing her influence within the broader music industry.
Iley expressed confidence in Eftekhari’s “depth of experience straddling the world of music, tech and culture combined with commercial acumen,” while Azi voiced her gratitude for the opportunity to work with Illey. “He’s built an exceptional, future-facing company and I look forward to playing a part in continuing to champion the incredible roster of artists,” she said. “In this rapidly changing marketplace, there are many exciting opportunities to harness, and I can’t wait to help drive the business into the next chapter.”
Sony Music has settled a lawsuit filed by a former assistant to Columbia Records chief executive Ron Perry who claimed she was forced to resign after pushing back on hiring practices that allegedly discriminated against white applicants.
In a filing Tuesday (Nov. 19), attorneys for both sides told a federal judge that they had “reached a settlement in principle” to resolve the lawsuit, in which Patria Paulino claimed she was told she could “only hire Black candidates.” Sony had called those accusations “contradictory and false” and was actively seeking to have the case dismissed when the settlement was reached.
The specific terms of the agreement, including whether any money exchanged hands, were not disclosed in court filings. A spokesperson for Sony declined to comment on Wednesday (Nov. 20); an attorney for Paulino did not return a request for comment.
Trending on Billboard
Paulino sued Sony and Perry in February, claiming she had been effectively terminated as retaliation because she pushed back on race-conscious hiring practices.
After being hired in late 2022, Paulino claimed that she was repeatedly told she could not hire white candidates for a vacant assistant role in Perry’s office. She says that Perry had been hit with “multiple racial discrimination complaints by former employees” and that he and the company wanted to “have more color in his office.”
Despite the directives to aim for diversity, Paulino’s lawsuit claimed she “continued to recommend qualified Caucasian applicants” for the role. At one point, when she advanced a particular white candidate, she says that another Sony employee told her in writing: “We can’t hire another white Jewish girl unfortunately.”
The lawsuit came in the wake of a high-profile U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that outlawed the use of race-conscious admissions in higher education, commonly known as “affirmative action.” Though that ruling didn’t directly deal with hiring or with the state laws at issue in Paulino’s case, it has led to overall increased scrutiny of corporate practices aimed at diversity, equity and inclusion.
A week after Paulino filed her case, Sony asked the judge to toss it out of court. Far from being effectively terminated, Sony said she had instead “voluntarily resigned after receiving unfavorable performance feedback.” The label said she had filed her case simply “to harass her former employer and boss” with a “contradictory and false” lawsuit.
“She alleges … that defendants both discriminated against her because they preferred white employees but also constructively discharged her because she would not play along with their preference for non-white employees,” the label’s lawyers wrote, adding the italics themselves for emphasis. “In reality, plaintiff worked for Sony … for less than five months, performed poorly, and was a willing participant in the entirely legal hiring practices she now alleges were discriminatory.”
Sony Music has reached a settlement to end a lawsuit claiming the producers of Whitney Houston’s 2022 biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody never fully paid to use her songs.
The case, filed earlier this year, alleged that the companies behind the movie had signed deals for sync licenses to feature songs like “I Will Always Love You” in the film – but that more than a year after it was released, the label still hadn’t been paid a dime for those rights.
In a motion filed Monday in New York federal court, attorneys for Sony say they will drop the case voluntarily. The motion did not provide any terms of the apparent settlement, and neither side immediately returned requests for comment.
Trending on Billboard
Riding a wave of enthusiasm for musical biopics – 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody earned more $900 million at the box office and Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 “Elvis” made $288 million – “I Wanna Dance” was released in December 2022 to middling reviews and an underwhelming return of $59.8 million gross.
A little over a year later, Sony added a copyright lawsuit to the movie’s woes – claiming the movie had featured “some of the most iconic and popular sound recordings of all time” without properly paying for them.
The February lawsuit claimed that Anthem Films, Black Label Media and others behind the movie had signed a sync license agreement on Dec. 5, 2022 – less than ten days before the movie’s release – covering the use of Sony’s sound recordings of Houston’s songs, also including “Greatest Love of All,” “I’m Every Woman” and the titular “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”
Sony argued that the producers did so because they essentially had to if they wanted to create “a biopic about the life and music of Whitney Houston.”
“Unlike other types of films, musical biopics by their nature require use of the subject musician’s music, as it is nearly impossible to explain the importance of a musician’s creative genius or unique style and talent without the use of the musician’s music,” Sony wrote.
But the label said that by August 2023, it still had not been paid anything under that deal. After notifying Anthem of the problem, the company allegedly told Sony that it was waiting on funds from a tax credit owed by the state of Massachusetts. But such a payment never came, Sony said.
“As a result of Anthem’s failure to pay the fees to SME, it is clear that there was no license or authorization to use the SME Recordings used in the Film,” the company’s attorneys wrote. “Nevertheless, the Film embodying the SME Recordings was, and continues to be, exhibited, distributed, and exploited.”
Sony Music revenue grew 10% year-on-year to 448.2 billion yen ($2.9 billion) last quarter, as hit records by SZA, David Gilmour and Travis Scott, coupled with higher sales from live shows and merchandise, helped boost growth in both recorded music and music publishing.
For its fiscal second quarter ended Sept. 30, Sony Music — comprising Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment Japan and Sony Music Publishing — reported quarterly operating income of 90 billion yen ($589 million), a 12% rise on the same period a year ago.
Adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA) climbed 15% year-on-year, totaling just under 112 billion yen ($733 million), Sony Music’s parent company, Sony Group Corp., reported Friday (Nov. 8).
Trending on Billboard
The company said growth in revenue from streaming subscriptions, live events and merchandise from recorded music, as well as the impact of foreign exchange rates were among the key drivers of its positive quarterly financial results. They bring Sony Music’s half-year earnings up to 890.2 billion yen ($5.8 billion), up 16% year-on-year, with a half-year operating income of 176 billion yen ($1.1 billion).
Breaking down Sony Music’s quarterly earnings, recorded music revenue increased 14% year-on-year to 290 billion yen ($1.9 billion), with subscription and ad-supported streaming up 9% to 189 billion yen ($1.2 billion), accounting for around 65% of the firm’s recorded music earnings.
Physical revenue jumped 22% year-on-year to 25 billion yen ($164 million), while Sony’s “other” category — which includes revenue from merchandise, live performances and licensing revenue from synch, public performance and broadcast — was up 33% to 68 billion yen ($446 million).
SZA’s blockbuster album SOS, which has broken numerous chart records since it was first released in December 2022, including overtaking Aretha Franklin’s Aretha Now as the longest-running chart topper of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally, was Sony Music’s top seller of the quarter.
In second place was Gilmour’s first studio album in nine years, Luck and Strange, which debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 earlier this year. Other top sellers for Sony Music in the three month period included Scott’s UTOPIA, Future & Metro Boomin’s WE DON’T TRUST YOU, Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER, Harry Styles’ Harry’s House and Luke Combs’ This One’s for You. The one title in the top 10 from outside this decade was Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the 1982 classic co-produced by Quincy Jones, who passed away on Sunday (Nov. 3).
On the music publishing side, Sony Music reported revenue of 92 billion yen ($604 million), up 11% year-on-year. The company said the strong performance of its publishing arm was led by strong gains in streaming income, which rose 9% to just under 53 billion yen ($347 million). Publishing’s “other” category grew by around 13% year-on-year to 38.6 billion yen ($253 million). The company disclosed that as of March 31, its publishing division either owned or administered approximately 6.24 million songs.
Visual media and platform sales, which includes revenue from animation titles, game applications and service offerings for music and visual products, fell slightly to 62 billion yen ($407 million), down 1% on the same period last year.
Sony Music said its forecast for full-year revenue was unchanged from the previous quarter with projected sales of 1.74 trillion yen (approximately $11.4 billion) and projected operating income of 330 billion yen ($2.2 billion).
Sony Music’s fiscal second quarter highlights:
▪Revenue of 448 billion yen ($2.9 billion), up 10% year-on-year▪Adjusted operating income of 112 billion yen ($733 million), up 15%▪Recorded music revenue increased 14% year-on-year to 290 billion yen ($1.9 billion)▪Music publishing revenue of 92 billion yen ($604 million), up 11%▪Visual media and platform revenue of 62 billion yen ($407 million), down 1%
A California appeals court has issued a final ruling that Michael Jackson’s estate can proceed with a $600 million sale of the singer’s catalog to Sony Music, rejecting objections from his mother that aimed to block the deal.
A month after the appeals court issued a tentative ruling against Katherine Jackson, the court finalized that decision on Wednesday – ruling that the estate’s executors (John Branca and John McClain) didn’t violate the terms of Michael’s will when they inked the gargantuan deal with Sony.
“The will gave the executors broad powers of sale, with no exception for the specific assets at issue in this case,” the court wrote. “As such, [a lower judge] did not err in concluding that it was Michael’s intent to allow the executors to sell any estate assets, including those at issue in the proposed transaction.”
Trending on Billboard
Beyond the merits of the deal, the court also rejected Katherine’s appeal for a simpler reason: that she had “forfeited” her arguments by failing to make them before a lower probate court.
Katherine’s attorneys did not immediately return a request for comment. She can still appeal the ruling to the California Supreme Court, though her odds of overturning the ruling are low.
As reported by Billboard earlier this year, the Jackson estate and Sony Music have reached a deal that will see the music giant buy half of the singer’s publishing and recorded masters catalog for more than $600 million.
But because the Jackson estate is still pending before a Los Angeles probate court more than 15 years after his 2009 death, his executors took the then-confidential deal to Judge Mitchell Beckloff for approval. When they did so, Katherine filed objections — among them that the sale “violated Michael’s wishes” and that the catalog would likely continue to gain value over time if retained.
In April 2023, Beckloff rejected those objections and ruled that the deal could move forward. Katherine then filed an appeal, resulting in Wednesday’s ruling.
In the new decision, the court rejected a number of key arguments from Katherine, including her claim that the sale would violate basic inheritance rules because it would prevent all of Michael’s assets from being transferred to his heirs. In doing so, the court said Michael’s will vested Branca and McClain with “full power and authority” to make such deals while in control of the estate.
“The proposed transaction is not a gift or distribution of estate assets—it is an asset sale, pursuant to which the estate receives a significant monetary payment and interest in a joint venture,” the court wrote. “While the proposed transaction will result in the estate exchanging assets for cash and other valuable rights, it neither diminishes the estate’s value nor impairs the executors’ future ability to transfer the estate’s assets to the trust.”
The wrangling over the Sony deal has exposed rifts among Jackson’s heirs. In March, Jackson’s son Blanket asked the judge to stop his grandmother from using estate money to fund her efforts to block the Sony deal. Though both had initially opposed the sale, Blanket and Jackson’s other children accepted the probate judge’s decision allowing it to move forward.
Later that same week, the estate responded to claims from Katherine’s attorneys that she needed estate money to pay for her legal battle, arguing she had received more than $55 million since the singer’s death. The estate’s executors argued that “virtually no request of Mrs. Jackson for her care or maintenance has been declined,” including more than $33 million in cash.
A rep for the estate’s executors declined to comment on Wednesday’s ruling.
Christoph Behm has been named the new CEO of Sony Music Germany, Switzerland and Austria (GSA), replacing Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba, who is exiting the company at the end of August.
Berlin-based Behm, who began his career at Sony Music in 2011 and has worked in a number of senior roles for the label over the past decade, including head of streaming and director of digital sales, will report to Daniel Lieberberg, president of Sony Music Continental Europe and Africa.
In a statement announcing Behm’s promotion, Lieberberg said the newly appointed CEO’s “deep understanding of our DSP partners and creativity as a leader will serve him well in his new role.”
Trending on Billboard
“Christoph has played an important role building and expanding our business across this region during the streaming era,” said Lieberberg. “He has worked closely with our artists to bring their music to new fans in innovative ways and has embraced continuous industry change to create opportunity despite rapidly shifting paradigms and business models.”
Sony Music did not provide any details about Mushatsi-Kareba’s departure from the company. The outgoing CEO has headed Sony Music’s operations in the GSA region since 2018 when he joined the label from Universal Music Germany. Prior to that, Mushatsi-Kareba spent eight years at Apple, where he was responsible for overseeing the tech company’s music business in multiple European markets, including Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.
Although Sony Music GSA has enjoyed significant commercial success over the past six years, sources with inside knowledge of their relationship tell Billboard that Mushatsi-Kareba and Lieberberg did not always see eye to eye.
Prior to his promotion to CEO, Behm held the role of senior vp of Sony Music GSA’s commercial division, where he oversaw a large team, including the company’s family entertainment business. In the past two years, Behm’s responsibilities grew to also encompass oversight of catalog, sales and streaming departments in the region.
Top-selling frontline Sony artists in the GSA market include Apache 207, Nina Chuba, Rap Larue and Reezy.
“It fills me with pride to now lead the company that I have served in various roles for so many years,” said Behm, who takes up the CEO post on Sept. 1, in a statement. “We are at another exciting time for our industry, and I look forward with great confidence to this next chapter for Sony Music GSA,” he added.
Germany is the world’s fourth-biggest recorded music market in IFPI’s annual rankings behind the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom.
As the 2024 presidential election heats up ahead of Nov. 5, Sony Music is throwing its hat in the ring with a campaign to increase voter turnout. Called Your Voice, Your Power, Your Vote, the non-partisan initiative is meant to educate artists, songwriters, industry professionals and communities across the country about voter registration. Its website […]
Investment giant Apollo Global Management is backing Sony Music Group to the tune of $700 million to help the company fund music acquisitions, it was announced Friday (July 26). The deal could provide the financial assistance needed for Sony’s planned acquisition of Queen‘s recording and music publishing catalogs. Sources have told Billboard the band is […]
Michael Jackson’s estate has won a tentative court ruling that would allow it to proceed with a $600 million sale of the singer’s catalog to Sony Music, overcoming objections from his mother that aimed to block the deal.
Katherine Jackson had argued that the gargantuan deal violated the terms of Michael’s will, but a California appeals court tentatively ruled Wednesday (July 17) that she had “forfeited” that argument by failing to make it before a lower probate court.
Even if she had properly raised that argument, the appeals court said the estate’s executors had the power to make the deal. The court said Jackson’s will had vested the executors (John Branca and John McClain) with the authority to “sell, invest, or otherwise manage estate property” while they were in charge.
Trending on Billboard
“The court is tentatively inclined to affirm the probate court’s order granting the executors’ request to proceed with the proposed transaction,” the appeals court wrote in its ruling, obtained by Billboard. “We tentatively conclude that Katherine’s challenge fails on the merits because the probate court’s order does not violate the terms of Michael’s will.”
Such “tentative” rulings must be finalized before they are formally entered, but they strongly indicate the way the court is planning to rule. An attorney for Katherine did not return a request for comment on Thursday. A rep for the Jackson estate declined to comment. News of the tentative ruling was first reported by Rolling Stone.
As reported by Billboard earlier this year, the Jackson estate and Sony Music have reached a deal that will see the music giant buy half of the singer’s publishing and recorded masters catalog for more than $600 million.
But because the Jackson estate is still pending before a Los Angeles probate court more than 15 years after his 2009 death, his executors took the then-confidential deal to Judge Mitchell Beckloff for approval. When they did so, Katherine filed objections — among them that the sale “violated Michael’s wishes” and that the catalog would likely continue to gain value over time if retained.
In April 2023, Beckloff rejected those objections and ruled that the deal could move forward. Katherine then filed an appeal, resulting in Wednesday’s tentative decision.
The wrangling over the Sony deal has exposed rifts among Jackson’s heirs. In March, Jackson’s son Blanket asked the judge to stop his grandmother from using estate money to fund her efforts to block the Sony deal. Though both had initially opposed the sale, Blanket and Jackson’s other children accepted the probate judge’s decision allowing it to move forward.
Later that same week, the estate responded to claims from Katherine’s attorneys that she needed estate money to pay for her legal battle, arguing she had received more than $55 million since the singer’s death. The estate’s executors argued that “virtually no request of Mrs. Jackson for her care or maintenance has been declined,” including more than $33 million in cash.