a few weeks agoWe talked about the 21 largest deals of 2024. now You have to make it 22.
On Monday (December 16), Universal Music’s Virgin Music Group said it had agreed to the acquisition. Downtown Music Holdings LLC (Downtown) In a worthy deal $775 million.
The acquisition, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the second half of 2025.
Founded by Downtown Justin KalipowitzIt started as a music publisher in 2007 and is currently active as ‘Pure’. service It is a company that covers music, publishing, and other fields.
As part of its plan to go all-in on the global services sector (by becoming a partner with copyright owners rather than owning the copyrights themselves), Downtown sold the catalog of 145,000 copyrights it owned to Concord in 2021 for about 200 million won. 400 million dollars. Several M&A transactions over the past five years have been central to Downtown’s service-focused strategy.
Downtown today 5,000 Business customers and beyond 4 million creators We are carrying out various businesses in 145 countries.
Below, we’ll find key facts and statistics about the businesses and platforms that Downtown owns today, revealing the breadth of the Universal Music/Virgin Music behemoth. $775 million transaction…
fugue
FUGA is an Amsterdam-born B2B technology and services company acquired by Downtown in January 2020.
FUGA claims to be “the world’s largest full-service B2B music distributor” and states: website It works with “more than”. 1,000 Music rights holder”.
As a B2B service provider, the company offers custom, company-branded white label distribution and analytics dashboards as well as global physical distribution.
FUGA’s B2B customers also have access to marketing services, royalty accounting, UGC and rights management, and more.
Downtown Artist and Record Label Services
Downtown’s Artist and Label Services Department was established in April 2023. and leads ben patterson (Photo) He is serving as president..
that Artist and Record Label Services Department It was born in the downtown retail sector. Dash and goThe company previously said it was “essential” to its “core mission of empowering artists and building an equitable music ecosystem.”
Dash and go It was acquired in 2019 when Downtown acquired AVL Digital Group for approximately $200 million. 200 million dollars. Patterson founded DashGo in 2004.
Downtown says its Artist and Label Services segment’s clients include “professional artists and independent labels at the forefront of pop culture.”
The Artist and Label Services division was launched six months later. Downtown formed a department It is called ‘Downtown Music’, combining both global business and professional services.
curve royalty
Curve Royalty Systems is a royalty processing platform acquired by Downtown in January 2023.
Curve founder in May of this year tom allen was appointed president of a new division called Downtown Loyalty & Financial Services (DR&FS).
The division focuses on three core activities: Royalty processing (powered by the Curve platform), royalty accounting serviceand pay.
DR&FS has already been implemented through Via Curve. 1,000 He is represented by record labels and publishers around the world, including Domino, Defected, Epitaph, Mad Decent, Armada, Cloud9, Demon Music and Big Machine.
At launch, Downtown said the goal of its Royalties and Financial Services division was to “make payments faster and simpler across royalty services, accounting and rights for our 5,000+ business clients and 4 million+ artist relationships.”
cd baby
cd baby It is a downtown ‘Direct-to-Creator’ department led by the President. Molly Newman.
CD Baby became part of Downtown in 2019 with USD’s acquisition of AVL Digital Group and its portfolio of services for independent artists. 200 million dollars transaction.
Downtown then shifted from being a significant owner of music rights to focusing solely on its global services arm in early 2021, selling the catalog of 145,000 copyrights it owned to Concord for about a nickel. 400 million dollars.
operate cd baby Recently merged with DMH downtown music division. The move comes as part of DMH’s long-term plan to focus exclusively on the services sector.
Downtown announced in April that it had completed its strategy of consolidating its B2B and creator-focused businesses into a single operating company. As part of the integration, peter van rijn appointed CEO A treasure trove of Downtown Music Andrew BergmanCEO of Downtown Music Holdings.
Downtown Music Publishing
Downtown says its Music Publishing division, led by president Emily Stephenson (pictured), represents “nearly 100 years of popular music.”
The department’s clients include John Lennon & Yoko Ono, George Gershwin, Miles Davis, Wu-Tang Clan, and John Prine.
On Monday To quote an interview with Stevenson: billboard reported Downtown Music Publishing plans to create more than that. 200 million dollars Total revenue will increase in 2024 40% compared to the previous year.
that billboard The article noted that Downtown’s Music Publishing division manages: 1.5 million I own the copyright and distributed it through this. 100 million dollars With royalties Songtrust.
In August, Downtown Music Publishing signed a global deal with Double P Records, the label and imprint founded by George Prajin and Música Mexicana superstars. Peso Pluma.
Last September, DMP signed a global music publishing deal with PDU, the famous Italian singer’s record label and publisher. mina.
downtown neighborhood rights
Downtown Neighboring Rights is described as a “customized, customer relationship-driven copyright collection service for performers and rights holders.”
The department was launched in 2020 under the leadership of Dean Francis, General Manager. Superstar clients include: Lindsay buckingham (photo), those who signed in 2021, and more.
The division provides related rights collection and analysis services through direct partnerships with more than 50 debt collection and performing rights organizations around the world.
Downtown Neighboring Rights has signed numerous global agreements since the beginning of the year. The company announced an international neighboring rights agreement with singer-songwriter ANOHNI. manta ray Mercury Prize-winning album, i am new now – As well as global contracts with publishers and record labels position music and third brain record; Home of Brazilian producer Zerb Mwaki It ranked first on Spotify’s Viral 50 Global and second on the global Shazam chart.
sheer publishing africa
Headquartered in Johannesburg pure publishing It is said to be the largest independent music publisher on the African continent.
Downtown’s acquisition of the company in 2020 officially marks Downtown’s expansion into Africa.
Following the acquisition, Sheer continued to function as a standalone business within Downtown’s portfolio of music publishing, distribution, monetization, artist and label services businesses.
Established in 1996, Sheer maintains strong relationships with collection societies around the world and is a direct member of Africa-based royalty collection organizations including the South African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO), MCSK (Kenya) and COSON (Nigeria). .
Songtrust
Songtrust is claimed to be the world’s largest global royalty collection platform for songwriters and music publishers.
According to the company websiteIt manages more than 4 million songs more 445,000 songwriters, companies and rights holders All over the world.
Songtrust says it monitors, registers and collects publishing royalties. 65 global salary sources“It provides access to most of the world’s music markets. More than 240 countries and regions On behalf of our customers”.
pound.ee
pound.ee (apparent Foundy) is an advertising and digital marketing platform that provides artists, managers, and record labels with a variety of tools to build, target, and optimize promotional campaigns.
Downtown Music Holdings acquired the intellectual property and technology behind the Found.ee platform in 2021.
Downtown-owned CD Baby was a minority investor in Found.ee prior to the acquisition and was already using the platform to enhance the promotional and marketing capabilities available to CD Baby artists.
pound.ee says It is said that more than one person uses it 25,000 Creators from all over the world.
sound drop
sound drop This is a DIY music distribution service.
The platform was previously a division of AVL Digital, which Downtown Music Holdings acquired for $200 million in 2019.worldwide music business
