The ghost of the 2000s lingers over the catalogue acquisition market

Sign up here for MIDiA’s Masterclass webinar on catalogue investment, this Thursday June 26, 2025, with Kriss Thakrar and Tatiana Cirisano. In the second quarter of 2025, a range of catalogue acquisition deals have broken the typical mould: Sony acquired Hipgnosis Songs Group from Recognition Music Group, and its Japan division acquired full rights to Spookiz animation franchise Create Music Group acquired K7! and Monstercat, and struck a JV with EZMNY Records Exceleration acquired Cooking Vinyl Concord acquired Broadway Licensing Global Pophouse acquired Swedish House Mafia’s label Axtone Reservoir launched PopIndia and made its first acquisition in Musicraft Chord Music Partners acquired Morgan Wallen’s label Big Loud for $200m Warner music acquired Zach Bryan’s catalog for $350m DJ Khaled struck a catalog and JV deal with Influence Media Taylor Swift got her masters back There is a clear theme with these deals – most are for labels or publishers rather than individuals.
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