Publishing Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorDowntown Music Services has inked a global music publishing administration agreement with Brooklyn-based artist, composer and producer Daniel Lopatin, the company announced Wednesday.Lopatin, who records and performs as Oneohtrix Point Never, has released multiple albums and tracks over the years including his most recent project, “Magic Oneohtrix Point Never.”He also has collaborated extensively with the Weeknd over the past two years, serving as an executive producer on the recent “Dawn FM” album, and also was musical director of the artist’s 2021 Super Bowl Half Time performance. Earlier this year he completed work on his first full album production for another artist, Soccer Mommy’s upcoming album “Sometimes, Forever.” His production credits over the years also include David Byrne, Moses Sumney, Anohni and Charli XCX as well as collaborations with Iggy Pop, Rosalía, James Blake and Elizabeth Fraser.His original film scores include Josh and Benny Safdie’s “Uncut Gems” and “Good Time,” for which he received the Best Soundtrack Award at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.

EXCLUSIVE: Robert Downey Jr. has teamed with bestselling environmental author Thomas Kostigen to write Cool Food: Erasing Your Carbon Footprint One Bite at a Time. The book has been acquired by Blackstone Publishing’s president/CEO Josh Stanton. The actor/producer and Kostigen have written a book they say provides a smart, accessible, and game-changing roadmap to making climate-solving food choices. The deal marks the first major non-fiction book from Downey Jr., best known for his iconic turns as Iron-Man and Sherlock Holmes and partnering with wife Susan Downey in their Team Downey production label. Downey Jr. leaned into nutrition since early in his Marvel run to prepare for the rigors of that role. While there has been a preoccupation in Hollywood in cutting down carbon footprints, doing it through a diet seems an innovative wrinkle.

Thania Garcia Def Jam Record­ings celebrated Women’s History Month — in partnership with LUCID Motors — with a special event recognizing its own female staff. Held March 28 in Beverly Hills, “The Women of Def Jam” brought out the iconic label’s executive team, staff and VIP guests as well as artists like Kendra Jae, DaniLeigh, Pap Chanel, Nevaeh Jolie, Ilham and Kaash Paige, who joined a “Future Leaders” panel moderated by Variety executive editor Shirley Halperin.After closing statements from newly installed Def Jam chairman and CEO Tunji Balogun, the event concluded with a performance by Coco Jones, a new label signee and star of Peacock’s “Bel-Air.”Def Jam’s female execs were also celebrated earlier this month with the release of “The Women of Def Jam” — a 24-track compilation album showcasing music by Nikki D., Foxy Brown, Boss, Ashanti, Amerie, Teyana Taylor, Alessia Cara, Rapsody and Jhené Aiko, among others.

Shirley Halperin Executive Editor, MusicAudio content production studio Audio Up has signed a publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) that will identify and sign songwriters to create original music for the company’s stable of podcasts. In addition, Audio Up CEO Jared Gutstadt will be represented by UMPG as a songwriter and producer.Original music for podcasting, particularly in scripted programs, has been in greater demand as listening hours for the format continue to rise.

Swedish House Mafia have sold their master recordings and publishing rights to Pophouse Entertainment.The Swedish trio have struck a deal with the Stockholm-based entertainment company, which was co-founded in 2014 by ABBA‘s Björn Ulvaeus, over the rights to their back catalogue for an undisclosed fee.The deal also includes a full acquisition of the masters and publishing of Axwell & Ingrosso, the duo formed by SHM’s Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso.SHM and Pophouse will now form “a joint venture… to develop and amplify the Swedish House Mafia brand worldwide”.”Swedish House Mafia is a ground-breaking trio that brought club music to stadiums around the world, and they continue to pave the way in contemporary electronic and dance music,” Pophouse said in a statement. “We are so excited to be partnering with them to tell that story for generations to come.“While our landmark agreement with them involves the acquisition of the recordings and publishing of their back catalogue, it is our first-of-its-kind joint venture with the band’s members that exemplifies the types of partnerships we are pursuing in our targeted expansion.”SHM added in a statement: “It feels great for us to partner up with a company like Pophouse that will do much more than simply acquire our creative work.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPophouse Entertainment has acquired the master recordings and publishing of electronic music titans Swedish House Mafia, the company has announced. The Stockholm-based entertainment company, which was cofounded by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and is best known for endeavors such as the forthcoming “ABBA Voyage” show, virtual experiences and gaming, has acquired the masters and publishing (including their writer’s shares) of the trio’s back catalog, and will form a joint venture with its members to develop and amplify the Swedish House Mafia brand worldwide, according to the announcement.

Killer Mike has sold his entire song back catalogue as part of a new publishing deal with Reservoir Media.As Billboard reports, the agreement will see the independent publisher take a considerable stake in the discography of Run The Jewels – the rap duo comprised of Mike and El-P – as well as songs from the artist’s solo projects.In a statement about the new deal Killer Mike said: “A great publisher is a major key to success, and I’m excited to embark on this phase of my career with the dynamic team at Reservoir.”Faith Newman, executive VP of A&R and catalogue development at Reservoir, added: “Killer Mike has been a fixture of hip-hop for decades now, and both his past successes and upcoming music continue to push boundaries and address deeply meaningful topics.“Artists and visionaries of his calibre do not come around often, and we are grateful to be the publishing home for such a trailblazing creator.”Killer Mike has released four studio albums with Run The Jewels, the latest coming in the form of 2020’s ‘RTJ4’.The Atlanta rapper has also made five solo records: ‘Monster’ (2003), ‘I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind’ (2006), ‘I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind II’ (2008), ‘PL3DGE’ (2011) and ‘R.A.P. Music’ (2012).Additionally, he’s collaborated with the likes of Jay-Z, Outkast, T.I.

Keith Richards has said that The Rolling Stones have no plans to sell their publishing.His comments come as other veteran acts including Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Bruce Springsteen parted with their publishing catalogues recently for large payouts.Talking to CBS This Morning, Richards said: “Mick and I have not spoken about it on a serious level. I don’t know if we’re ready to sell our catalogue.“We might drag it out a bit, put some more stuff in it. The only thing about selling your catalogue…it’s a sign of getting old.”Elsewhere in the interview Richards reflected on the “shock” of losing drummer Charlie Watts last year.“I think he tried to keep [his health] under the wraps last year,” the guitarist said.

Shirley Halperin Executive Editor, MusicAton Ben-Horin is extending his tenure at Warner Music Group with a new title and just-announced publishing partnership. Although he’s been in the position for some time, it was made official today by Atlantic Records Group, which announced Ben-Horin’s promotion to executive VP, global A&R. Covering Atlantic, Elektra Music Group, Big Beat and other subsidiary labels, he’ll report to Atlantic chairman and CEO Craig Kallman and be based out of Los Angeles.In addition, Ben-Horin, who has long been a hitmaker executive, seasoned scout and producer, has launched a publishing partnership with Warner Chappell Music.

Sarah Jessica Parker, in partnership with independent publisher Zando, will launch her own imprint that will see the publishing of four to six books over a three-year span.

Write on! Britney Spears has inked a deal to pen a memoir after being released from her conservatorship last year, Us Weekly confirms.

J. Kim Murphy Britney Spears has landed a record-breaking publishing deal for a tell-all memoir, Variety has confirmed with a source close to Spears.Publishing house Simon & Schuster and Spears have secured a deal for the pop star’s memoir. The book will provide Spears’ accounts of and commentary on her rise to fame, her music career and her relationship with her family.Deal terms were not revealed, but an individual familiar with Spears tells Variety the deal is “record-breaking.” Page Six reports that the agreement is worth as much as $15 million and that Simon & Schuster reportedly emerged victorious after a bidding war involving multiple other publishers.Variety has reached out to Simon & Schuster for comment.

The Bodycoach Joe Wicks got told off after he climbed on a stack of books at his publishing company in Glasgow

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn a major move in the publishing world, Sony Music Publishing has announced the appointment of Walter Jones as executive vice president and head of A&R, effective February 22. In the role, he will oversee the company’s U.S.

Neil Young has spoken out over a developing conspiracy theory that his music publishing is overseen by pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer – the company behind one of the most widely-used COVID-19 vaccines.In a since-deleted letter posted to his Neil Young Archives website (as transcribed by Stereogum), Young addressed the circulated belief his views on vaccines were dictated to him by Pfizer – who, according to the conspiracy theory, own Young’s music publishing.The misunderstanding stems from the fact that a former CEO at Pfizer now serves as a senior advisor for asset manager Blackstone, which currently has a partnership with music publisher Hipgnosis – with whom Young presently works.Young described the conspiracy theory as “clever but wrong” in the letter, while also quipping “so much for Pharm Aid” – a reference to both the common conspiracy theory trope of “big pharma” and his own charity Farm Aid.“The publishing share Hipgnosis has in my copyrights is in the Hipgnosis Songs Fund, that is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange,” Young explained.“The Blackstone investment went into a separate Hipgnosis Private Fund, and none of that money was used for the Hipgnosis Songs Fund. Pfizer has not invested in Hipgnosis, but a past Pfizer CEO is a senior advisor for Blackstone.” The conspiracy theory is part of an ongoing conservative backlash against Young – most recently expressed by right-wing American rock musician Ted Nugent, who described Young as a “stoner birdbrain punk” for his recent protest against Spotify and Joe Rogan.Young removed his catalogue of albums from Spotify last month to protest the platform having Rogan’s podcast The Joe Rogan Experience as an exclusive to the service.

Following Deadline’s story about Michael Mann’s forthcoming prequel/sequel novel to his landmark film Heat — he cowrote the book with Edgar winner-Meg Gardiner — has quickly sold rights in major markets around the world. The novel, which hits bookstores August 9, has already sold in 13 major territories including Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Holland, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Brazil, Sweden, Czech Republic and the UK. The international rollout of Heat 2 is mirroring Harper Collins’ launch of Quentin Tarantino’s #1 bestselling novelization of his film Once Upon A Time…in Hollywood.

Sting’s only gone and sold his entire songs catalogue to the good old Universal Music Publishing Group. All of it. Police and solo.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAs long expected, Universal Music Publishing has acquired 17-time Grammy Award winner Sting’s career catalog of music. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but in recent months the artist was said to be seeking around $350 million.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWarner Music set a record for quarterly revenue in the fiscal first quarter that ended on Dec. 31, 2021, with $1.614 in revenue powered by a 31% increase in publishing revenue, 19% in recorded music and 21% in digital revenue.

Universal Music Publishing has signed Kieran Hebden, aka Four Tet, to a new global publishing deal as his legal dispute with former label Domino on the recordings side continues to go through the motions. Although the albums removed from the streaming services as part of that dispute are back online.“Four Tet has soundtracked my life from GCSE revision to dancefloors at university and now I get the pleasure to work with him”, says A&R Director at Universal’s publishing business, Pete Simmons.

Angelique Jackson The popular YouTube Originals series “Super Sema,” starring and executive produced by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, has appointed UTA as its North American licensing and publishing agency.UTA will work alongside global toy licensee Just Play to focus on retail initiatives and key partnerships in publishing, apparel, home and accessories for the program, which is the world’s first children’s animated series focused on an African kid superhero.The series follows the world-changing adventures of an extraordinary young African girl, Sema, and her twin brother MB, who are on a mission to protect their town Dunia from the villainous Tobor. Fueled by STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) superpowers, Sema knows that with determination and creativity, anything is possible.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSony Music Publishing has announced Songwriter Assistance, a new program that will provide its global roster of songwriters and composers with access to free, confidential counseling services and wellness resources.According to the announcement, starting February 1, Songwriter Assistance will offer 24/7 counseling support via global hotlines, as well as ongoing counseling services for emotional health matters such as stress, anxiety, depression, and family/relationship challenges.SMP songwriters will also have unlimited access to customized resources for tackling daily responsibilities such as researching childcare and eldercare options, navigating life transitions, co-parenting, budgeting for major life events, and more.In a letter to songwriters and composers announcing the program, Jon Platt, Chairman and CEO, Sony Music Publishing said, “We are committed to providing you with services that matter. The importance of wellness cannot be overstated, and with Songwriter Assistance, we look forward to offering a whole new level of care and support.”Amy Cranford, SMP senior VP of publishing administration, said, “We are passionate about taking care of Sony Music Publishing’s songwriters and composers and providing them with the best level of support.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPrimary Wave Music has expanded its partnership with long-running British group and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Def Leppard.The deal will see the company acquire an additional stake in the band’s music publishing catalog as well as master royalty income stream.Terms of the deal were not disclosed; many of the band’s biggest hits are included in deal, such as “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Rock of Ages” and “Photograph.”The band’s repertoire includes 11 studio albums, which have sold more than 110 million copies globally.The relationship between Primary Wave and Def Leppard began in 2009 with a deal to market and administer the band’s catalog of songs. Over the years the songs have been synced on a number of television shows, including “Cobra Kai,” “Hit the Floor,” “The Simpsons Guy,” “American Horror Story 1984” and more.

Following the release of his new album ‘The Boy Named If’ last week, Elvis Costello has announced that he has signed a new worldwide publishing deal with BMG. The company will administer his full catalogue, which is quite a lot of songs.

$300 million sale of his publishing catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group in late 2020.Sony did not disclose the terms of the deal, but Billboard magazine estimates that Dylan’s recordings are worth around $200 million based on the revenue they generated.The deal with Universal netted the singer-songwriter $300 million.Sony’s acquisition of Dylan’s recorded masters comes just a month after it paid a reported $500 million for Bruce Springsteen’s catalog.Other artists who have recently struck deals with BMG for the rights to their catalogs include John Legend, ZZ Top, Motley Crue, and Tina Turner.

John Stamos has published his eulogy to Full House costar Bob Saget, noting how “Bob was there for me like no other.”

PC. Today (January 20), the publisher revealed the first five of them, including Grapple Dog, Post Void, The Gecko Gods, Lone Ruin, and Completely Stretchy.Grapple Dog is a 2D pixel-art platformer from pixel art veteran Joseph Gribbin.

ZZ Top have sold their publishing rights and back catalogue. The 'La Grange' hitmakers - who have sold more than 50 million albums - have offloaded the assets to music company BMG and investment firm KKR to ensure their legacy will continue "for generations to come".

ZZ Top have sold all their publishing rights and back catalogue for an undisclosed fee.The group have sold both to BMG and investment firm KKR.While financial details for the deal were not disclosed, it’s expected to have attracted a multi-million dollar deal with the group having sold over 50million albums.The deal will cover all the “music interests” of ZZ Top.