peermusic ventures into neighbouring rights with strategic acquisitions

By Emmanuel Legrand

US independent music publishing company peermusic has become overnight one of the leading independent neighbouring rights companies in the world with the acquisition of three companies, Premier Muzik, All Right Music and Global Master Rights.

  Combined, these companies represent over 300 labels and over 2,500 recording artists such as Rihanna, Billie Eilish, Imagine Dragons, DJ Snake, Metallica, Jacques Brel, Jean-Michel Jarre, Leonard Bernstein, Megan Thee Stallion, Finneas, Lady A, Lang Lang, Lizzo, Panic! At The Disco, Migos, and David Guetta, among others. Neighbouring rights are attached to recordings and generate revenues when recordings are played on the radio or used in public spaces. It has become a multi-billion global business, benefiting record labels and performers.

  Following discussions initiated by peermusic Chair and CEO Ralph Peer, II with All Right Music's Christophe Piot, the deal was negotiated by peermusic Deputy CEO Mary Megan Peer. “Neighbouring rights are something we’ve been interested in for a long time," said Ralph Peer, II, "but we wanted to be sure that when we expanded our business into that space we could offer the same high level of service and technology that peermusic is known for. This remarkable series of deals that Mary Megan put together accomplishes that, and I’m excited for the value it will bring our clients."

An independent mindset

  The new entity will combine the staff and services of all four companies. peermusic, which did not have neighbouring rights staff prior to the deal, plans to retain the staff of the existing companies with support from key peermusic staff in technology, finance and legal. All three acquired firms will continue to operate under their current names while identifying as peermusic companies, such as “Premier Muzik, peermusic neighbouring rights."

  They will continue to operate with their management out of their respective offices: Premier Muzik in Canada, with Gino Olivieri and Gino Crescenza, All Right Music in France with Piot, and Global Master Rights in the Netherlands, with Erik Veerman and Paul Smelt. All three companies were already previously functioning as an informal network of neighbouring rights administrators.

  peermusic said the four companies "share an independent mindset, client focus and commitment to technological excellence in order to deliver top tier client service." It added that rather than competing for market share, this new neighbouring rights entity is focused on delivering "the most royalties to their clients with the support of best-in-class technology and attention to the creative process." 



  “Given the challenging market artists and songwriters currently face, I’m happy to be able to offer our clients new revenue opportunities through neighbouring rights services. Premier Muzik, All Right Music and Global Master Rights are first-class organisations and we’re very fortunate that peermusic can draw on the knowledge, experience, and leadership of Christophe, Gino, Gino, Erik and Paul,” said Mary Megan Peer (pictured, above).

  Piot commented: “I have known peermusic for quite a long time and have been able to connect with their colleagues around the world. They all share the same model of transparency and integrity we offer to our clients, so we are thrilled to make use of their global platform to offer more extensive services to our worldwide clients."

  All Right Music was founded by in 2004. Olivieri launched Premier Muzik in 1989, and was joined by Crescenza in 2000. Veerman and Smelt used to work for Dutch neighbouring rights organisation SENA before co-founding Global Master Rights in 2014.