Music Deals -- Week 21 2021

Electronic music digital marketplace Beatport has sealed a partnering with crypto currency marketplace Crypto.com to serve as the payment gateway for its customer​-​facing Bitcoin product, launching in June. Hong Kong-based Crypto.com is a payment and cryptocurrency platform that ​lets users buy, sell, and pay with crypto.​ ​“Beatport’s core ethos of empowering artists to share their work directly with fans digitally is a shared mission here at Crypto.com. We’re excited to collaborate with them on this drop to expand what’s possible in the world of NFTs​,​"​ said​ Joe Conyers III, EVP, Global Head of NFTs for Crypto.com​.

Paris-based digital distribution company Believe and its affiliate TuneCore, a service company for independent artists, have signed a licensing deal with YouTube covering the use of music on the platform's short video service Shorts. The deal covers the US and India where the service has been beta-launched. YouTube already has deals in place for Shorts with Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group's recording and publishing divisions, and with some 250 labels. “Just as TuneCore democratised music distribution, short form videos and social media are levelling the playing field for music discovery, turning everyday fans into tastemakers and giving them the power to make songs into hits,” said TuneCore's Co-head and Chief Revenue Officer Andreea Gleeson.

Royalty-free licensing platform Soundstripe has inked a deal with Virgin Red, a new rewards club offering exclusive access to rewards across the Virgin Group and other brands. Under the new deal, Soundstripe will provide a licensed music solution for Virgin Red’s marketing team, enabling them to create videos and marketing materials featuring high-quality content. Kelly Best, CMO at Virgin Red said: “Licensing music and other media for our campaigns is extremely complex, and we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to showcase the breadth of rewards within the Virgin Red program and the benefits to our members. With Soundstripe, we can now realise our full creative vision, without needing to delve into complicated licensing discussions.”

Australia-based database of official music credits Jaxsta has made a partnership with The Australian Institute of Music (AIM), which will provide Jaxsta’s official credit data as a credible academic research tool and teaching aid for undergraduate and postgraduate studies. "This use of Jaxsta as an academic research tool reflects Jaxsta’s status as the world’s go-to source of authoritative official music credit information," said the company in a statement. Jaxsta will also create a supply chain to ensure that AIM students who release music while studying at AIM have their credits ingested into Jaxsta. 

Short video app TikTok has partnered with satellite radio service SiriusXM and music streaming service Pandora, both owned by Liberty Media. The agreement includes the "roll-out of new and innovative content across each of their platforms." "Creating listener experiences curated specifically for each platform’s loyal fans will allow TikTok, SiriusXM, and Pandora to deliver access to groundbreaking programming, exclusive performances, special events, and some of music’s top and emerging talent," said the companies in a statement. SiriusXM will launch TikTok Radio, a full-time music channel featuring the trending sounds from TikTok. Pandora is launching a series of exclusive hosted playlists featuring popular TikTok creators. TikTok users will also have access to select re-airings of Pandora’s original events series, Pandora LIVE. "TikTok is redefining the way that fans discover music and artists, while enabling a new form of musical engagement and creative expression,'' said Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music at TikTok. "We are excited to work with SiriusXM on TikTok Radio and to bring TikTok creators to Pandora to make the trends, music, and creative influences that are playing such a defining role in modern culture even more accessible.

HITCO Entertainment, the company co-founded by L.A Reid and Charles Goldstuck, has taken a minority stake in Sweden-based fan-funding service Corite. As part of the agreement, HITCO will work with Corite to launch the platform in the US. Goldstuck will also take a seat on the Board of Corite. Corite was co-founded by former Universal Music Sweden executives Mattias Tengblad, who serves as CEO, and Emil Angervall, who is COO. “The collaboration fostered by Corite between artists and the fan community points to the next chapter in the evolution of the music experience," said Goldstuck. “Our alliance with Corite strengthens our commitment to the independent artist and fan communities."

Investment firm Aser Ventures has made a strategic investment in digital marketing agency Creed Media. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Aser Ventures said the investment in Creed Media will strengthen its its marketing, digital and social media capabilities. The company has stakes in NEO Studios, Italian digital and social media agency Hellodi, communications agency HAPPING and sports and media company Team Whistle. Stockholm-based Creed Media was founded by Timothy Collinsand Hugo Leprince in 2018. It operates in Sweden, Canada and in the United States. Creed Media creates campaign to promote content on platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, among others. “Timothy and Hugo have created something special in Creed Media," said Andrea Radrizzani, Founder and Chairman, Aser Ventures. “They have a deep understanding of the platforms and culture that excite young audiences and they have built a business with the potential to continue to grow rapidly."

Nashville-based independent music publisher Big Machine Music has signed an exclusive songwriting agreement with US songwriter Sara Davis. She has collaborated with the likes of Atlantic Records artist GAYLE, Track 45’s KK, and Ben Johnson and Marisa Maino. “The only thing more infectious than Sara’s enthusiasm and energy is her talent,” said BMM General Manager Mike Molinar.

Independent music company Reservoir has renewed its global publishing deal with British songwriter and producer Jamie Hartman. The company has represented Hartman's works since 2012, and will continue to represent his entire catalogue under the new deal. Hartman is now based out of Nashville, and works with Reservoir’s global Creative team: Reservoir UK Managing Director and Global Strategic Liaison Annette Barrett in London, Reservoir EVP, Global Creative Director Donna Caseine in Los Angeles and Reservoir EVP, Creative John Ozier in Nashville.

Sony Music Publishing UK has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Scottish band Del Amitri. The agreement covers the band’s entire catalogue, as well as future works. “The Dels are delighted to have found such a powerful and proactive home for our catalogue of sometimes maudlin but often effervescent tunes at Sony publishing," said Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie. 

Sony Music Publishing Nashville has renewed its worldwide deal with songwriter Jon Nite, who songs have been performed by Brett Young, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert, among others. This agreement extends Nite’s relationship with the company, which began in 2009.