Universal Music Publishing Group

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is a North American music publishing company and is part of the Universal Music Group, a subsidiary of Vivendi and Tencent. It was formerly known as MCA Music Publishing until it merged with PolyGram.

Universal Music Publishing Group
IndustryMusic industry
PredecessorBMG Music Publishing
PolyGram Music Publishing
MCA Music Publishing
Founded
  • 1972
  • 1998 (Name change)
Headquarters
Santa Monica, California
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
ServicesMusic publishing
ParentUniversal Music Group
Divisions
Websitewww.umusicpub.com

Universal Music Publishing is the world's second largest music publishing company, behind Sony/ATV Music Publishing.[1] UMPG's catalogue consists of over three million songs, with offices in over 30 countries.

History

In 1998, Seagram acquired PolyGram for $10.4 billion.[2] PolyGram's music business was merged into Seagram's MCA Records, forming a new company named Universal Music Group. The merger also included both record labels' music publishers.[3] The PolyGram catalog included Dick James Music, Welk Music, Cedarwood Publishing, and Sweden Music.[4] MCA had been in the music publishing business since 1964, when it acquired Lou Levy's Leeds Music.[5]

In August 2000, UMPG acquired Rondor Music from Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss for roughly $400 million. The purchase added 60,000 copyrights to Universal's library.[6]

In 2006, Universal Music Publishing Group acquired BMG Music Publishing from Bertelsmann Music Group for €1.63 billion, back then the third largest publishing group in the world, making Universal Music the largest music publisher in the world. As part of the acquisition of BMG Music Publishing, Universal divested the catalogues of Zomba UK (and the European rights to Zomba USA), Rondor UK, 19 Music and BBC to a new company named Imagem (now part of Concord Music Publishing).[7]

On May 7, 2013, UMPG acquired American music publisher Criterion Music Corporation.[8]

On January 1, 2015, Jody Gerson was named the Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, becoming the first female to run a major music publishing company.[9] On December 3, 2015, she was named Executive of the Year by Billboard Magazine in its Women in Music issue.[10] Sony/ATV Music Publishing overtook Universal Music Publishing as the world's largest music publisher in 2013 after acquiring EMI Music Publishing.[11]

Services

UMPG administers the 60,000 title Rondor Music Catalog and also owns or administers a multitude of others including: Interscope and Def Jam Music, WildBrain, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, All Nations Music, Charlie Daniels, Casa Ricordi, Matraca Berg, DreamWorks Animation, HBO, ViacomCBS (excluding Showtime Networks), Warner Bros., Sesame Street, Lionsgate,[12] Disney Music Group,[13] Forerunner Music, Epitaph Records, Greenwich/Barry, Momentum Publishing, and John Philips. UMPG also owns or administers the works of Leonard Bernstein and Henry Mancini (non-USA), and Dsign Music.

References
  1. "First-Quarter Music Publishing Rankings: SONGS Surges Again". billboard.com. 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  2. "Seagram buys PolyGram from Philips for $10.6bn". independent.co.uk. May 22, 1998. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  3. Inc, CMJ Network (March 22, 1999). "CMJ New Music Report". CMJ Network, Inc. Retrieved April 4, 2018 – via Google Books.
  4. Hardy, Phil (March 17, 2014). Nickels & Dimes: Music Publishing & It's Administration in the Modern Age. Omnibus Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-85712-877-5.
  5. "MCA BUYS LEEDS, MUSIC PUBLISHER; Entertainment Concern Gets Assets and Copyrights". The New York Times. November 26, 1964. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  6. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB96526637561965417
  7. "European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - Mergers: Commission approves Universal's proposed takeover of BMG's music publishing business, subject to commitments". europa.eu. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  8. https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/1560770/universal-music-publishing-acquires-criterion-music
  9. "No. 8: Jody Gerson - Power 100". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  10. "Women in Music 2015: Jody Gerson Named Executive of the Year". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  11. "Zach Horowitz Appointed Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group | Billboard". Billboard.biz. April 18, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  12. "Lionsgate & UMPG Sign Exclusive Long-Term Agreement". Billboard. August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  13. "UMPG and Disney Music Publishing partnership goes global". musicweek.com. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
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