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Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
Universal Publishing signs Roxette’s Per Gessle
By Chris Cooke | Published on Friday 4 August 2017
When is a worldwide deal not a worldwide deal? Am I a tedious pedant for thinking that you shouldn’t really use the term “worldwide deal” if you immediately add the word “excluding” after it? Because the minute you exclude anywhere, it’s not a worldwide deal any more, right? You’re nodding. Are you agreeing with me about the worldwide deal thing or that I’m a “tedious pedant”? No, actually, don’t tell me.
Anyway, Universal Music Publishing has signed a “worldwide deal” – wait for it – here it comes – are you ready? – enjoy it – “excluding the Nordic region and the Baltic states” – with Per Gessle off of Swedish pop rock combo Roxette. The administration deal covers all of Gessle’s songwriting work with Roxette and some other tunes too.
Confirming the deal, UMPG UK MD Mike McCormack said: “Roxette’s phenomenal song collection has a place in the hearts of music lovers across generations, with a longevity that has few comparisons”.
He went on: “Per wrote all of his and Roxette’s massive worldwide hits almost exclusively on his own, which is extremely rare in the pop marketplace where multiple writers are usually involved in each song. This gives the songs real personality and a sense of fun – and always with a killer chorus. We’re incredibly honoured and excited to have been selected to represent the catalogue”.
