Hipgnosis news

Hipgnosis acquisition further expands Sony’s publishing dominance, though Cooking Vinyl stays indie with Exceleration Music deal

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Hipgnosis • 4 min read

Hipgnosis acquisition further expands Sony’s publishing dominance, though Cooking Vinyl stays indie with Exceleration Music deal

Two more acquisitions in the music rights business. Sony has bought one of the Hipgnosis catalogues that wasn’t included when the rest of Hipgnosis revamped as the Recognition Music Group in March. Meanwhile Cooking Vinyl has been bought, but will stay indie, being acquired by Exceleration Music…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jun 2025

Barry Manilow tells London judge bonus dispute with Hipgnosis should be fought out in LA

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Barry Manilow • 2 min read

Barry Manilow tells London judge bonus dispute with Hipgnosis should be fought out in LA

Barry Manilow and Hipgnosis are involved in a legal dispute over bonus payments stemming from a 2020 deal. Both have filed lawsuits, Manilow in LA and Hipgnosis in London. Manilow last week told a London judge that, under his Hipgnosis deal, he gets to decide where the litigation is fought out…

Chris Cooke • 25 Feb 2025

Hipgnosis is back, groaning with cash and looking to go shopping

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Hipgnosis • 3 min read

Hipgnosis is back, groaning with cash and looking to go shopping

Everyone’s favourite elephant is back in town. Ditching the denim, Hipgnosis has put on a suit, brushed its hair and sat down with the big boys of finance, resulting in an investment grade megabond issue where a bunch of music rights will pay out your pension in years to come…

Sam Taylor • 12 Nov 2024

Hipgnosis “fraudulently induced” Barry Manilow to sell his artist royalties with “false promises”

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Barry Manilow • 4 min read

Hipgnosis “fraudulently induced” Barry Manilow to sell his artist royalties with “false promises”

Hipgnosis promised it could spark a “Copacabana dance trend” on TikTok - one of many “false promises” the company made when it snapped up rights to revenues from Barry Manilow’s recordings - and now owes Manilow $1.5 million in bonus payments, according to a lawsuit filed by the singer…

Chris Cooke & Sam Taylor • 02 Sep 2024

The votes are counted, and the Hipgnosis deal is done… there’s just one more thing

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Hipgnosis • 4 min read

The votes are counted, and the Hipgnosis deal is done… there’s just one more thing

Following the restructure of Universal Music in the US, the UK division of the major has announced similar changes, with most of its frontline labels reorganised into two groups. There will also be a new Audience & Media division. The restructure will mean job losses, though we don’t know how many…

Sam Taylor • 09 Jul 2024

Merck Mercuriadis to exit Hipgnosis - hints at global songwriter advocacy initiative

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Merck Mercudiadis • 2 min read

Merck Mercuriadis to exit Hipgnosis - hints at global songwriter advocacy initiative

With a key vote to decide the future of Hipgnosis Songs Fund just days away, Hipgnosis founder Merck Mercuriadis has announced that he will step down from SONG’s investment adviser Hipgnosis Song Management at the end July when Blackstone’s proposed acquisition of SONG closes…

Sam Taylor • 02 Jul 2024

Are hedge funds betting against Blackstone’s Hipgnosis deal?

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Hipgnosis • 6 min read

Are hedge funds betting against Blackstone’s Hipgnosis deal?

When you’re living in a state of Hipgnosis, nothing is real until it's real. Just days away from the finish line, could Blackstone’s bid for Hipgnosis Songs Fund be blocked by a handful of well-dressed muggers looking to pluck a few more quid from the gazillionaire private equity fund’s wallet?…

Sam Taylor • 28 Jun 2024

Blackstone has found another $12 million down the back of the sofa to sweeten its $1.6 billion Hipgnosis deal

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Hipgnosis • 4 min read

Blackstone has found another $12 million down the back of the sofa to sweeten its $1.6 billion Hipgnosis deal

$12 million is nothing when you’re Blackstone - even if you are basically bidding against yourself. When the red mist sets in, any price is a good price. And when a scheme of arrangement is involved, doubly so. City gibberish? Perhaps. More drama? Definitely!…

Sam Taylor • 03 Jun 2024

Blackstone upstages Concord with $1.30 Hipgnosis Songs Fund bid

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Hipgnosis • 2 min read

Blackstone upstages Concord with $1.30 Hipgnosis Songs Fund bid

Another day and another revised bid for SONG. Blackstone has upped its offer, SONG’s board recommends the offer, so we can all rest tight. Until tomorrow. When will this all end? Are we really going to have to ensure another month of this?…

Sam Taylor • 29 Apr 2024

Setlist Podcast: Hipgnosis v Hipgnosis - the saga continues…

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Setlist • 6 min read

Setlist Podcast: Hipgnosis v Hipgnosis - the saga continues…

The big Hipgnosis bidding war, the Co-op Live arena's struggles to open, and more…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 26 Apr 2024

To the moon! Concord reaches for the high notes as it ups its SONG bid to $1.25

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Hipgnosis • 5 min read

To the moon! Concord reaches for the high notes as it ups its SONG bid to $1.25

Luccia Di Lammermoor opened in Covent Garden last week. If you didn’t get tickets don’t worry: there’s a piece of opera every bit as dramatic - and as likely to end in a bloodbath - playing out as Concord and Blackstone look set to fight to the bitter end in the Hipgnosis Songs Fund takeover race…

Sam Taylor • 24 Apr 2024

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Hipgnosis • 7 min read

The state of Hipgnosis

Have you ever dropped something - an entire bowl of trifle, for example - only to catch it before it hits the floor, your split second reactions kicking in as though time had slowed down? When time turns to treacle, normal things can lose all meaning. Welcome to the state of Hipgnosis.…

Sam Taylor • 23 Apr 2024