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Sony Music Publishing

Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is the largest music publisher in the world, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021. US-based, it is part of the Sony Music Group,[1] which is itself owned by Sony Entertainment. The company was formed as Sony/ATV in 1995 by the merger of the original incarnation of Sony Music Publishing and ATV Music, which was owned by late entertainer Michael Jackson. Jackson had purchased ATV Music, which included the Lennon–McCartney song catalog, in 1985.

Formerly

Associated Television (1955–1988)
CBS Music Publishing (1988–1995)
Sony/ATV Music Publishing (1995–2021)

ATV Music
Sony Music Publishing (original)

1955 (1955)

25 Madison Avenue,

,
United States

In 2012, an investor consortium led by Sony/ATV Music Publishing acquired EMI Music Publishing to become the largest music publishing administrator in the world, with a library of over three million songs.


In April 2019, Jon Platt became CEO/Chairman of Sony/ATV Music Publishing after the contract of longtime CEO/Chairman Martin Bandier expired.[2] In August 2019, management of Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Sony Music Entertainment were merged under the newly formed Sony Music Group.[1]

History of the first incarnation of Sony Music Publishing[edit]

Sony, which sought to diversify into music, films and games, acquired CBS Records Inc. in January 1988, and was later renamed as Sony Music Entertainment Inc. in January 1991. Shortly after the acquisition by Sony a music publishing division, CBS Music Publishing, was formed.[20] CBS Records' previous publishing division, CBS Songs, had been sold to SBK Entertainment in 1986, and SBK ended being sold to EMI in 1989.[21] Looking for further opportunities, Sony aimed to expand its music publishing interests. CBS Records acquired the Nashville music publisher Tree International Publishing in 1989.[22] In addition to publishing agreements with Sony Music recording artists, further acquisitions included the Fred Fisher publishing catalog of 3,000 songs and Nile Rodgers' Chic Music, Inc.[23]

Valuation[edit]

Relevant value[edit]

A recent and relevant valuation is tied to Sony's acquisition of Jackson estate's stake in the company, completed on September 30, 2016[53][58] for $750 million. This values Sony/ATV at between $2.2 to $2.4 billion (including debt).

Previous estimates[edit]

Before the 2016 transaction with Sony, the reported value of Sony/ATV Music Publishing has varied across time and sources. Such valuations are uncertain, as illustrated by their wide variations, given a lack of actual transactions.

List of Sony Music Publishing artists

Hickory Records

Guest, Lynton (2006). The Trials of Michael Jackson. Aureus Publishing.  1-899750-40-1.

ISBN

(2004). Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness. Terra Alta, WV: Headline. ISBN 9781559720649.

Taraborrelli, J. Randy

Official website