Photo Credit: Logan Voss
Let the catalog funding commitments continue: Warner Music Group (WMG) has launched a $1.2 billion IP-focused joint venture with Bain Capital.
The major label and the Boston-headquartered investment firm unveiled their song rights JV today. With each party putting up “equal equity commitments” – $600 million apiece, that is – the capital will reach “legendary music catalogs” on the recording and publishing sides alike.
Beyond those top-level particulars (also, Goldman and Fifth Third are aboard as co-lead arrangers), the involved entities didn’t disclose too many details. Both Bain and Warner Music “will together source and acquire the catalogs,” per the formal announcement, with the major rather unsurprisingly handling “all aspects of marketing, distribution, and administration.”
In a statement, Warner Music head Robert Kyncl touted the tie-up’s perceived ability to render his company “the destination of choice for preeminent catalogs.”
“Iconic artists and songwriters choose WMG to grow their legacies and introduce their art to new generations through impactful and innovative campaigns,” Kyncl relayed in full. “Augmenting our deep expertise and global infrastructure with Bain Capital’s financial prowess and belief in music will make us the destination of choice for preeminent catalogs.”
Meanwhile, Bain partner Angelo Rufino, previously a Primary Wave director, applauded WMG as “the ideal partner…to work alongside as we grow and safeguard the world’s iconic music.”
Bigger picture, it’s now been 11 months since Warner Music tapped Goldman vet Michael Ryan-Southern to ramp up its acquisition strategy.
Subsequently, the major’s landgrab brought Cloud 9 (meaning the label) under the WMG banner, with the current year having kicked off with agreements for the DWA and Extravaganza catalogs. Also during 2025, Sua Música-partnered WMG has scooped up (via ADA) RSDL.io and started looking to existing holdings for investment opportunities.
On the latter front, Warner Music in February went ahead and upped its controlling stake in Africori to full ownership. That same month saw the company secure a majority interest in Tempo Music, the separate catalog JV it launched with Providence Equity Partners in late 2019. (WMG has the option of buying the remainder of Tempo by 2027’s end.)
Of course, Warner Music isn’t alone in letting the acquisitions fly. June delivered plays from Suno (for WavTool), Sony Music (the “Spookiz” franchise), Secretly Group execs (half of Merge Records), Anthem (Marty Robbins’ catalog), MNRK (Prosthetic Records), Exceleration (Cooking Vinyl), Concord (RKO), AEG Presents (Gary Musick Productions), Primary Wave (The Cars’ artist royalties), Seated’s co-founders, Fever (Dice), Tencent Music (Ximalaya), and VNYL (Vinyl Me, Please).
Nevertheless, the acquisition space hasn’t been entirely without friction; Universal Music’s proposed Downtown buyout is facing a European Commission review.
Investor + VC Financing, Mergers and Acquisitions, Music Industry News
This post was originally authored and published by Dylan Smith Digital Music News via RSS Feed. Join today to get your news feed on Nationwide Report®.
