Music Publishing News Roundup 10.19.16
Legendary British songwriter Rod Temperton has passed away at age 66. Often referred to as “The Invisible Man,” Temperton’s catalog includes many of Michael Jackson’s classic hit, such as “Thriller,” “Off the Wall,” and “Rock With You,” as well as songs performed by Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, and Quincy Jones.
Jon Platt, Chairman & CEO of Warner/Chappell where Temperton signed his catalog in July announced his passing on October 5 saying, “His family is devastated and request total privacy at this, the saddest of sad times.”
• The Sony Corp. has finalized its acquisition of the Michael Jackson estate’s share of Sony/ATV Publishing, giving it sole ownership of the company. The acquisition does not include the Jackson estate’s interest in other music assets, such as all of Jackson’s master recordings as well as Mijac Music, the publishing company that owns all of the songs written by Jackson as well as some of his favorite songwriters. Sony/ATV chairman/CEO Martin Bandier stated that the deal “marks the start of an exciting new chapter in our proud history and we cannot wait to get started as a 100% Sony-owned company.”
• The Music Week Sync Awards have announced the finalists in the 19 categories for this year’s event. Scheduled to take place on October 20 at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London, the awards will showcase the best and most successful sync placements across film, TV, videos games, and online, and will be voted on by a series of judging panels comprising of professionals from across the industry. Nominees include major labels and publishers as well as independent and up-and-coming talent.
