Source: Fortune
Summary
HarbourView Equity Partners has acquired the publishing rights to two of Taylor Swift’s chart-topping singles, “Style” and “Ready for It”, co-written by Max Martin and Shellback, in a deal reportedly worth a low nine-figure range. The acquisition gives HarbourView the slice of copyright that Max Martin and Shellback have as co-writers, allowing the company to profit from royalties. The deal reflects the three-tiered moneymaking potential of publishing rights: public performances, streaming services, and one-time commercial licensing.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
The deal highlights the value of publishing rights, with HarbourView acquiring a slice of copyright that will generate royalties from public performances, streaming services, and commercial licensing. Max Martin and Shellback’s “mature” catalog, with decades of hit songs, trades at a higher multiple due to its certain returns. The acquisition also simplifies licensing for films, TV shows, and commercials. HarbourView’s motive is clear: to tap into the steady income stream from Swift’s hits.
What’s left unsaid is that Swift’s co-writers just sold a piece of her success to a private equity firm.
Author: Evan Null
