SpiralFrog™ Signs Agreement with Warner/Chappell Music

SpiralFrog, the free ad-supported, Web-based music experience, and Warner/Chappell Music, the global music publishing arm of Warner Music Group Corp., announced an agreement to make the company’s catalog of music compositions available to complement SpiralFrog’s growing roster of audio and video content. (PR)

BMI Eyes Ringback Tones For Mobile Growth

BMI expects ringback tones to lead the way in mobile music growth this year as ringtone revenues begin to decline. The company projects ringback tones will exceed $210 million in U.S. sales in 2008, a 50% increase over 2007 estimated sales of $140 million. (Billboard)

EMI favourite to buy Chrysalis as Warner drops out of race

EMI last night edged closer to winning the auction for Chrysalis, one of Britain’s last big independent music groups, as it emerged that rival Warner Music had been sidelined. EMI’s bid for Chrysalis, first revealed by The Times, surprised the industry, as it came at a time of a restructuring and cost cuts. The auction is expected to see Chrysalis, including the independent Bug Music label, valued at about £170 million. (Times Online)

EMI considers expanding its library with £100m buyout of Boosey & Hawkes

EMI, the record group owned by Guy Hands' private equity firm Terra Firma, is eyeing up a £100m bid for classical sheet music publisher Boosey & Hawkes. A source close to EMI said that Boosey would appeal to the group as it would bolster its successful music publishing arm. Boosey owns rights to a who's who of 20th-century composers, including Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky, and signed jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis in January. (
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Chrysalis auction narrowed down to last four

Four bidders will enter the final phase of an auction for Chrysalis’s music publishing catalogue, according to people familiar with the process. The company is valued by analysts at between £160m and £170m ($310m-$330m). The bidders for Chrysalis Music – a catalogue that contains David Bowie and Ray LaMontagne – include EMI, Warner Chappell and Bug Music, a US minor label supported by Spectrum Equity Investors. (Financial Times)

Music Publishers Sue Online Music Service MediaNet

Several members of the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) on Wednesday filed a class action copyright infringement lawsuit against MediaNet, a company that powers digital music services for Microsoft, Yahoo, MTV and others, claiming they failed to obtain proper licenses for use of songwriters' and publishers' works. MediaNet Digital (formerly called MusicNet) was originally formed in 2001 by several major record labels in partnership with AOL and RealNetworks, and later sold to private equity firm Baker Capital in 2005. (DigitalMediaWire)

CRB Denies DiMA Legal Question Request

The Copyright Royalty Board today rejected a request by the Digital Media Assn. to have the Register of Copyrights decide whether interactive streams should fall under a compulsory license, Billboard.biz has learned. The order came during the initial trial phase of the hearing process, which began in 2006, to set rates for mechanical and digital deliveries of compositions that fall under section 115 of the Copyright Act, known as the compulsory mechanical license provision. (Billboard)

Warner/Chappell Music Signs New Worldwide Publishing Agreement With Songwriter, Producer and Singer Barry Gibb

Warner/Chappell Music, the global music publishing arm of Warner Music Group Corp., announced a worldwide publishing agreement with Grammy Award-winning producer, hit songwriter and singer, Barry Gibb. As both leading member of the Bee Gees and the co-writer of the group's remarkable body of work, Gibb has been awarded seven Grammys and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with his brothers in 1997. (Market Wire)

Guy Hands joins music industry rivals in bid battle for Chrysalis

Guy Hands, the chairman of EMI, is planning to make a second-round bid for Chrysalis by today's deadline. Others considering second-round bids for Chrysalis, which owns the music publishing rights to artists such as Blondie and much of David Bowie's early work, include Warner Chappell and Sony ATV. (Times Online, Reuters)

Huge Entertainemt wins EMI task

EMI Music Publishing has selected digital entertainment firm Huge Entertainment to help expand its digital music services. The joint venture style partnership with Huge Entertainment will enable it to expand its income streams through maximising the potential offered by digital platforms such as online, mobile and digital television. (Net Imperative)

Universal, Sony BMG Team on Digital Licensing in Asia

Universal Music Publishing Group and major record label Sony BMG on Tuesday announced a digital licensing agreement for the Southeast Asia and India markets, in some areas creating licensing rules in countries where none previously existed. the deal covers audio and video downloads, streaming and subscription services, and mobile products including ringtones and video; it does not cover the countries of Japan and Korea, where deals were already in place. (DigitalMediaWire)

Music publishing thrives thanks to back catalogues while sales fall on recording side

Music publishing, which generates revenues when songs are sold or played, has raised its turnover significantly over the past decade, according to a report from Informa Telecoms & Media. In 2006, publishing made up 41% of total music revenues of $12.7bn (£6.4bn) from publishing and recording combined, according to the research firm. Publishing's share of revenues was up markedly on 29%, or $3.6bn, a decade earlier. In the same period, recorded music revenues fell 17% from $9bn to $7.5bn. (The Guardian)

Sides chosen in royalty tussle

Music publishers, the record labels and digital music distribution outlets began a three-way legal wrestling match Monday over just how much songwriters and the publishing houses should get paid for digitally delivered music. At issue is the so-called "mechanical royalty" -- payments made for copies of sound recordings, including those made by digital means, to songwriters and publishers. (Hollywood Reporter)

Universal cements music publishing lead: report

Universal Music's publishing division has overtaken EMI as the world's leading major music publisher, according to market research on Monday. Music & Copyright (M&C), which is published by Informa said Universal's market share among major music groups rose to 24 percent in 2007 from 11.9 percent a year earlier. (Reuters)

Sony/ATV Inks Flo Rida

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with Flo Rida. The deal includes the songwriter-artist's hit single "Low" featuring T-Pain as well as his interest in songs on the upcoming debut album "Mail On Sunday" (Altantic). (Billboard)

EMI, Warner submit Chrysalis bids

EMI, under its new owner Guy Hands, has tabled an indicative bid for British music firm Chrysalis, sources involved in the situation said on Friday. Hands faces competition as Chrysalis has also received indicative bids from several other groups including Warner Chappell, the music publishing unit of Warner Music, said the sources. Chrysalis sold its radio assets last year to focus on its music publishing and recording business and it said in December that it was in preliminary discussions with "select parties" which could lead to an offer. (Reuters)

Canadian Publishers May Appeal Block On 'iPod Tax'

Collecting society the Canadian Private Copying Collective says it may appeal against a court ruling which has blocked its efforts to obtain compensation for music creators through extending Canada's private-copying levy to cover "digital audio recorders." In a statement, the CPCC said it could still take the matter to the Supreme Court of Canada. Labels body the Canadian Recording Industry Assn. was among the bodies opposed to the levy. (Billboard)

Harry Fox Agency Eases Songfile Licensing

The Harry Fox Agency has upgraded its Songfile online mechanical licensing service to accommodate requests for smaller uses. Companies and individuals may now license compositions for as few as 25 units -- CDs, DPDs (e.g., downloads) and other formats -- rather than paying for a minimum of 150 DPDs or 250 CDs, cassettes or LPs. HFA intends the adjustment to especially help musicians who need to license cover versions of songs and plan to make and distribute no more than 2,500 units. HFA has also added electronic checks as a Songfile payment option. (Billboard)

Sony/ATV Stops Future Licensing of Digital Services

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has instructed the Harry Fox Agency today to stop all future licensing of any of the publisher's repertoire for streaming or limited downloads, Billboard.biz has learned. The move is in response to the Digital Media Assn.'s motion filed yesterday with the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB). In the motion, DiMA argues that an interactive stream is not a digital phonorecord delivery (DPD) and, therefore, should not have to be licensed for reproduction. Music services like RealNetwork's Rhapsody, Napster and MediaNet (formerly known as MusicNet) should be impacted. (Billboard)