On 22 November The Music Sales Group (MSG) completed the acquisition of Paris-based publishing house Le Chant du Monde from [PIAS].
This deal means that MSG acquires a substantial catalogue of French and Russian copyrights including works by Honegger, Milhaud, Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Khachaturian, as well as a roster of contemporary composers including Nicolas Bacri, Oscar Strasnoy and Ramon Lazkano.
Le Chant du Monde was established in Paris by Leon Moussinac in 1938 and has played a prominent part in French musical life for the past eighty years.
[PIAS], which acquired Le Chant du Monde as part of its acquisition of Harmonia Mundi in 2015, will retain ownership of Le Chant du Monde’s recorded music assets.
Music Sales’ Head of Publishing Chris Butler said:
‘We are delighted to have made this strategic acquisition which enhances our position in the European publishing market. Le Chant du Monde has an illustrious history and we look forward to it continuing to play a major role in the classical music sector.’
Kenny Gates, CEO of [PIAS] comments:
‘We take our responsibilities as the guardians of Harmonia Mundi and its associated companies very seriously and it was imperative therefore that when we were considering bids to acquire Le Chant du Monde that it would be a good fit for them moving forward. Music Sales Group have a great reputation in the music publishing world and have proven themselves to be respectful and sensitive to the needs of composers while also understanding how to enhance the value and exposure of the copyrights they represent.’
About Music Sales
The Music Sales Group is one of the world’s largest independent music publishers with offices in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Madrid, Copenhagen and Sydney. The Chant du Monde transaction continues the Group’s long established strategy of acquiring niche publishing catalogues in all territories and consolidates Music Sales’ position as the premier publisher of 20th century and contemporary classical music.
musicsales.com
About [PIAS]
Founded in Belgium by Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot in 1982 [PIAS] is one of the world’s leading independent music companies. [PIAS] has 3 core divisions: Play it Again Sam, a record label that signs and develops artists, [PIAS] Cooperative, an associated label group that partners with labels to help fund and develop their repertoire on an international basis and [PIAS] Artist & Label Services, a sales, distribution and marketing team that takes repertoire to market, physically and digitally, on a global basis. Last year [PIAS] acquired Harmonia Mundi, the globally renowned, independent classical, jazz and world music label group. With offices in every major music market around the world [PIAS] represents a diverse range of key independent labels such as – 37 Adventures, 4AD, ACT, ATO, Beggars Group Bella Union, BMG Rights, Domino, Fat Possum, Heavenly, Ignition, Infectious, LSO, Matador, Mute, Ninja Tune, Nuclear Blast, Onyx, Phantasy, Real World, Rough Trade, Secretly Canadian, Signum, Sub Pop, Transgressive, Warp and Wichita and XL amongst many others. [PIAS] – the heartbeat of independent music.
pias.com
Please contact Kate Johnson for further details
Communications & Projects Director, Music Sales Limited
kate.johnson@musicsales.co.uk | +44 (0)7920 197 354