Hipgnosis Acquires Catalog From Bruno Mars-Harry Styles Collaborator Jeff Bhasker
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Hipgnosis Songs Fund has acquired a music catalog from five-time Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and musician Jeff Bhasker. Terms of the deal were not announced, but Bhasker has worked extensively with such artists as Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars (on “Uptown Funk” and Mars’ “Unorthodox Jukebox” album), Kanye West (“808s & Heartbreak” and “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” albums, among others), Fun (including the smash “We Are Young”), Ed Sheeran, Drake, Harry Styles, Pink, Eminem and many others.
According to the announcement, in coordination with Bhasker’s management company Crescent Drive Productions and its founder Neil Jacobson, Hipgnosis has acquired 100% of Jeff Bhasker’s interest in his catalog, which comprises 436 songs. The catalog will be allocated to the C Shares.
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The announcement comes just one day after Bhasker was announced as part of a new $650 million fund from Warner Music and Providence Equity, although that deal was reported to be for his publishing, not his songwriting shares.
Merck Mercuriadis, Founder of The Family (Music) Limited and Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, said: “You would be hard pressed to name a creator of the last 20 years that is more important than Jeff. He has been an essential part of amongst the most culturally important and commercially successful recordings of our time with Kanye West, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, Mark Ronson, Drake, Jay Z, Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Alicia Keys, The Rolling Stones, Pink, Eminem, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray and so many others he has rewritten the rule book on how art makes it to Number 1. I am ecstatic to welcome Jeff and Neil into the Hipgnosis family.”
Neil Jacobson said: “Merck is an art collector with a keen eye for masterpieces rather than say a commodities guy who is just valuing income streams. I realize when you zoom out they probably are pretty close to the same thing but it makes a difference to me and to my artists to know that whoever is acquiring this great music understands it and loves it.”
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