Publishing Briefs: Cordae Launches JV, Primary Wave Buys Sarah McLachlan

Pulse Music Group has formed a joint venture with publishing client Cordae, who signed in 2019. Though the company has not announced signees yet, their partnered publishing firm, dubbed HI-LEVEL Publishing, will sign and develop songwriters with Cordae acting as the company head.

Primary Wave has purchased a stake in the recorded music and publishing catalog of Sarah McLachlan. The partnership includes songs like “Angel,” “I Will Remember You,” “Hold On, and more.

Reservoir has acquired the publishing and recorded music catalog of Mannie Fresh, the former in-house producer for Cash Money Records. Mannie Fresh (real name Byron Thomas) is credited with producing nearly all the songs across 15 major albums for the label from 1998 to 2004, including projects by Juvenile, T.I. and Lil Wayne. Outside the booth, he is best known as half of hip-hop duo Big Tymers, alongside label co-founder Brian Williams, who went by Baby back then but is now Birdman. Their hits include “Still Fly” — with its 74 million streams on Spotify — as well as “This Is How We Do” and “Get Your Roll On,” among others.

Wise Music Group has acquired a controlling interest in Edition Peters Group, the storied music publishing house which was established in 1863. Wise will now own Edition Peters Group in partnership with Christian Hinrichsen, a descendant of the company’s founders. It is best known for its association with classical greats like Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Grieg, Gustav Mahler, Hugo Wolf, Richard Strauss, Morton Feldman, George Crumb, and John Cage.

Warner Chappell Music has signed Oliver Tree to a global publishing agreement. With multiple RIAA-certified Gold and Platinum records under his belt, Ryan Press, president of North America at WCM calls Tree a boundary pusher with “an innovative and future forward approach.”

Warner Chappell Music and Songs & Daughters Publishing have signed Kimberly Perry to a joint publishing deal. One-third of the sibling trio The Band Perry, Perry says signing this deal is “Beyond thrill[ing].”

Warner Chappell Music has signed Austin Shawn to a global publishing agreement. Shawn’s previous cuts include “Rock and A Hard Place” by Bailey Zimmerman, which is currently No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, a first for Zimmerman.

Primary Wave has acquired a stake in singer-songwriter Russ Ballard’s publishing catalog as well as the writer’s share of performance income. included in the deal are songs like “So You Win Again,” “Since You’ve Been Gone,” “I Surrender,” “New York Groove,” “You Can Do Magic,” and “Liar,” and “You Can Do Magic.”

Avex USA Publishing has signed Lucien Parker to a publishing deal. The hip hop producer and songwriter has penned a number of tracks with major stars already, including “My Friends” by Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Mustard, Lil Durk.

Kobalt and Clarence Coffee Jr. have joined forces to launch Artism Mind Music Publishing. Kobalt also announced Artism’s first signees Caroline “Sur Back” Sans and Dan Ewins.

Warner Chappell Music has signed up-and-comer Jossef to a global administration publishing deal. The urban singer-songwriter — who has yet to release his debut album — has scored collaborations with Ñengo Flow and Eix. “He has a promising career ahead,” notes Laz Hernandez, vice president A&R, U.S. Latin & Latin America, WCM.

Peermusic has signed Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee Loreena McKennitt to a global publishing administration deal, encompassing both McKennitt’s entire back catalog as well as works made in the future.

Kobalt has signed Leader Entertainment/ El Reino Infantil Network to a publishing administration agreement. The deal entails the administration of both Leader’s back catalog of kids’ music as well as future releases.