Shakira, who sold her ‘music publishing rights, including publishing and writer’s share of income,’ to Hipgnosis back in 2021. Photo Credit: Andres Arranz / CC by 2.5
Sony Music Publishing (SMP) has made its much-rumored Recognition Music Group catalog acquisition official, thereby securing interests in north of 45,000 high-profile works.
SMP and Singapore’s GIC confirmed the deal today, on the heels of not-so-subtle indications that a formal announcement was imminent. Eight years, many song-rights plays, and one rebranding later, Hipgnosis, complete with a web of similarly named but technically distinct divisions, is still factoring into the catalog sub-sector.
DMN Pro explored that web’s intricacies a while back, and the Music IP Acquisition Tracker provides a comprehensive view of the various Hipgnosis units’ holdings. But the short version is that Sony Music Publishing scooped up Hipgnosis Songs Group (covering about 4,400 works) last year.
Additionally, Blackstone in March 2025 rolled Hipgnosis Songs Fund (which had been listed on the London Stock Exchange), its Hipgnosis Song Management “investment advisor,” and “Hipgnosis Songs Assets” into Recognition Music.
And it’s this entity, complete with the aforesaid 45,000-song catalog, that’s found a new owner in Sony Music Publishing.
Admittedly, between last year’s SMP-Hipgnosis deal, the mentioned rumors, and the multibillion-dollar SMP-GIC partnership, the transaction didn’t come out of left field.
However, it’s an apt reminder indeed that buyer-to-buyer sales are becoming increasingly prevalent. Would the likes of Justin Bieber, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shakira, and many others have sold directly to Sony Music?
Furthermore, with all manner of catalog deals having already closed, IP-minded investors such as Avex Music are expressly acknowledging secondary transactions as possibilities for newly committed capital.
At least in theory, this is well and good for ostensibly informed buyers. But it’s a different story for the artists who sold IP in part because they believed their works had found a trustworthy long-term home. Admittedly, Merck Mercuriadis-founded Hipgnosis and its creator-friendly representations come to mind here.
Once it’s “out there,” an asset is just that and, with billions upon billions of dollars pouring into the catalog arena, will probably change hands at some point. The reality is especially disconcerting in the AI era, following plays encompassing not only song rights but name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights to boot.
In any event, the involved parties didn’t hesitate to emphasize the significance of today’s transaction from the perspective of music IP’s status as an asset class. Blackstone senior managing director Qasim Abbas touched on the point and addressed what comes next for Recognition following the sizable sale.
“This transaction delivers a strong outcome for Blackstone and our investors and represents a further vote of confidence in music rights as an institutionally established asset class,” Abbas communicated. “Sony is an exceptional home for these iconic catalogues, and we look forward to continuing to invest across the music sector through Recognition.”
SMP CEO Jon Platt added: “Our investment in this extraordinary catalog reflects our belief in the enduring power of great music – a belief that resonates deeply throughout Sony Music Group and is shared by our partners at GIC. These timeless songs continue to define culture and inspire generations, and it is [a] privilege to champion their legacy as guardians of their next chapter.”
