Sony Music Publishing has acquired Hipgnosis Songs Group, Music Week has confirmed.

Hipgnosis Songs Group is a subsidiary of Recognition Music Group.

The catalogue includes 4,400 copyrights which Hipgnosis acquired from Big Deal Music in 2020. It includes songs recorded by One Direction, Shawn Mendes and Panic! At The Disco.

Recognition Music Group, which rebranded from Hipgnosis earlier this year, continues to own and manage over 45,000 songs and recordings from over 145 catalogues, including by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Eurythmics, Justin Bieber, Shakira and Journey. 

The privately held company combines the songs and recordings owned by the former Hipgnosis Songs Fund and the Blackstone-backed Hipgnosis Songs Assets, along with Hipgnosis Song Management.

Speaking to Music Week earlier this year, CEO Ben Katovsky said: “When the right opportunities come along, we will be an acquirer. Maintaining this quality and the nature of our catalogue is something that is important to us. But yes, the ambition is there to grow and to deliver long-term, sustainable growth.”

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