PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC PUBLISHING AND BLACKROCK
FORM NEW PARTNERSHIP TO ACQUIRE MUSIC PUBLISHING RIGHTS
NEW YORK, N.Y. (September 26, 2016) – Primary Wave, the leading U.S-based independent music publishing, marketing, talent management and television production company, announced today that it has finalized a new investing partnership with BlackRock Alternative Investors, (a unit of BlackRock, Inc.). The partnership will carry on Primary Wave’s strategy of acquiring and managing publishing rights of music made popular by established chart-topping recording artists across a range music genres, such as Nirvana, Aerosmith, and The Beatles.
“With this partnership, Primary Wave will continue to aggressively seek new acquisitions and expand its’ current roster of talented artists that we publish,” states Lawrence Mestel, Founder & CEO of Primary Wave Entertainment. “This is a very exciting new chapter of growth and we look forward to a long, fruitful and expanding partnership with BlackRock, a global leader in investment management”
Patrick Riordan, Managing Director of Blackrock, adds “We are excited to join Primary Wave in investing in their proven strategy of acquiring, building and managing portfolios of royalty streams and publishing rights of iconic popular music. This partnership gives our clients access to a unique alternative asset class along with the benefit of Primary Wave’s deep industry knowledge, relationships and expertise in music publishing “
Primary Wave Music Publishing was founded in 2006 and specializes in the acquisition and unique marketing of iconic and legendary artists and songs. Over the years the company has acquired the copyrights of over 15,000 songs from the catalogs of legendary artists such as Kurt Cobain, Steven Tyler, John Lennon, Def Leppard, Hall & Oates, Chicago, Maurice White, Graham Parker, Daniel Johnston, Steven Curtis Chapman, Lamont Dozier, Steve Cropper and many others. Primary Wave has strategically grown over the last 10 years into a full service music and entertainment powerhouse with music publishing, brand marketing, digital marketing, publicity, Film/TV development, and a talent & literary management company. Primary Wave Music Publishing’s sister company, Primary Wave Entertainment, features an incredible roster of artists including CeeLo Green, Melissa Etheridge, Cypress Hill, Eric Benet, The Go-Go’s, Natalie Imbruglia, Isac Elliot, Goodie Mob, Fantasia, Candlebox, Dokken, and more. In 2014, after deals with Intellectual and Evolution Management, PWE expanded their talent division to include film and TV clients such as Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez, Gabrielle Union, Mayim Bialik, AJ Cook, William Fichtner, Nia Long, Donald Faison.