THE LEADING INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER OF ICONIC AND
LEGENDARY MUSIC IN THE WORLD ACQUIRES THE HITMAKER’S PUBLISHING CATALOG
INCLUDED IN THE DEAL ARE SOME OF CHINN’S MOST POPULAR SONGS SUCH AS “MICKEY,” “BALLROOM BLITZ,” AND
“HEART AND SOUL”
English songwriter and producer Nicky Chinn is the latest songwriter to be welcomed into the home of legends at Primary Wave Music Publishing. The leading independent publisher of iconic and legendary music in the world announces today they have acquired the music-publishing catalog of the multiplatinum songwriter who wrote some of the biggest pop and glam rock hits of the 1970s and 1980s. Included in the deal are some of Chinn’s biggest songs such as the Top 5 hit “Ballroom Blitz” by Sweet and “Heart and Soul” by Huey Lewis and the News which was nominated for a Grammy, as well as multiple number one songs including “Mickey” by Tony Basil and “Stumblin’ In” by Suzi Quatro featuring Chris Norman. Also included in the terms of the deal will be access to the dynamic publisher’s infrastructure, which includes digital strategy, marketing, licensing, and synch opportunities.
“Nicky Chinn wrote some of the most memorable songs of the 70s and 80s that still resonate with fans today,” says Lawrence Mestel, CEO & Founder of Primary Wave Music Publishing. He continues, “We are thrilled to welcome him into the Primary Wave family and our team is so excited to bring new life into these classic pop songs.”
Nicky Chinn was one half of the most commercially productive songwriter team of Britain’s glitter-rock era, partnering with Mike Chapman to pen a series of incessantly catchy hit singles. Born in London Chinn began his career in songwriting in 1970, and within a month of beginning to write songs he wrote the title track for the film There’s a Girl in My Soup, as well as the other main song featured on the movie’s soundtrack. That same year he met Mike Chapman and, after finding they had similar songwriting aspirations, the two teamed up. Chinn and Chapman would begin working closely with Mickie Most and would not only go on to write many hits for the artists on Mickie’s label, but sign their own artists to the label as well. In 1971, they would go on to pen Sweet’s first two major hits. Over the next few years the pair enjoyed their greatest success with Sweet with a string of hits including “Ballroom Blitz,” which shot to #5 on the U.S. charts, and “Little Willy” which went to #3 on the U.S. charts. From there, Chinn and Chapman began to branch out and work with other artists, moving into production as well as writing. They wrote a series of smashes for Suzi Quatro and Smokie. In 1978 the duo saw additional success with the #1 hit “Kiss You All Over” by Exile. Chinn and Chapman would continue to write hit after hit through the early 80s including Toni Basil’s 1982 chart-topper “Mickey.”