US-based independent music company Exceleration Music in partnership with Tokyo-based rights administrator and distributor NexTone have acquired the recording and publishing catalog of Ryuichi Sakamoto directly from the Sakamoto estate. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

As per the agreement, Exceleration Music will manage and collect income for the catalogues' rights outside of Asia, with NexTone overseeing operations within Asia, partnering with Fuji Pacific for publishing rights a...

Digital music licensing society for the independent sector Merlin has appointed Harmen Hemminga as Vice President, Business Development. Hemminga joins Merlin from Downtown Music, where he most recently served as VP Product & Services Strategy. In his newly created role, Hemminga will "work cross functionally to help identify, evaluate and execute strategic opportunities that deliver value to Merlin’s global membership." He reports directly to CEO Charlie Lexton. “Harmen is an innovative th...

Northern Ireland rock band Snow Patrol have signed a new global recording agreement with BMG, in a deal that covers the release of future studio recordings. The first release under the new deal will see Snow Patrol teaming up with Kylie on the new single 'These Alarms', released on July 1. The song was written with Kylie specifically in mind, and initially recorded for their 2024 UK No. 1 album 'The Forest is the Path' but decided to hold the track back until they could record it together with ...