Sony/ATV Signs Acts including Bob Marley and Leonard Cohen for Neighbouring Rights

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed two music legends to its Neighbouring Rights division with deals to represent the prestigious and extensive recording catalogues of Bob Marley and Leonard Cohen.

Contemporary hit songwriter, musician and producer Jamie Scott, UK rappers Big Shaq and Kojo Funds, British electronic musician and producer Elderbrook and celebrated Canadian music producer Bob Ezrin are among a number of other acts who have also newly signed to the UK-based operation. They are now part of a Neighbouring Rights roster whose line-up includes The Weeknd, Pharrell Williams, Mark Ronson, Sting, Snoop Dogg, French Montana, Miguel, Nile Rodgers, Hans Zimmer and the estate of Lou Reed.

The division is run by the world's leading music publishing company and provides a bespoke, hands-on service for a select number of clients.

Sony/ATV UK Managing Director and President, Worldwide Creative Guy Moot said: "We continue to develop the roster by exclusively signing quality and key artists so we can keep on providing a hands-on and bespoke approach. We've also expanded the infrastructure and personnel of the division as part of our goal of delivering the highest-quality service to hitmakers past and present."

The division is headed by George Powell, one of the industry's leading Neighbouring Rights experts, who previously oversaw Neighbouring Rights at UK-based music licensing and rights organisation PPL.

Powell said: "In an area of the industry which is getting fierce with competition, it's beyond an honour to be entrusted with the calibre of artists that have joined our NR family this year. It's fantastic to see revenues growing year on year in this sector, but it's also always a shock to take on clients such as Bob Marley and see just how many recordings they are still to this day not being accounted on. We're providing an incomparably detailed collection service for some of the biggest names in music, and we're extremely proud of that."

Bob Marley and Leonard Cohen are the latest all-time music legends to sign to Sony/ATV's Neighbouring Rights division, joining a roster which also includes contemporary superstars such as The Weeknd and Pharrell Williams.

Bob Marley is one of the most iconic, influential and successful music artists of the 20th Century, having become the first ever reggae act to achieve global superstardom. Alongside his group The Wailers, he recorded a number of classic albums such as Exodus, Uprising and Catch A Fire and world-famous songs including "No Woman, No Cry", "Three Little Birds", "Is This Love" and "Could You Be Loved". The retrospective Legend, which was released in 1984 three years after his death, is one of the biggest-selling albums of all time.

Leonard Cohen is recognised as one of the greatest singer/songwriters in history with a catalogue of much-loved songs including "Suzanne", "So Long, Marianne", "Famous Blue Raincoat" and "Hallelujah" which, besides his own original version, has been recorded by many artists, including Jeff Buckley, Alexandra Burke, k.d. lang, and Rufus Wainwright. Cohen's recording career stretched across six decades with his final studio album You Want It Darker reaching the Top 10 on both sides of Atlantic just a couple of weeks before his passing in November 2016.

Also newly signed to the Neighbouring Rights roster is Jamie Scott who is one of the most successful songwriters and producers in contemporary music, having worked with artists including Justin Bieber, One Direction, Niall Horan and Rag'n'Bone Man. He has a parallel career as a recording artist and in 2014 issued the solo album My Hurricane, which followed the release of two albums with music producer Tommy N*E*R*D under the collective Graffiti6.

Big Shaq, a rapper created by British actor, comedian and recording artist Michael Dapaah, joins the roster having scored one of the most memorable and popular hits of the year with "Man's Not Hot". The track peaked at No. 3 on the Official UK Singles Chart and has become a hit around the world.

Also newly signed is British rapper Kojo Funds whose single "Dun Talkin'" with Abra Cadabra won Best Song at the Mobo Awards and UK electronic musician and producer Elderbrook whose collaboration "Cola" with CamelPhat topped Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart and was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards.

Among the other additions to Sony/ATV's Neighbouring Rights division is musician and producer Bob Ezrin who co-produced three Pink Floyd albums, including The Wall. He has also worked with acts including Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Kiss, Lou Reed, Rod Stewart, Taylor Swift and U2.

What are Neighbouring Rights?

Neighbouring Rights are rights related to the sound recording of a musical work and are due to the artists and musicians featured whenever there is a commercial exploitation of it such as through radio or TV airplay.

ABOUT SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING:

Sony/ATV Music Publishing, established in 1995, is the world's leading music publisher. Sony/ATV Music Publishing owns or administers more than 3 million copyrights, including those of EMI Music Publishing and iconic music catalogs such as Leiber & Stoller, Mijac Music, Motown and Famous Music. Sony/ATV also controls many of the best known songs ever written such as "New York, New York", "Hallelujah", "All You Need Is Love", "You've Got a Friend", "Moon River", "Jailhouse Rock", "The Mission Impossible Theme", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Over the Rainbow", "Stand By Me", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "Singin' in the Rain". In addition, Sony/ATV represents the copyrights of such legendary artists as The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Carole King, Kraftwerk, Joni Mitchell, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Richie Sambora, Sting, The Supremes, Wyclef Jean, Hank Williams and Stevie Wonder, among others. Its ever-growing list of chart-topping artists, writers and producers includes Cardi B, The Chainsmokers, Drake, Calvin Harris, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, P!nk, Shakira, Ed Sheeran, Sia, Sam Smith, Stargate, Taylor Swift, Walk The Moon, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams.

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