Berlin, Germany (Feb. 7th 2019) – BMG has concluded a digital licensing and administration deal for its Anglo-American repertoire with SESAC Digital Licensing for the fast-growing Indian market. On behalf of BMG, SESAC Digital Licensing will negotiate license agreements with international online service providers and directly with India’s leading online service providers.
The cooperation allows an efficient and accurate licensing process for online services, positioning BMG to collect and deliver revenues from the emerging market of India more effectively for its publishing clients. Under the new deal, BMG reaches more than 1.3 billion potential Indian music fans through Mint. Launched in 2018, Mint Digital Services is an alliance between the US musical rights organization SESAC and Swiss authors’ rights society SUISA.
Mint Digital Services will administer license agreements for online services by drawing on a database which includes approximately 16 million documented musical works. Among the songwriters whose works will now be represented by Mint in India are Sir Ringo Starr, Bruno Mars, Bebe Rexha, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Camille Purcell, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Jess Glynne, George Ezra, Quincy Jones, Aphex Twin, Bring Me The Horizon, Lenny Kravitz, Gossip and The National.
Ama Walton, General Counsel BMG: “The new licensing agreement with SESAC through Mint for the emerging Indian market is a huge benefit for our publishing clients and delivers on BMG’s core values of Fairness, Transparency and Service. In addition, both international and national music users can now efficiently license the repertoire of our Anglo-American writers in India.”
Alexander Wolf, President of SESAC International: “With the world’s largest, most authoritative database of musical works linked to recordings, Mint and SESAC Digital Licensing are looking forward to cooperate with BMG in this emerging marketplace. We’re excited BMG has selected SESAC as its trusted partner and we are happy to provide our expertise in a market with so much potential.”
About BMG
BMG is the new model music company founded by Bertelsmann in 2008 as a direct response to the challenges of music’s digital revolution. Key to its innovative approach is the fact it represents the traditionally separate music publishing and recording rights off the same state-of-the-art platform internationally. BMG is already the world’s fourth biggest music publisher and the first new global player in the recordings business in decades. BMG’s pitch is unique – a relentless focus on fairness and transparency and service to its artist and songwriter clients. BMG’s 15 offices across 12 core music markets now represent over 2.5m songs and recordings, including the catalogues of Chrysalis, Bug, Virgin, Mute, Sanctuary, Primary Wave and Talpa Music, as well as literally thousands of artists and songwriters attracted by its fresh approach. BMG is owned by international media, services and education company Bertelsmann, which also includes the broadcaster RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. With its multi-platform perspective, integrated technology platform and commitment to help artists maximize their income, BMG aims to be the best company in music to do business with. www.bmg.com
About SESAC Holdings, Inc.
SESAC Holdings is a leader and innovator in music licensing. It is the only U.S.-based music rights organization that administers public performance, mechanical, and other rights through its subsidiary businesses. SESAC Performing Rights Organization, the second oldest PRO in the U.S., drives efficiency in licensing for music users, and enhances value for its affiliated writers, publishers and composers by providing timely, efficient royalty distribution powered by a sophisticated cloud-based data services platform. The Harry Fox Agency is the leading provider of mechanical licenses, and issues the largest number of licenses for physical and digital formats of music in the U.S., and handles royalty payments to music publishers for over 100,000 catalogs. Rumblefish provides rights administration services and licensing support for a broad range of music users and media companies. Mint Digital Services, a joint venture with SUISA, administers copyrights for multi-territorial online usage on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers. SESAC Holdings has offices in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, London and Munich. www.sesac.com, www.mintservices.com
