How to Rock & Bankroll

Catalogue investments have shifted from being part of breathless, big-figure hype a couple of years ago to a normalised – albeit still often expensive – part of today’s music industry. It also makes this the perfect moment to take stock and ask some meaningful questions. If music is now a big-money, low-risk, steady income, investment asset, will the recently-bought catalogues now be traded again – and consolidated into mega-catalogues?  Is the financial industry becoming an increasingly normal part of the music industry – and how do music companies partner with private equity? Will our pensions be funded by Bob Dylan’s royalties? Does the financial pressure to maintain that steady income mean we’re going to hear the same old hits in our playlists, TV and adverts ad nauseam? Will emerging artists resist selling their rights early, and aim to stay in control forever – or at least until they can sell at the peak value? We put the tough questions to two people who are at the centre of this fascinating trade.