Famous Music

Famous Music Corporation was established in 1928 by Famous Players–Lasky Corporation, the predecessor of Paramount Pictures, to publish songs created for the studio's early talking pictures. It developed into one of the most recognizable film-linked music publishers in the United States, controlling or administering compositions associated with Paramount motion pictures, television programs, and later a broad range of independently sourced song catalogs. The company's publishing repertoire included songs and themes connected with major films across several decades. Examples cited in its catalog include “Thanks for the Memory” from The Big Broadcast of 1938, “Mona Lisa” from Captain Carey, U.S.A., “Silver Bells,” “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany's, “Where Do I Begin?” from Love Story, “Speak Softly, Love” from The Godfather, “Up Where We Belong,” “Footloose,” “Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun, and “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic. The catalog consequently combined popular songwriting, film themes, soundtrack rights, and long-term synchronization value. Famous Music also handled music connected with Paramount television production. Its television-related holdings and administrative relationships included material associated with programs such as Star Trek and Cheers, as well as the theme from Mission: Impossible, although ownership arrangements differed among properties. During Viacom's corporate restructuring in 2006, most of the television music then associated with Famous Music was transferred to CBS, while certain Paramount-related rights remained with Paramount. From the late 1980s onward, Famous Music broadened beyond music originating in Paramount productions. It acquired or administered portions of established catalogs, including works associated with Duke Ellington, and entered relationships involving artists, producers, and writers such as Shakira, Eminem, Akon, Boyz II Men, Björk, Linda Perry, Placebo, Modest Mouse, Jet, and P.O.D. It also supplied licensing and administration services for outside catalog owners and Viacom-related businesses, including MTV, Nickelodeon, and BET. The brand was sold by Viacom in May 2007 to Sony/ATV Music Publishing, then jointly owned by Sony and Michael Jackson. The transaction was reported at approximately $370 million. Under Sony/ATV, the Famous Music assets were renamed Sony/ATV Harmony and Sony/ATV Melody, ending Famous Music's operation as an independent Paramount-branded publishing division. In 2012, Sony/ATV sold the Famous Music United Kingdom song catalog to BMG Rights Management. Paramount later moved administration of its remaining music interests to Universal Music Publishing Group, reportedly during the late 2010s, with Paramount Media Networks, apart from Showtime Networks, following in 2020. Famous Music also had a record-label division for part of its history. That group included Blue Thumb Records, Dot Records, Paramount Records, and Tumbleweed Records, and had distribution relationships involving Neighborhood Records and Sire Records. ABC Records acquired the division in 1974, after which most of the labels were absorbed into ABC. The resulting ABC/Famous label catalogs are now generally associated with Universal Music Group, subject to catalog-specific exceptions such as portions of the Stax Records material from the period when Stax was owned by Famous. Famous Music is therefore best understood as a historical publishing and catalog-management brand whose assets were progressively sold, renamed, transferred, or integrated into successor rights organizations.

Famous Music began in 1928 as the publishing arm of Famous Players–Lasky Corporation, Paramount's predecessor. Its initial purpose was practical and closely tied to the development of sound cinema: songs written for Paramount's talking pictures needed a dedicated publishing organization capable of registering, exploiting, licensing, and distributing the resulting copyrights. As Paramount expanded its film production, Famous Music accumulated a catalog that connected popular songwriting with cinematic storytelling. The catalog included songs and themes from films such as The Big Broadcast of 1938, Captain Carey, U.S.A., Breakfast at Tiffany's, Love Story, The Godfather, Footloose, Top Gun, and Titanic. These works gave the company long-lived value because they could generate publishing royalties, recording income, synchronization licenses, and later uses in television, advertising, and other media. The company also became involved with television music produced by Paramount. Its historical holdings or administrative responsibilities included music associated with Star Trek and Cheers, together with the Mission: Impossible theme, although individual rights remained subject to different ownership arrangements. Corporate restructuring altered these holdings. In 2006, during the split of Viacom into CBS Corporation and a reorganized Viacom, most of the television songs associated with Famous Music were transferred to CBS, while Paramount retained certain rights. Beginning mainly in the late 1980s, Famous Music pursued a broader catalog strategy. Rather than relying exclusively on Paramount-originated compositions, it acquired or administered works from other writers, artists, producers, and catalog owners. Its activities included work connected with the Duke Ellington catalog and relationships involving artists and creators such as Shakira, Eminem, Akon, Boyz II Men, Björk, Linda Perry, Placebo, Modest Mouse, Jet, and P.O.D. The company also provided licensing and administration for CBS, the Clyde Otis Music Group, and Viacom businesses including MTV, Nickelodeon, and BET. Famous Music had a separate record-label history. Its label group included Blue Thumb Records, Dot Records, Paramount Records, and Tumbleweed Records, and it had distribution arrangements involving Neighborhood Records and Sire Records. ABC Records acquired the division in 1974, and most of the labels were folded into ABC. The catalogs later became associated primarily with Universal Music Group, although ownership of specific historical segments varies. One notable exception is the Stax material from the 1968–1970 period, which is associated with Concord Music Group rather than being wholly controlled by UMG. The publishing division's independent existence ended in 2007, when Viacom sold it to Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Sony/ATV renamed the assets Sony/ATV Harmony and Sony/ATV Melody. The Famous Music UK catalog was later sold to BMG Rights Management in 2012. Paramount subsequently transitioned music-administration responsibilities to Universal Music Publishing Group, with the Paramount Pictures move reported in the late 2010s and Paramount Media Networks, apart from Showtime Networks, following in 2020. Famous Music therefore survives chiefly through successor catalogs, rights agreements, and historical repertoire rather than as an active standalone brand.

• 2020

  Paramount Media Networks changed music administration

  [1]Famous Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Paramount Media Networks, excluding Showtime Networks, moved music administration to Universal Music Publishing Group.

• 2012

  Famous Music UK catalog sold to BMG

  [1]Famous Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Sony/ATV sold the United Kingdom Famous Music song catalog to BMG Rights Management.

• 2007

  Publishing business sold to Sony/ATV

  [1]Famous Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Viacom sold Famous Music to Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which renamed the assets Sony/ATV Harmony and Sony/ATV Melody.

• 2006

  Television music rights were reorganized during the Viacom split

  [1]Famous Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Most music from Paramount television programs associated with Famous Music was transferred to CBS as Viacom divided into CBS Corporation and a reorganized Viacom.

• 1974

  Record-label division sold to ABC Records

  [1]Famous Musicen.wikipedia.org

  ABC Records acquired the Famous Music record-label division for a reported $5.5 million, after which most of its labels were absorbed into ABC.

• 1928

  Famous Music was founded

  [1]Famous Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Famous Players–Lasky Corporation established Famous Music to publish music created for Paramount's talking pictures.

A studio-affiliated music publisher that combined ownership and administration of Paramount film and television music with acquisitions of independent song catalogs and licensing services for outside rights holders.

• Music publishing catalog · 1928

  Paramount film music catalog

  The core Famous Music business consisted of publishing rights in songs and themes created for Paramount-associated films. The catalog covered multiple generations of popular cinema and included titles connected with The Big Broadcast of 1938, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Love Story, The Godfather, Footloose, Top Gun, and Titanic. Its commercial functions included copyright administration, royalty collection, licensing, and exploitation in recordings and audiovisual media.

• Television music publishing

  Paramount television music catalog

  Famous Music historically owned or administered music from Paramount television productions, including themes associated with Star Trek and Cheers and the Mission: Impossible theme. Ownership was not uniform across the catalog. Most of the relevant television music was transferred to CBS during the 2006 Viacom split, while some Paramount-related rights remained with Paramount.

• Music rights administration

  Third-party catalog administration

  From the late 1980s, Famous Music expanded into administration and licensing for catalogs and creators outside Paramount's own film and television output. Reported relationships included the Duke Ellington catalog, the Clyde Otis Music Group, CBS, and artists or producers such as Shakira, Eminem, Akon, Björk, Linda Perry, Placebo, Modest Mouse, Jet, and P.O.D.

• Record-label group

  Famous Music record-label division

  For part of its history, Famous Music operated a group of record labels that included Blue Thumb Records, Dot Records, Paramount Records, and Tumbleweed Records. It also had distribution relationships involving Neighborhood Records and Sire Records. ABC Records acquired the division in 1974, and the catalogs were subsequently distributed among successor music companies, principally Universal Music Group except for certain separately owned segments.

• 2012

  Sale of the Famous Music UK catalog to BMGM&A

  Background

  Sony/ATV reorganized its acquired Famous Music assets and separated the United Kingdom song catalog from the rest of the former Famous Music holdings.

  Action taken

  Sony/ATV sold the Famous Music UK catalog to BMG Rights Management.

  Aftermath

  The UK catalog, including works associated with Placebo and The Kooks, became part of BMG's rights-management portfolio.

  Source

• 2007

  Viacom sold Famous Music to Sony/ATVM&A

  Background

  Viacom divested the Famous Music publishing business after decades of studio-linked catalog development and later acquisitions of non-Paramount music.

  Action taken

  Sony/ATV Music Publishing acquired Famous Music and renamed the assets Sony/ATV Harmony and Sony/ATV Melody.

  Aftermath

  Famous Music stopped operating as an independent Paramount-branded publishing division. The United Kingdom catalog was later sold to BMG Rights Management, while other rights were administered through successor organizations.

  Reported acquisition price. $370 million (May 2007)

  Source

• 1974

  Sale of the record-label division to ABC RecordsM&A

  Background

  Famous Music maintained both publishing activities and a record-label group. The label operations were sold separately from the later publishing-business transaction.

  Action taken

  ABC Records acquired the record-label division for a reported $5.5 million and absorbed most of its labels.

  Aftermath

  The labels ceased to operate as an independent Famous Music group, while their historical catalogs moved through successor companies.

  Reported acquisition price. $5.5 million (1974)

  Source

1. 1Famous Musicen.wikipedia.org