Sony Music Publishing
A global music publisher that owns and administers song copyrights, licenses compositions, and represents songwriters and catalogs.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Sony Music Publishing LLC is a global music-publishing company owned through Sony Music Group by Japan's Sony Group Corporation. Its business is distinct from the recorded-music operations of Sony Music Entertainment: it manages the underlying copyrights in musical compositions, collects royalties, licenses songs for recordings and audiovisual uses, and works with songwriters, composers, estates, and catalog owners. By the end of March 2025, the company was described as owning or administering more than six million songs, making it one of the largest music-publishing organizations in the world. The modern company was created in 1995 through the combination of Sony Music Publishing, then a developing Sony publishing operation, with ATV Music. ATV traced its publishing activities to Associated Television and became especially important after acquiring Northern Songs in 1969. Northern Songs controlled the publishing rights to a substantial body of John Lennon and Paul McCartney compositions, including much of the Beatles catalog. Michael Jackson bought ATV Music in 1985, following a competitive and prolonged negotiation, and thereby acquired control of the Northern Songs assets as well as other material in the ATV catalog. Jackson retained ownership of his separate Mijac catalog, which was not included in the 1995 Sony/ATV transaction. Sony had entered recorded music through its acquisition of CBS Records in 1988. The company subsequently developed publishing interests through CBS Music Publishing, the acquisition of Tree International Publishing in Nashville, and additional catalog and songwriter transactions. In 1995, Sony acquired a 50 percent interest in a combined venture with Jackson's ATV Music. The resulting Sony/ATV Music Publishing became one of the world's largest music publishers. Sony supplied administrative and corporate infrastructure, while Jackson remained an important shareholder and director during the joint-venture period. The company expanded substantially through catalog purchases and co-publishing arrangements. In 2012, an investor consortium led by Sony/ATV acquired EMI Music Publishing. That transaction brought a library reported at more than three million songs into the company's administration and made Sony/ATV the world's largest music-publishing administrator at the time. The catalog included works from numerous eras and genres, strengthening the company's position in Anglo-American popular music, country, pop, rock, and other fields. Leadership changed in 2019 when Jon Platt became chairman and chief executive after Martin Bandier's long tenure ended. Later that year, Sony combined the management of Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Sony Music Entertainment under the newly established Sony Music Group. The change placed publishing and recorded music within a more integrated Sony music structure while preserving publishing as a distinct copyright business. The company was subsequently renamed Sony Music Publishing. Sony Music Publishing's scope includes copyright administration, synchronization licensing for film, television, advertising, and games, mechanical and performance-rights collection, print and digital licensing, songwriter services, and exploitation of historic and contemporary catalogs. Its value rests not only in famous individual songs but also in the scale, duration, and international administration of its repertoire. Because copyrights can generate income across recordings, public performances, broadcasts, streaming, synchronization, and derivative uses, the company operates at the intersection of creative representation, rights management, and global media licensing.
History
The publishing lineage behind Sony Music Publishing combines Sony's music-rights activities with the catalog history of ATV Music. Associated Television, founded as a British ITV broadcaster in 1955, expanded into entertainment and entered music through investments in Pye Records. During the 1960s it acquired publishing interests, including Welbeck Music, and in 1969 purchased Northern Songs. Northern Songs was associated with the Lennon–McCartney songwriting catalog and became the central asset in ATV's music-publishing business. ATV formed a publishing venture with Kirshner Entertainment in 1970. When that arrangement ended in 1972, ATV Music was organized to manage the wider publishing portfolio, including Northern Songs. The business remained commercially successful, although its parent company later experienced financial difficulties connected in part with losses in other entertainment operations. After Robert Holmes à Court gained control of the parent company, ATV Music was retained rather than sold as a separate asset. Michael Jackson purchased ATV Music in 1985 after a competitive process involving several potential buyers. His advisers reviewed the catalog and negotiated with Holmes à Court's representatives for months before the transaction closed. The acquisition gave Jackson control of Northern Songs and other ATV compositions. The purchase became a highly visible example of the strategic value of music copyrights and later influenced Jackson's relationship with Paul McCartney, who had also been associated with many of the compositions. Jackson's own Mijac catalog was not included in the later Sony/ATV joint venture. Sony's publishing history developed alongside its expansion into recorded music. Sony acquired CBS Records in 1988, and the recorded-music operation was later renamed Sony Music Entertainment. A CBS Music Publishing operation was established, while Sony also expanded through the acquisition of Tree International Publishing and other catalogs and songwriter arrangements. These activities gave Sony a publishing platform that could be combined with ATV's assets. In 1995, Sony and Jackson created Sony/ATV Music Publishing by combining Sony Music Publishing with ATV Music. Sony provided administrative and operating expertise, and Jackson remained involved as a shareholder and director. The joint venture became a major international publisher, supported by the strength of Northern Songs and by continuing catalog purchases and co-publishing agreements. In 2006, Sony took operational control and obtained an option to buy Jackson's remaining interest under the agreed terms. The next major turning point came in 2012, when a consortium led by Sony/ATV acquired EMI Music Publishing. The deal added a catalog of more than three million songs and substantially expanded the company's global rights base. The acquisition made Sony/ATV the largest music-publishing administrator in the world at that point and broadened its reach across genres, eras, and territories. In 2019, Jon Platt became chairman and chief executive after Martin Bandier's contract ended. Later the same year, Sony merged the management of Sony/ATV and Sony Music Entertainment under Sony Music Group. The publishing business was subsequently presented under the Sony Music Publishing name. Its current role is to own or administer a very large repertoire, represent songwriters and estates, license compositions, and collect and distribute royalties across international markets. By the end of March 2025, its repertoire was described as exceeding six million songs owned or administered.
- 2025
Repertoire exceeds six million songs
[1]The company is described as owning or administering more than six million songs by the end of March 2025.
- 2019
Leadership changes and Sony Music Group is created
[1]Jon Platt becomes chairman and chief executive, and Sony later combines management of Sony/ATV and Sony Music Entertainment under Sony Music Group.
- 2012
EMI Music Publishing is acquired
[1]A Sony/ATV-led consortium acquires EMI Music Publishing and adds more than three million songs to the wider publishing operation.
- 2006
Sony takes operational control
[1]Sony gains operational control of Sony/ATV and obtains an option concerning Jackson's remaining stake.
- 1995
Sony/ATV Music Publishing is formed
[1]Sony combines its publishing operation with Jackson's ATV Music in a joint venture.
- 1985
Michael Jackson purchases ATV Music
[1]Jackson acquires ATV Music, including the Northern Songs assets, after an extended competitive negotiation.
- 1969
ATV acquires Northern Songs
[1]ATV acquires the publisher associated with much of the Lennon–McCartney catalog, making Northern Songs the foundation of its publishing activities.
- 1955
Associated Television is established
[1]The British broadcaster that later developed ATV's entertainment and music businesses is founded.
Products and positioning
A global, catalog-intensive music publisher combining large-scale copyright administration with songwriter representation and licensing across recorded music, streaming, audiovisual media, advertising, and other uses.
Rights management
Song copyright administration
Sony Music Publishing administers copyrights in musical compositions across territories and usage types. Its work includes registering works, licensing compositions, collecting royalties, accounting to writers and rights holders, and monitoring uses in recordings, streaming, broadcast, public performance, and audiovisual media. The business is built around the long-term exploitation of a large repertoire rather than the sale of physical consumer products.
Artist services
Songwriter publishing and co-publishing
The company represents songwriters and composers through publishing, administration, and co-publishing arrangements. These relationships can cover exploitation of existing catalogs as well as future compositions, giving writers access to licensing, royalty collection, creative support, and international administration while allowing the publisher to participate in the commercial life of the songs.
Licensing
Synchronization licensing
Sony Music Publishing licenses compositions for use with visual media and branded content, including film, television, advertising, games, and other audiovisual formats. Synchronization activity connects the company's repertoire with new audiences and revenue opportunities while requiring permissions for the underlying song copyright independently of any particular sound recording.
Music catalogs
Historic catalog administration
The company's historic repertoire includes the Northern Songs and broader ATV assets, as well as material brought in through the EMI Music Publishing acquisition. Such catalogs contain compositions recorded by artists across multiple generations and can generate continuing mechanical, performance, synchronization, print, and digital licensing activity.
Brand decisions
2019
Integrate publishing and recorded-music managementStrategyBackground
Sony reorganized its music businesses to coordinate Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Sony Music Entertainment.
Action taken
Sony created Sony Music Group and placed management of the two businesses under the new group, followed by the Sony Music Publishing name.
Aftermath
The publishing company became more closely aligned with Sony's recorded-music organization while retaining its specialized copyright function.
2012
Acquire EMI Music PublishingM&ABackground
Sony/ATV pursued a major expansion of its repertoire and international administration capabilities.
Action taken
An investor consortium led by Sony/ATV acquired EMI Music Publishing and its large song catalog.
Aftermath
The transaction made Sony/ATV the largest music-publishing administrator in the world at that time.
2006
Obtain operational control of Sony/ATVStrategyBackground
The joint venture required a clearer operating structure as Sony continued developing its music and rights businesses.
Action taken
Sony obtained operational control and an option to purchase Jackson's remaining stake at a fixed price.
Aftermath
Sony assumed a stronger role in managing the publishing company while the joint-venture ownership arrangement continued for a period.
1995
Combine Sony Music Publishing with ATV MusicM&ABackground
Sony sought to expand its publishing business, while Michael Jackson owned ATV Music and its valuable Northern Songs repertoire.
Action taken
The parties created Sony/ATV Music Publishing as a joint venture, with Sony contributing its publishing operation and Jackson contributing ATV Music.
Aftermath
The combined company became one of the world's largest music publishers and the predecessor of the present Sony Music Publishing.
Recent events
Sony Music Publishing extends Tyler Perry Studios deal[2]
Reported:
Sony Music Publishing extended its worldwide deal with Tyler Perry Studios to administer commissioned music across more than 60 productions, including future works created under the agreement.
Verse 2 Music signs Levon Gray[2]
Reported:
Verse 2 Music, a joint venture with Sony Music Publishing, announced a worldwide publishing agreement with Levon Gray covering his back catalog and future works under the deal.
Sony Music Publishing and Alberts agree to administer music catalogues[3]
Reported:
Sony Music Publishing announced a worldwide deal with Australian music company Alberts to administer the complete song catalogues of AC/DC and Vanda, Young and Wright.
Chumba Music and Sony Music Publishing announce partnership[4]
Reported:
Chumba Music announced a partnership with Sony Music Publishing to provide services to Chumba's roster of songwriters and producers.
Sony Music Publishing acquires Paul Simon song catalog[5]
Reported:
Sony Music Publishing announced that it had acquired Paul Simon's song catalog, spanning more than six decades of compositions.
Sony Music Publishing partners with Silence the Shame on mental health program[6]
Reported:
Sony Music Publishing partnered with Silence the Shame to launch The Soundtrack of Mental Health, a global multi-year program offering educational trainings and support around mental health. Sony Music Publishing said it would be the first to launch trainings in April, which would also be made available to Sony Music Entertainment.
YMU Music and Mark Ralph launch Reaktor Music joint venture[7]
Reported:
YMU Music and producer/songwriter Mark Ralph announced the launch of Reaktor Music, a music publishing joint venture. Sony Music Publishing will provide global administration services.
Sources8 sources
- 1Sony Music Publishingen.wikipedia.org
- 2Sony Music Publishing 延长与 Tyler Perry Studios 的协议billboard.com
- 3Sony Music Publishing与Alberts达成音乐作品目录管理协议prnewswire.com
- 4Chumba Music与Sony Music Publishing宣布合作prnewswire.com
- 5索尼音乐出版收购保罗·西蒙歌曲目录nbcdfw.com
- 6Sony Music Publishing 与 Silence the Shame 合作推出心理健康项目prnewswire.com
- 7YMU Music与Mark Ralph成立Reaktor Music合资公司musicbusinessworldwide.com
- 8Sony Music Publishing Announces Landmark Acquisition Of Paul Simon's Song Catalogprnewswire.com
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