Welcome to Music Enterprise Worldwide’s weekly round-up – the place we be certain that you caught the 5 largest tales to hit our headlines over the previous seven days. MBW’s round-up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximise their earnings and scale back their touring prices.

This week introduced information of not one, however two $300m+ offers related to leisure big HYBE, the corporate behind BTS.

On Thursday (February 9), HYBE America, led by CEO Scooter Braun, introduced its acquisition of Atlanta rap powerhouse QC Media Holdings or High quality Management, residence to acts akin to Lil Child, Migos, Lil Yachty and Metropolis Ladies. Selection reported that the deal is valued at $320 million in inventory and money.

Right this moment (February 10), we realized that HYBE is shopping for a 14.8% stake in SM Leisure from its founder Lee Soo Man, in a deal price 422.8 billion South Korean Received (approx. $334.5 million).

Lee Soo Man was the corporate’s largest shareholder previous to the deal, with an 18.46% stake, which signifies that HYBE, with a 14.8% stake within the firm, will develop into SM Leisure’s largest shareholder.

Additionally this week, Warner Music Group reported its outcomes for the three months to finish of December 2022 (calendar This fall, however fiscal Q1 at WMG) and Robert Kyncl participated in his first quarterly earnings name as Warner Music Group CEO.

Elsewhere, TikTok launched its unbiased distribution platform SoundOn in Australia, simply days after information arrived that the platform has been limiting entry to main label music out there as a part of a take a look at with a subset of customers.

Plus, Hipgnosis acquired a track catalog from the first-ever Grammy Songwriter of the Yr Tobias Jesso Jr., whereas Songtradr agreed to purchase  UK-based music expertise firm 7digital.

Right here’s what occurred this week…

1) HYBE HAS NOW SPENT $600M+ IN ONE WEEK, AS IT BUYS 14.8% STAKE IN Ok-POP RIVAL SM ENTERTAINMENT FOR $334M

There may be a variety of consolidation occurring amongst the giants of the Ok-Pop trade.

Earlier this week, we realized that South Korea-based Kakao Corp had acquired a 9.05% stake in Ok-Pop firm SM Leisure, which is behind stars like NCT, EXO and Aespa.

In line with Reuters, Kakao is shopping for its stake in SM Leisure in a deal price 217.2 billion gained ($172.8 million).

Now, one other big of the Ok-Pop world, HYBE, the corporate behind superstars BTS, can also be taking a stake in SM Leisure….”

2) TIKTOK, INDIE TRACKS, AI, AND TECH-DRIVEN ‘EFFICIENCIES’: ROBERT KYNCL’S FIRST EARNINGS CALL AT WMG WASN’T SHORT ON PUNCHINESS

Robert Kyncl might have requested for a rosier set of fiscal outcomes to accompany his first quarterly earnings name as Warner Music Group CEO.

WMG’s traders can be hard-pressed, nevertheless, to ask for an tackle that was extra candid and unequivocal.

Instance: Inside 50 seconds of his opening speech, Kyncl informed analysts: “I’m dedicated to sustaining easy and constant communication inside the investor neighborhood. So in that spirit, I need to instantly and clearly acknowledge that this was a tricky quarter.”

Clearly, Kyncl had due trigger for this acknowledgment: WMG’s recorded music streaming revenues fell 2.6% YoY at fixed forex within the three months to finish of December 2022 (calendar This fall, however fiscal Q1 at WMG)…

3) TIKTOK LAUNCHES DIY DISTRO SERVICE SOUNDON IN AUSTRALIA, THE SAME WEEK IT STARTED LIMITING ACCESS TO MAJOR LABEL MUSIC IN THE MARKET

The timing of TikTok’s newest information is certain to boost just a few eyebrows within the international music trade.

TikTok has launched its unbiased distribution platform SoundOn in Australia, simply days after information arrived that the platform has been limiting entry to main label music out there as a part of a take a look at with a subset of customers.

SoundOn was already Reside within the UK, US, Brazil and Indonesia, after launching in March final yr…

4) HIPGNOSIS ACQUIRES SONG CATALOG OF TOBIAS JESSO JR., WHO WAS JUST NAMED SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AT THE GRAMMYS

Hipgnosis Track Administration has made its third acquisition in three weeks, shopping for a track catalog from Tobias Jesso Jr., who on Sunday (February 6) was named because the first-ever Grammy Songwriter of the Yr.

Jesso’s credit embrace Adele’s hit When We Had been Younger which has been streamed on Spotify over a billion occasions and Boyfriends, a observe on Harry’s Home which gained this yr’s Grammy for Album of the Yr.

Information of the deal follows Hipgnosis’ acquisition final week of a track catalog from TMS, the British songwriting and report manufacturing trio of Tom ‘Froe’ Barnes, Benjamin Kohn and Pete ‘Merf’ Kelleher for an undisclosed charge.

It additionally comes two weeks after shopping for a track catalog and related earnings streams from Justin Bieber for round $200 million… (MBW)

5) SONGTRADR TO ACQUIRE 7DIGITAL, A UK PUBLICLY LISTED B2B MUSIC TECHNOLOGY COMPANY, IN $23.4M DEAL

Los Angeles-based B2B music licensing firm Songtradr has agreed to amass 7digital, a UK-based publicly listed music expertise firm.

That’s in response to a submitting printed within the UK on Wednesday (February 8), which states that the transaction is predicted to shut in Q1 2023 and that the deal is an all-cash provide for 7digital’s complete issued share capital, valued at approx. £19.4 million ($23.4m).

7digital supplies a catalog of over 80 million licensed tracks and affords API companies to energy music in apps throughout health, social, radio, gaming and background music…

MBW’s Weekly Spherical-Up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximise their earnings and scale back their touring prices.

 Music Enterprise Worldwide