Sony Music Publishing has announced details of its worldwide deal with Australian music company Alberts. Under the agreement, SMP will administer the complete song catalogues AC/DC and songwriting and producing team Vanda, Young and Wright.
The deal brings AC/DC’s publishing and recording rights together under the Sony banner for the first time.
The catalogues of the legendary songwriting and producing team Harry Vanda, George Young, and Stevie Wright include Friday On My Mind and Good Times by The Easybeats, as well as Love Is In The Air, Yesterday’s Hero and Standing In The Rain performed by John Paul Young.
Speaking about the deal, Rob Stringer, chairman of Sony Music Group said: “We are so excited and honored at Sony Music Group to build on our long standing relationship with both Alberts and AC/DC through the representation of the Alberts song catalogue. We thank them for their trust and faith in us.”
Sony Music Publishing chairman and CEO Jon Platt stated: “We are pleased to join forces with Alberts to deliver new opportunities for AC/DC and Vanda, Young and Wright. David Albert and the Alberts team are leaders in shaping Australia’s modern music culture, and our shared ethos will be powerful in sustaining the global impact of these iconic catalogues.”
AC/DC's latest album Power Up was one of the top selling albums of 2020, and ranked as the No.2 seller in Q4 (127,817). It currently stands on sales of 147,314 according to OCC data.
David Albert, CEO, Alberts said, “We are looking forward to working with Sony Music Publishing and continuing to create opportunities to showcase these great catalogues. We have built over a number of years a very close working relationship with Rob Stringer and the team at Columbia and were impressed with Damian Trotter and Jon Platt’s vision for the catalogues and the alignment with our approach to business.”
Sony Music Publishing managing director, Australia, Damian Trotter added: “On behalf of SMP Australia, I am honoured to partner with Alberts to represent the catalogues of AC/DC and Vanda, Young and Wright. Their songs define the history of contemporary Rock and Pop music in this country, and we look forward to building upon their enduring legacies.”
Subscribers can read Music Week's full AC/DC 2020 cover feature here.
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