Simon Cowell, known for his role as a candid judge on music reality shows, is teaming up with Universal Music Group (UMG) to establish a new music publishing company. Cowell’s company, Syco Entertainment, is partnering with UMG’s Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) to launch Syco Publishing. This new venture will concentrate on discovering and nurturing songwriters and catalogs, all managed exclusively through UMPG. Additionally, the company aims to provide its writers with opportunities to collaborate across Cowell’s broad media network.
Syco Publishing’s initial roster includes songwriters Lucy Spraggan and John Samuel Gerhart, along with song catalog rights for hits from artists like Fifth Harmony, James Arthur, Camila Cabello, and Pharrell Williams. The company also holds rights to songs performed by notable artists such as Machine Gun Kelly, Major Lazer, Ed Sheeran, Mark Ronson, and Shawn Mendes. Simon Cowell expressed his enthusiasm for great songs and his partnership with UMPG, while UMPG’s Managing Director Mike McCormack praised Cowell’s instinct for outstanding songs and commitment to developing new talent.
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This venture reflects an expanding relationship between UMG and Cowell’s Syco Entertainment. Previously, Syco Entertainment joined forces with UMG, RESHET 13, and Fremantle Media to provide the winner of The X Factor Israel with a global recording deal. In another collaboration with UMG’s Republic Records, TikTok, and Samsung, they launched StemDrop, a platform enabling aspiring musicians worldwide to share their music on TikTok with the possibility of securing a record deal.
Cowell’s business history primarily involved Sony, with Syco Entertainment originally formed as a joint venture between Sony Music Entertainment and Cowell. In 2020, Cowell acquired Sony’s stake in Syco Entertainment, leading to the company’s current independent ventures in music publishing and entertainment.
Click here to read the full article at Music Business Worldwide.