The world’s largest music publishing company has officially announced re-brand, changing its name from Sony/ATV to previously-used name Sony Music Publishing. The rebranding announcement sees the return of the Sony Music Publishing moniker after 25 years and comes complete with a new blue logo.
Sony/ATV was first famously established in 1995 by way of a joint venture partnership with legendary musician and “King of Pop” Michael Jackson. That deal merged the original Sony Music Publishing brand with Jackson’s own ATV Music, which he had purchased a decade earlier for just $47.5 million. The move became something of industry legend–while showing Jackson’s chops as a business visionary–as ATV at the time owned the Northern Songs catalog, which included the majority of the timeless Lennon/McCartney classics from The Beatles. In 2016, Sony bought Jackson’s 50 percent stake in the Sony/ATV brand for $750 million from Jackson’s estate, which made it a wholly Sony-owned brand.
Sony further cemented its position as the largest music publisher in 2018 through its purchase of EMI Music Publishing by way of two deals valued at over $2.5 billion. The various unification deals have largely been led by Jon Platt, the company’s Chairman & CEO.
Discussing the recent moves, Platt says a key part of the re-branding decisions was to harken back to the company’s iconic legacy. “Sony Music Publishing has always embraced the power of songwriting to connect cultures and bring people together. Since its inception, Sony Music Publishing has supported the careers of songwriters and continues to defend their rights,” explains Platt. “Returning to the Sony Music Publishing name reconnects us to our legacy and further unifies our mission and culture with the Sony Corporation. Our new brand embodies a modern vision to be an authentic reflection of the music and songwriters we represent.”
Platt’s comments seem to reflect the company’s inspiration behind its new logo, which they describe as “an abstraction of sound waves — with resonance and vibrations that express infinitely expanding opportunities for songwriters”. Sony Music Publishing is home to some of the most impressive catalogs in music history, both classic and contemporary, from Jackson, The Beatles, Queen and Stevie Wonder to Ed Sheeran, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Jay-Z, among others.
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