Sony/ATV Signs Bob Marley and Leonard Cohen for Neighbouring Rights

Contemporary hit songwriter, musician and producer Jamie Scott, UK rappers Big Shaq and Kojo Funds, British electronic musician and producer Elderbrook and celebrated Canadian music producer Bob Ezrin are among a number of other acts who have also newly signed to the UK-based operation. They are now part of a Neighboring Rights roster whose line-up includes The Weeknd, Pharrell Williams, Mark Ronson, Sting, Snoop Dogg, French Montana, Miguel, Nile Rodgers, Hans Zimmer and the estate of Lou Reed.

The division is run by the world’s leading music publishing company and provides a bespoke, hands-on service for a select number of clients.

Sony/ATV UK Managing Director and President, Worldwide Creative Guy Moot said: “We continue to develop the roster by exclusively signing quality and key artists so we can keep on providing a hands-on and bespoke approach. We’ve also expanded the infrastructure and personnel of the division as part of our goal of delivering the highest-quality service to hitmakers past and present.”

The division is headed by George Powell, one of the industry’s leading Neighboring Rights experts, who previously oversaw Neighboring Rights at UK-based music licensing and rights organization PPL.

Powell said: “In an area of the industry which is getting fierce with competition, it’s beyond an honour to be entrusted with the calibre of artists that have joined our NR family this year. It’s fantastic to see revenues growing year on year in this sector, but it’s also always a shock to take on clients such as Bob Marley and see just how many recordings they are still to this day not being accounted on. We’re providing an incomparably detailed collection service for some of the biggest names in music, and we’re extremely proud of that.”

Bob Marley and Leonard Cohen are the latest all-time music legends to sign to Sony/ATV’s Neighboring Rights division, joining a roster which also includes contemporary superstars such as The Weeknd and Pharrell Williams.

Bob Marley is one of the most iconic, influential and successful music artists of the 20th Century, having become the first ever reggae act to achieve global superstardom. Alongside his group The Wailers, he recorded a number of classic albums such as Exodus, Uprising and Catch A Fire and world-famous songs including “No Woman, No Cry”, “Three Little Birds”, “Is This Love” and “Could You Be Loved”. The retrospective Legend, which was released in 1984 three years after his death, is one of the biggest-selling albums of all time.

Leonard Cohen is recognized as one of the greatest singer/songwriters in history with a catalogue of much-loved songs including “Suzanne”, “So Long, Marianne”, “Famous Blue Raincoat” and “Hallelujah” which, besides his own original version, has been recorded by many artists, including Jeff Buckley, Alexandra Burke, k.d. lang, and Rufus Wainwright. Cohen’s recording career stretched across six decades with his final studio album You Want It Darker reaching the Top 10 on both sides of Atlantic just a couple of weeks before his passing in November 2016.

Also newly signed to the Neighboring Rights roster is Jamie Scott who is one of the most successful songwriters and producers in contemporary music, having worked with artists including Justin Bieber, One Direction, Niall Horan and Rag’n’Bone Man. He has a parallel career as a recording artist and in 2014 issued the solo album My Hurricane, which followed the release of two albums with music producer Tommy D under the collective Graffiti6.

Big Shaq, a rapper created by British actor, comedian and recording artist Michael Dapaah, joins the roster having scored one of the most memorable and popular hits of the year with “Man’s Not Hot”. The track peaked at No. 3 on the Official UK Singles Chart and has become a hit around the world.

Also newly signed is British rapper Kojo Funds whose single “Dun Talkin’” with Abra Cadabra won Best Song at the Mobo Awards and UK electronic musician and producer Elderbrook whose collaboration “Cola” with CamelPhat topped Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart and was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards.

Among the other additions to Sony/ATV’s Neighboring Rights division is musician and producer Bob Ezrin who co-produced three Pink Floyd albums, including The Wall. He has also worked with acts including Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Kiss, Lou Reed, Rod Stewart, Taylor Swift and U2.