Musixmatch has acquired Music Reports, Inc., adding the Songdex copyright registry as it expands beyond lyrics and music data into broader rights administration and royalty processing.
The transaction is the first acquisition in the Bologna-based company’s 16-year history. It also brings London-based music data and licensing platform Blokur, owned by Music Reports, into Musixmatch’s business.
Combining copyright and music data
Musixmatch plans to integrate its music intelligence technology and dataset with Songdex and Blokur’s rights-matching technology. The intended result is a metadata system connecting recordings, compositions and rights information across the global music industry.
The company says the combination will create the most comprehensive music copyright information registry in the world.
Los Angeles-based Music Reports also brings Cuetrak, software that helps streaming services and broadcasters prepare cue sheets documenting music used in audiovisual content.
Expansion beyond lyrics rights
The acquisition broadens Musixmatch’s rights business to include:
- Mechanical rights
- Synchronization rights
- Print rights
- Performance rights
The combined platform will cover rights administration, royalty processing, cue sheets, licensing and lyrics. Musixmatch also plans to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted royalty management.
The company says AI is increasing the volume and complexity of music creation and use, making it harder to identify recordings, connect them with compositions and rightsholders, and pay royalties correctly.
Max Ciociola, Musixmatch’s founder and chief executive officer, said:
“Music is being created and used faster than the industry can track it, and AI is only accelerating the trend. When no one can identify who wrote a song, who owns it, or who should be paid, creators lose. Bringing Music Reports into Musixmatch unites two of the industry’s most trusted datasets on one platform.”
Tikehau Capital provided financing for the transaction.
