Peermusic acquires Arctic Rights Management – one of the largest independent music publishers in Norway

The news was announced on Wednesday (October 25) by Ralph Peer, II, Executive Chair, peermusic and Mary Megan Peer, CEO, peermusic.

Peermusic now has 39 offices in 32 countries and 200+ employees worldwide,

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will give peermusic the publishing rights to Arctic Rights Management’s 5,000-plus recordings and compositions.

The company says that the deal also encompasses a publishing interest “in many international hits”, including Dua Lipa’s Don’t Start Now (via Caroline Ailin) which garnered three nominations at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020 for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Pop Solo Performance.

Also included is Dua Lipa’s New Rules (via Caroline Ailin) which was nominated for British Single of the Year at the Brit Awards and earned Dua Lipa her first No.1 on UK Singles Chart and first top 10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song broke the record for the most weeks on the US Mainstream Top 40 chart, went 2x Platinum in the UK, and was certified multi-Platinum in thirteen territories.

The deal also encompasses 365 by Zedd and Katy Perry (via Caroline Ailin) which hit Top 20 on charts in thirteen territories.

Other hits included in the acquisition are Norwegian DJ Alan Walker’s Sing Me To Sleep (via Magnus Bertelsen) which went 6X Platinum and hit No.1 on the charts in Norway and landed Top 20 on US Hot Dance/Electronic songs; Madrugada’s Majesty, Dreams At Midnight and Nobody Loves You Like I Do; and Girl by Marcus & Martinus (via Magnus Bertelsen and Erik Fjeld), amongst many others.

Arctic Rights Management was founded by music publishing veteran Kai Robøle (previously founder and CEO of Waterfall Music).

By enlisting the catalogs from several publishers as part of establishing Arctic Rights, the company became one of the largest indie music publishers in Norway.

Kerstin Mangert brings experience with Swedish and international rights management as the Chair of the Swedish Music Publishers Association and Second Vice Chairman on the Board of Directors at STIM, a Swedish collective management organization.

Kai Robøle and Kerstin Mangert will now be joining the peermusic team as Creative Director, peermusic Arctic Rights Norway and as Managing Director, peermusic Arctic Rights Norway, respectively.

Commenting on the deal, Mary Megan Peer said: “The acquisition of Arctic Rights Management is a unique opportunity to grow our market presence in Norway, adding the 32nd operating country to our global footprint, and to enhance the value at a time when the music market in Norway is booming, supported by digital sales, early adoption of paid music streaming services, and live music festivals.

“Kai and Kerstin have built an impressive collection of local and international hits written by their songwriters and we look forward to building upon this success.

“We’re fortunate that peermusic can draw upon the impressive local knowledge and experience of Kai and Kerstin and the team at Arctic Rights Management.”

Nigel Elderton, Managing Director (UK) and European President, peermusic added: “The executive talent behind Arctic Rights Management brings both local expertise and impact internationally.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kai and Kerstin and their team to peermusic and I look forward to working closely with them to expand Arctic Rights across the region. I am also delighted that our Swedish MD Magnus Larkeryd and our local staff based in our Stockholm office will assist in integrating our companies as Arctic Rights works to represent peermusic repertoire throughout Norway, Finland, and Denmark.”

Kai Robøle said: “peermusic is a first-class music publishing firm who leads with integrity. We are beyond thrilled to be able to leverage peermusic’s global creative platform and to offer their best-in-class services to our clients.”

Ralph Peer, II, Executive Chair of peermusic noted: “The acquisition of Arctic Rights Management continues our tradition of investment in international repertoire and talented local executives while providing on-the-ground representation for all of our gobal music partners, now in 32 countries.”

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In October 2020, peermusic announced the acquisitions of Premier Muzik, All Right Music and Global Master Rights to form peermusic Neighbouring Rights.

In 2019, peermusic acquired Music Cube, claimed to be the largest independent K-pop publisher in Korea, adding Korea to the company’s global network, along with 40,000 Korean copyrights and works by K-pop groups BTS, EXO, and Monsta X.

As a result of this focus on the region, peermusic says that Korea is now the third-largest territory in the peermusic network in terms of revenue.

In 2018, peermusic completed the acquisition of UK-based Accorder Music Publishing, with a roster of composers for such TV productions as Great British Bake Off, River Monsters, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, Hunted, Endeavour, How We Got To Now, The Great American Read, and Teletubbies.

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peermusic was advised by Ketil Ramberg, Sveinung Mjaugedal, and Per Benonisen at DLA Piper Norway and was represented by its Chief Counsel, Tim Cohan.

Arctic Rights Management was advised by Richard Baskind and Alasdair George of Simons Muirhead Burton in the UK, and was represented by its Chair, David Miller.