Reservoir Media
Reservoir Media is a publicly traded independent music company that acquires, administers, and monetizes a century-spanning catalog of music copyrights and master recordings for songwriters, artists, estates, and licensees across film, TV, advertising, gaming, and streaming worldwide.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Reservoir Media does
Reservoir Media is a publicly traded independent music company (NASDAQ: RSVR) founded in 2007 and headquartered in New York City, operating as the first female-founded and led publicly traded U.S. independent music company. The company acquires, administers, and monetizes a century-spanning catalog of copyrights and master recordings — dating back to 1900 — across two reporting segments: Music Publishing (+9% YoY in FY26) and Recorded Music (+16% YoY in FY26). Its portfolio includes iconic assets such as the catalogs of Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, Snoop Dogg, Miles Davis, Tommy Boy Music (6,000+ masters), Chrysalis Records, and Lastrada Entertainment (5,600+ compositions), managed through Vistex-powered client portals and supported by an active songwriter roster anchored by Hans Zimmer (Remote Control Publishing).
Reservoir operates a platform-plus-modules architecture: a core publishing business, a recorded music division operating through acquired label brands (Chrysalis, Tommy Boy, Reservoir Recordings), artist management partnerships (Blue Raincoat Artists, Big Life Management), and emerging-markets subsidiaries — PopArabia (MENA, ~100,000 Arabic songs after the Viral Wave acquisition) and PopIndia (Mumbai, launched May 2026). Licensing is delivered through a B2B direct-sales motion with bespoke quote-based requests across synch, mechanical, sample, adaptation, merchandise, and theatrical license types, routed via dedicated web forms and a global team across seven offices in five countries.
Revenue is generated primarily from recurring royalty streams (streaming, mechanical, performance, sync) supplemented by one-time synchronization fees. The company employs 51–100 staff, achieved FY26 revenue of $175.7M (+11% YoY) with Adjusted EBITDA of $73.6M (+12% YoY), and issued FY27 guidance of 7% revenue and 5% EBITDA growth at midpoints. As of early 2026, Reservoir is the subject of competing unsolicited take-private bids from activist Irenic Capital Management and a Wesbild/Richmond Hill founding-family consortium, with a Board Special Committee advised by Morgan Stanley and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz evaluating the proposals.
Reservoir Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reservoir Media
- Legal name
- Reservoir Media, Inc.
- Website
- https://www.reservoir-media.com/
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Reservoir Media is a publicly traded independent music company that acquires, administers, and monetizes a century-spanning catalog of music copyrights and master recordings for songwriters, artists, estates, and licensees across film, TV, advertising, gaming, and streaming worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reservoir Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Music Publishing and Recorded Music
- NAICS
- Music Publishers (512230), Record Production and Distribution (51225), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements) (MPAIAKAD), Global Rights Representation & Sub-Publishing/Reciprocal Collection Services (MPAIAKAI), Music & Audio Rights for Broadcast (Sync/Master/Library) (MPABANAF)
Keywords
Where Reservoir Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Reservoir Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Music Publishing Royalties: Recurring revenue from publishing interests in copyrights (songwriter royalties, mechanical, performance, sync). Grew 9% YoY in FY26 to contribute the larger of the two reporting segments, driven by streaming, sync licensing, and catalog acquisitions such as the Miles Davis publishing catalog.
- Recorded Music Royalties: Revenue from master recording royalties across frontline and catalog assets operated via Chrysalis Records, Tommy Boy Music, and Reservoir Recordings. Grew 16% YoY in FY26, representing the second reporting segment.
- Synchronization & Bespoke Licensing Fees: One-time and project-based licensing fees for use of masters/compositions in film, TV, trailers, advertisements, video games, and NFTs; administered through dedicated license request workflows (Synch, Sample, Adaptation, Merchandise, Theatrical).
- Emerging Markets Distribution & Label Operations: Distribution, label, and rights administration services in MENA (PopArabia) and India (PopIndia), supplemented by acquisitions of regional players such as Viral Wave (Egypt), HFM Production (Iraq), and Essa Almarzoug's catalog (Kuwait).
- Songwriter & Artist Publishing Deals: Revenue-share arrangements with active songwriters (e.g., Hans Zimmer / Remote Control Publishing, Adam Kapit, Ali Tamposi, Snoop Dogg, 2 Chainz, Sarah Jarosz) covering their future works, generating ongoing publishing income.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom quote-based licensing across all license types |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Reservoir Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reservoir Media acquires, administers, and licenses music copyrights and master recordings on behalf of songwriters, recording artists, and catalog owners. Its Music Publishing segment collects songwriter royalties (mechanical, performance, sync), while its Recorded Music segment earns royalties on masters operated through Chrysalis Records, Tommy Boy Music, and Reservoir Recordings. The company also provides B2B licensing services for film, TV, advertising, video games, social media, and other media, and runs emerging-markets subsidiaries PopArabia (MENA) and PopIndia for regional distribution and catalog acquisition.
Product overview
Reservoir Media operates as a global independent music company built on a platform-plus-modules architecture, with music publishing as the core offering and recorded music, management, and emerging markets as integrated modules. The portfolio comprises the core Reservoir Publishing business; the Recorded Music segment encompassing the Chrysalis Records, Tommy Boy Music, and Reservoir Recordings sub-brands; the Management segment delivered through partnerships with Blue Raincoat Artists and Big Life Management; and the Emerging Markets segment delivered through the PopArabia (MENA) and PopIndia (India) subsidiaries. Supporting these modules are the Reservoir Licensing service (offering synch, mechanical, sample, and other license types against the company's catalog), Remote Control Publishing (Hans Zimmer's catalog, administered under an expanded agreement), and three client portals (Reservoir, Reservoir/Reverb, and Shapiro Bernstein) that provide clients royalty and catalog access. The company also holds strategic investments such as its stake in the immersive entertainment company Lightroom.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Chrysalis Records: Recorded music label operated by Reservoir's recorded music division
- Tommy Boy Music
- Reservoir Recordings
- Blue Raincoat Artists
- Big Life Management
- PopArabia
- PopIndia
- Remote Control Publishing
- Lightroom
Products and services
- Reservoir Publishing Core music publishing business representing copyrights dating back to the 1900s and active songwriters; regularly a Top 10 U.S. market share holder in Billboard's Publishers Quarterly.
- Reservoir Recordings Frontline recorded music division representing recorded assets and frontline recording artists as part of the company's Recorded Music segment.
- Chrysalis Records Historic recorded music label within Reservoir's portfolio, operating as part of the company's Recorded Music segment alongside Tommy Boy Music and Reservoir Recordings.
- Tommy Boy Music Iconic independent Hip-Hop and Electronic record label acquired in 2021, including over 6,000 masters and catalogs of notable artists, with ongoing catalog marketing under the Tommy Boy label.
- Remote Control Publishing Hans Zimmer's music publishing company, administered by Reservoir under an expanded 2026 agreement to manage Zimmer's catalog.
- PopArabia Dedicated MENA-region subsidiary focused on Arabic music; combined PopArabia catalog totals nearly 100,000 Arabic songs after the Viral Wave acquisition.
- PopIndia Mumbai-based subsidiary launched in 2026 giving Reservoir a dedicated presence in the Indian music market, complementing PopArabia's MENA operations.
- Blue Raincoat Artists Artist management venture partnering with Reservoir to manage recording artists, operating alongside Big Life Management.
- Big Life Management Artist management venture partnering with Reservoir to manage recording artists.
- Reservoir Licensing B2B licensing service offering access to Reservoir's catalog for film, TV, trailers, advertisements, video games, NFTs, and more; supports synch, social media, sample, mechanical, adaptation, arrangement, print, merchandise, and theatrical license types via dedicated request workflows.
Quantifiable outcome
- FY26 revenue $175.7M, up 11% YoY; Adjusted EBITDA $73.6M, up 12% YoY
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Reservoir Media
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Reservoir Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Reservoir Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Reservoir Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Primary Wave Music Publishing: Independent music publisher and talent management firm representing iconic artists' catalogs. Competes directly with Reservoir for catalog acquisitions and songwriter signings across pop, rock, and legacy estates.
- Anthem Entertainment Group: Canadian independent music company owning publishing, recorded music, and artist management. Closely comparable integrated music rights business serving the same songwriter and catalog owner customers.
- Hipgnosis Songs Management: Independent music IP investment and administration company managing catalogs from legendary songwriters. Directly comparable to Reservoir as a specialist in catalog acquisition and royalty administration with a similar B2B licensing motion.
- Kobalt Music Group: Independent music publisher and rights administration platform serving songwriters and catalogs with technology-driven royalty tracking. Closely comparable to Reservoir's publishing-plus-tech-platform approach.
- Downtown Music Holdings: Independent music services company offering publishing administration, royalty accounting, and distribution to songwriters and rights holders. Compares to Reservoir on the publishing administration and rights technology stack.
- Concord Music Group: Independent music company owning recorded music, publishing, and theatrical rights (including Craft Recordings, Rounder, Loma Vista). Closely comparable business model with combined publishing and recorded music operations.
- Round Hill Music Royalty Fund: Music IP investment vehicle that acquires songwriter and publisher royalty streams. Compares to Reservoir on the catalog acquisition and royalty administration side, though structured as a listed fund rather than an operating company.
Broad incumbents
- Warner Chappell Music: Global music publishing arm of Warner Music Group. Direct competitor in songwriter representation and catalog acquisition, with substantially greater resources than Reservoir.
- Sony Music Publishing: The world's largest music publisher and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Competes with Reservoir for top-tier songwriter signings and represents the dominant incumbent in the publishing market.
- BMG: One of the world's largest independent music companies and the most direct competitor to major labels, offering music publishing, recorded music, and neighboring rights globally. BMG's scale dwarfs Reservoir's, but the integrated publishing-plus-recorded-music model is structurally similar.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Reservoir Media social profiles
Digital presenceReservoir Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reservoir Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Reservoir Media subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
Reservoir Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reservoir Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Reservoir Media
What does Reservoir Media do?
Reservoir Media acquires, administers, and licenses music copyrights and master recordings on behalf of songwriters, recording artists, and catalog owners. Its Music Publishing segment collects songwriter royalties (mechanical, performance, sync), while its Recorded Music segment earns royalties on masters operated through Chrysalis Records, Tommy Boy Music, and Reservoir Recordings. The company also provides B2B licensing services for film, TV, advertising, video games, social media, and other media, and runs emerging-markets subsidiaries PopArabia (MENA) and PopIndia for regional distribution and catalog acquisition.
Is Reservoir Media a public or private company?
Reservoir Media is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Reservoir Media founded?
Reservoir Media was founded in 2007. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Reservoir Media based?
Reservoir Media is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Reservoir Media make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Music Publishing Royalties are the primary driver. The others are recorded Music Royalties, synchronization & Bespoke Licensing Fees, emerging Markets Distribution & Label Operations and songwriter & Artist Publishing Deals.
Who are Reservoir Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Primary Wave Music Publishing, Anthem Entertainment Group, Hipgnosis Songs Management, Kobalt Music Group, Downtown Music Holdings, Concord Music Group and Round Hill Music Royalty Fund. Broad incumbents are Warner Chappell Music, Sony Music Publishing and BMG.
Does Reservoir Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reservoir Media.
What industry is Reservoir Media in?
Reservoir Media's product category is Independent Music Publishing and Recorded Music. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIABAB, Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing), with a secondary code of MPAIAKAD, Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements). Its NAICS code is 512230.