Sony/ATV Music Publishing

What Sony/ATV Music Publishing does

Sony Music Publishing, formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing, is a global music publishing company that administers and licenses the rights to musical compositions on behalf of songwriters. Founded in 1995 as a joint venture between Sony Corporation and Michael Jackson, the company became wholly owned by Sony in 2016 and was rebranded under its current name in 2018 following the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing. Headquartered in New York and operating with 1,001–5,000 employees, it is one of three dominant music publishers globally, alongside Universal Music Group and Warner Chappell.

The company operates a unified suite of services for songwriters and music creators: the Score platform for catalog and rights management, My Music for personalized content access, Sheet Music for printed notations, Songwriters Forward as an initiative connecting writers to opportunities, and Global Communities as a worldwide networking platform. These products position the company as a direct service provider rather than a marketplace or aggregator. Its revenue model is built on music publishing economics — collecting royalties from the licensing of compositions to streaming services, film and television, advertising, and other media — supplemented by ownership and exploitation of an extensive catalog of copyrights.

The business is structured as a joint venture between Sony Music and the Omnicom Group (branded as SMP x OMC), while remaining a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. This structure pairs music publishing assets with advertising and media-buying reach, supporting synchronization and brand-driven licensing demand alongside the parent company's broader entertainment ecosystem.

Name

Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Legal name

Sony Music Publishing LLC

Website

https://sonyatv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Sony Music Publishing is a global music publishing company that administers and licenses song copyrights for a roster of songwriters, operating as a top-three major publisher alongside Universal Music Group and Warner Chappell.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Publishing

NAICS

Music Publishers (512230), Music Publishers (51223)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Royalty Accounting & Payment Services (Statements, Audits, Payee Management) (MPAIABAL), Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements) (MPAIAKAD), Print Music Publishing (Sheet Music, Scores, Educational Repertoire) (MPAIABAG)

Keywords

• Music publishing
• Music licensing
• Song catalog management
• Royalty collection
• Sheet music distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

Sony/ATV Music Publishing (now operating as Sony Music Publishing) is a global music publishing company that administers song catalogs, manages publishing rights, collects royalties, and licenses musical compositions to recording artists, films, advertisements, and other media. The company provides songwriters and composers with tools to manage their works, including the Score catalog management platform, sheet music distribution, and community/networking programs.

Product overview

Sony Music Publishing operates as a comprehensive music publishing platform offering a unified suite of tools and services for songwriters and music creators. The core platform includes the Score portal for catalog and rights management, supplemented by My Music for personalized content access, Sheet Music services for printed notations, Songwriters Forward for opportunity connections, and Global Communities for worldwide networking. The company functions as a direct service provider rather than a marketplace or aggregator model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Score A platform for songwriters and music creators to manage and access their music catalog, tracks, and publishing rights.
• Sheet Music A service providing access to printed musical notations and sheet music for songwriters and composers.
• Songwriters Forward A platform or initiative connecting songwriters with opportunities in music publishing.
• Global Communities A networking and community platform for songwriters and music creators worldwide.

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Omnicom GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOmnicom Group is referenced as a key partnership on the Sony Music Publishing website through a joint venture logo arrangement. The partnership appears to be operational collaboration within the music publishing joint venture structure between Sony Music and Omnicom.
• Sony MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSony Music Publishing operates as a joint venture between Sony Music and Omnicom Group. The company maintains the Sony Music branding and is positioned as a subsidiary/affiliate of Sony Corporation, with the Sony logo and Sony Music logo prominently featured on the company website.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Universal Music Publishing Group: Universal Music Publishing Group is the world's largest music publisher and one of the two other 'Big Three' global publishers alongside Sony/ATV. Direct competition for major songwriter signings, catalog acquisitions, and global sync deals.
• Warner Chappell Music: Warner Chappell Music is the third member of the 'Big Three' music publishers globally, owned by Warner Music Group. Competes head-to-head with Sony/ATV for hit songwriter rosters and catalog assets across all major genres and geographies.
• BMG Rights Management: BMG is the world's fourth-largest music publisher and a Bertelsmann-owned challenger that has aggressively signed major songwriters with artist-friendly terms. Directly competes with Sony/ATV in A&R and catalog acquisitions using a technology-driven, transparent service model.
• Kobalt Music Group: Kobalt is an independent music publisher built on a technology platform offering real-time royalty tracking and better splits to songwriters. Competes directly with Sony/ATV for next-generation hitmakers seeking modern, transparent publishing deals.
• Concord Music Publishing: Concord Music Publishing is a major independent publisher with significant catalog holdings and active A&R operations. Competes in mid-tier songwriter signings and catalog acquisition against Sony/ATV's secondary roster.
• Primary Wave Music Publishing: Primary Wave is an independent music publisher and talent management firm that has acquired major legacy catalogs and signings. Direct competitor for catalog purchases and high-profile songwriter signings against Sony/ATV's catalog expansion strategy.
• Spirit Music Group: Spirit Music Group is an independent music publisher focused on catalog acquisitions and rights management. Competes with Sony/ATV in the secondary catalog acquisition market and songwriter publishing administration services.
• Round Hill Music Royalty Fund: Round Hill Music acquires music publishing royalties and catalogs with a focus on evergreen songs. Competes with Sony/ATV in catalog acquisition deal flow, particularly for legacy song catalogs.

Broad incumbents

• Sony Music Entertainment: Sony Music Entertainment is the recorded music arm of Sony Group and the parent-affiliated record label. Sister company to Sony Music Publishing within the Sony Group, sharing strategic alignment and access to recording-artist songwriter pipelines through integrated A&R.

Emerging players

• Hipgnosis Songs Fund: Hipgnosis Songs Management is a music IP investment vehicle that has acquired major catalogs from investors and songwriters. Increasingly competing with Sony/ATV in catalog transactions and representing a new asset class that pressures traditional publishers' economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sonyatvpubuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sonyatvmusicpub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sony/ATV Music Publishing