Manners McDade

What Manners McDade does

Manners McDade is a London-based independent music publisher and composer agency established in 2006 and acquired by Faber Music in 2023, now operating as a division within the Faber Music group. The company represents a roster of 60-plus composers specializing in neo-classical, ambient, and electronic music, including artists such as Nils Frahm, Max Cooper, AVAWAVES, Catching Flies, Vanbur, and Anne Nikitin. Its core products span four service lines: Music Publishing Services (copyright administration, A&R, and catalogue management), Sync & Licensing (placement of music into film, television, advertising, and games), Composer Representation & Management via the MannersFaber agency, and Bespoke Composition (custom original work for brands and productions).

The underlying technology is a rights-and-relationship platform: catalogue metadata, copyright registration, royalty collection across mechanical, performance, and sync rights, and direct outreach to production companies, broadcasters, and advertising agencies. There are no disclosed proprietary software products, AI components, or platform APIs; the competitive edge rests on the curated roster and human-led creative matching rather than on technology infrastructure. Sync requests and submissions are routed through Faber Music email channels ([email protected], [email protected]), reflecting integration with the parent's back office.

The business model combines licensing royalties (sync fees and ongoing publishing royalties from catalogue use) with professional services revenue from composer representation and bespoke commissions. Pricing is custom and undisclosed, with quotes set per project based on usage scope and composer profile. The go-to-market is B2B and sales-led, relying on direct relationships, industry events, and the credibility generated by composer credits in marquee productions. Customers are concentrated in four verticals — film and TV productions, streaming platforms (Netflix, HBO, Sky, BBC, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+), technology companies (Apple, Google), and global brands in advertising (Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, BVLGARI, Chanel, Zara, Universal Music).

Name

Manners McDade

Legal name

Manners McDade Music Publishing

Website

https://mannersmcdade.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Manners McDade is an independent music publisher and composer agency representing 60-plus neo-classical, ambient, and electronic composers. Operating as a Faber Music division since 2023, it provides sync licensing, publishing administration, and bespoke composition for film, TV, games, and advertising clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Publishing

NAICS

Music Publishers (512230), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114), Music Publishers (51223)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Supervision Services (MPAIALAB)

Keywords

• Music publishing services
• Sync licensing
• Composer representation
• Music copyright administration
• Royalty collection

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Music Publishing Administration: Managing and administering music copyrights for composers on their roster, collecting royalties from mechanical, performance, and sync rights. Revenue derived from copyright management fees and royalty collection.
2. Sync Licensing: Placing composer music in film, television, advertising, and video game productions. Revenue generated through sync fees paid by production companies and brands for the right to use music.
3. Composer Representation & Management: Artist management services for composers, including career development, booking, and negotiation of deals. The company also operates MannersFaber agency for composer representation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Manners McDade is an independent music publisher and composer agency that manages a roster of neo-classical, ambient, and electronic composers and artists. The company promotes and protects copyrights, develops composer careers, and secures synchronization placements of music in film, television, advertising, and video games. It also offers bespoke composition services and operates the MannersFaber agency for composer representation.

Product overview

Manners McDade is an independent music publisher offering a comprehensive suite of services centered around music publishing, sync licensing, and composer representation. The company promotes and protects copyrights while developing careers and nurturing talent across neo-classical, ambient, and electronic genres. Their core offerings include Music Publishing Services (A&R management and catalog administration), Sync & Licensing (placement of music in film, TV, advertising, and games), Composer Representation & Management (artist agency connecting composers with opportunities), and Bespoke Composition (custom original music for brands and productions). Operating as a division of Faber Music since 2023, the company serves the film, television, games, and advertising sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Music Publishing Services
• Sync & Licensing

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Faber MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Manners McDade was acquired by Faber Music in 2023 and operates as a division under Faber Music. This acquisition provides Manners McDade with institutional backing and global reach while maintaining creative independence. Harriet Moss serves as Head of Manners McDade at Faber Music and Head of International Creative.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Primary Wave Music Publishing: Primary Wave is an independent music publisher with significant sync and film/TV scoring focus. Comparable independent publisher model competing for film/TV/advertising placements with a curated roster.
• Bucks Music Group: Bucks Music Group is a long-established independent UK music publisher representing composers for film, TV, and advertising. Closest comparable independent UK peer in roster curation and sync licensing.
• Faber Music: Faber Music is the parent company that acquired Manners McDade in 2023. It operates as a UK music publisher with adjacent roster and Faber Alt sync division; directly comparable business model, with shared admin infrastructure.
• Sentric Music: Sentric Music is a UK-based independent music publisher and admin house offering publishing administration and sync services. Comparable independent UK peer focused on rights administration and sync placements.

Broad incumbents

• BMG: BMG is one of the world's largest independent music publishers with a major global sync division. Comparable in that it administers copyright, signs composers, and pitches for film/TV/ad placements, but at vastly larger scale across all genres.
• Warner Chappell Music: Warner Chappell is a major global publisher offering sync, A&R, and bespoke composition services. Comparable as a full-service music publisher competing for the same film, TV, brand, and game briefs.
• Concord Music Publishing: Concord is a major independent publisher with a strong sync and film/TV scoring business. Overlaps with Manners McDade in representing composers for placement in productions and administering catalogues.
• Universal Music Publishing Group: UMPG is the largest music publishing division globally and competes for the same high-end sync placements and composer representation business that Manners McDade pursues.
• Peermusic: Peermusic is one of the largest independent music publishers worldwide, with a global sync team and catalogue of composers. Comparable business model as an indie publisher pursuing sync opportunities.
• Sony Music Publishing: Sony Music Publishing is the largest music publisher globally with an extensive film/TV/advertising sync operation. Directly competes for top-tier film/TV scoring and sync briefs with Manners McDade's roster.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MannersMcDade
• Facebookfacebook.com/mannersmcdademusic
• Instagraminstagram.com/MannersMcDade
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Manners McDade