Melody of the World

What Melody of the World does

Melodie der Welt (legal entity: Melodie der Welt GmbH & Co. KG) is an independent German music publishing company (Musikverlag) founded in 1951 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The company administers music publishing rights for authors and publishing partners, with an international catalog spanning German and international repertoire, including high-profile works such as Culture Beat's "Mr. Vain" and Nosie Katzmann's catalog. Its primary activities are synchronization licensing (film, television, advertising, streaming), subpublishing administration for international publishers in DACH territories, and sheet music distribution through dedicated partners (Josef Weinberger GmbH and HeBu Musikverlag).

The company offers a structured product surface: synchronization licensing for audiovisual media, grand rights licensing for theatrical performances, print licensing, internet/digital usage licensing, and cover/adaptation/sample/remix licensing — each with dedicated web-based request forms. The technology backbone is a manual, form-driven licensing workflow supported by a browseable Titles & Authors catalog; no public API, SDK, or programmatic licensing interface exists. The company maintains international subpublishing relationships (Wixen Music Publishing US, Bourne Co. New York) and administration agreements with German authors and labels (Get Into Magic, Get Physical Music, Franky Boy Publishing, Valicon, Peacelounge, Coppenrath Verlag, Antstreet Records).

Revenue is generated exclusively through licensing royalties: one-time synchronization fees negotiated case-by-case based on usage type, media format, duration, territory, and prominence, plus ongoing subpublishing royalty collection and distribution, plus sheet music sales. Customer segments are horizontal across three groups: film/TV production companies and broadcasters (Netflix, Apple TV+, Studiocanal, Ziegler Film, ZDF/ARD), advertising agencies and brands (EDEKA, McDonald's Germany, Lidl, Bitpanda, TOOM Baumarkt), and music publishers and songwriters. The company is privately held with no external investors, no parent company, and no disclosed revenue figures; leadership consists of Managing Director Pamela Georgi.

Name

Melody of the World

Legal name

Melodie der Welt GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://melodiederwelt.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Independent German music publishing company founded in 1951 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, administering music rights and licensing songs for film, television, and advertising while serving international publishers through subpublishing arrangements in German-speaking territories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Publishing

NAICS

Music Publishers (51223), Music Publishers (512230)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Sync Rights Representation (Pitching, Clearance, Negotiation) (MPAIABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB), Royalty Accounting & Payment Services (Statements, Audits, Payee Management) (MPAIABAL), Copyright Registration & Catalog Management (Metadata, ISWC/ISRC Linking) (MPAIABAC), Music & Synchronization Rights for Film/TV (MPADALAC)

Keywords

• Music publishing rights
• Synchronization licensing
• Subpublishing administration
• Sheet music distribution
• Music rights clearance

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Synchronization Licensing: Licensing of music rights for use in films, TV shows, advertising campaigns, and other media. Revenue generated from one-time synch fees negotiated based on usage type, duration, and territory.
2. Subpublishing Administration: Administration of subpublishing rights for international publishers and authors in German-speaking territories. Collects and distributes royalties on behalf of partner publishers.
3. Print/Sheet Music Licensing: Licensing of sheet music arrangements for educational and performance purposes, with distribution through partners Josef Weinberger GmbH and HeBu Musikverlag.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Melodie der Welt is an independent music publishing company (Musikverlag) that administers music publishing rights for authors and publishing partners, licenses songs for synchronization in films, television, and advertising, and distributes sheet music. Founded in 1951 in Frankfurt am Main, the company provides copyright management, royalty collection, subpublishing administration for international catalogs in German-speaking territories, and a range of licensing services including print, grand rights, internet/digital, and cover/adaptation/sample/remix licensing.

Product overview

Melodie der Welt is an independent music publishing company (Musikverlag) founded in 1951, based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The company operates as a platform managing multiple product and service lines: it administers a large catalog of music publishing rights for authors and publishing partners (Editionen); provides licensing services across multiple channels including synchronisation (film, TV, advertising), grand rights (theatrical), print licensing, internet/digital licensing, and cover/adaptation/sample/remix licensing; distributes sheet music and songbooks; and offers administrative partner services for co-publishing and sub-publishing arrangements in German-speaking and international markets. The company maintains an international partner network and publishes news about music placements in films, TV series, advertising, and streaming productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Music Catalog Administration Administration of music publishing rights for authors and publishing partners, including copyright management, royalty collection, and repertoire maintenance for national and international catalogs.
• Synchronisation Licensing Licensing of music rights for use in films, television, advertising campaigns, streaming series, and other audiovisual media.
• Sheet Music Sales and Distribution Sale and distribution of printed sheet music and songbooks, including single-title prints and anthologies, distributed through Josef Weinberger GmbH and HeBu Musikverlag.
• Grand Rights Licensing Licensing of grand rights for theatrical, stage, and dramatic performances of musical works.
• Internet Usage Licensing Licensing for music usage on internet platforms, streaming services, and digital media.
• Print Licensing Licensing of print rights for reproduction of music in books, magazines, and other printed media.
• Cover/Adaptation/Sample/Remix Licensing Licensing for cover songs, adaptations, samples, and remixes of works in the catalog.
• Administrative Partner Services Administration services for third-party publishers and rights holders, including co-publishing arrangements and sub-publishing agreements for German-speaking territories and international partners.

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Get Into Magic Music PublishingcoreTechnology or IntegrationNosie Katzmann's publishing company whose catalog includes hits like 'Mr. Vain' and 'Right in the Night.' MDW has administered this catalog since 2007, handling synchronization licensing and subpublishing for German-speaking territories.
• Get Physical MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerlin-based independent label featuring artists like Booka Shade. Long-term publishing agreement signed at Popkomm for administration of label's catalog and authors.
• Perky PARK / Mila PublishingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerlin music production company owned by Peter Hayo, Arno Kammermeier, and Walter Merziger (also founders of Get Physical Music). MDW administrates their Mila Publishing catalog.
• Beat Gottwald / Edition Beat The RichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerlin music manager (K.I.Z, Tote Crackhuren im Kofferraum) co-founded Edition Beat The Rich with MDW for publishing of their artists.
• Antstreet RecordsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent record label with exclusive edition agreement for rock guitar music. Partnership signed at Popkomm 2010.
• Franky Boy PublishingcoreTechnology or IntegrationPublishing house of Uschi Ließmann representing composer Jean Frankfurter (composer for Helene Fischer). MDW represents this publisher for various rights since 2011.
• ValiconcoreTechnology or IntegrationBerlin-based producer team (Ingo Politz, Bernd Wendlandt) producing for Silbermond, Silly, and Eisblume. Long-term exclusive author contract signed in 2011.
• Josef Weinberger GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publisher handling sheet music distribution for MDW since September 2010 (except brass band music). Located in Frankfurt at Oeder Weg 26.
• HeBu MusikverlagminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publisher handling brass band sheet music distribution for MDW since 2010. Located in Kraichtal, Germany.
• Wixen Music PublishingcoreTechnology or IntegrationUS-based international music publisher. MDW subpublishes Wixen's catalogs in German-speaking territories, including works by Joanna Sternberg, Errol Brown, Johnny Logan, and others.
• Bourne Co. New YorkcoreTechnology or IntegrationNew York-based music publisher. MDW subpublishes Bourne Co. catalogs in German-speaking territories, including 'Poor Papa' by Billy Rose & Harry M. Woods.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Edition Intro / Roof Music: Independent German music publishing house administering pop, schlager, and rock catalogs with sync licensing for German media. Comparable as a mid-sized independent German publisher competing for the same DACH sync and subpublishing mandates.
• Bourne Co. Music Publishers: Long-established New York music publisher (since 1919) with classic American songbook catalog; MDW serves as DACH subpublisher. Comparable as a heritage independent publisher with international reciprocal administration arrangements.
• Wixen Music Publishing: US-based independent music publisher for whom MDW handles German-speaking subpublishing. Operates the same dual model of catalog administration and sync representation; comparable as an internationally active independent publisher.
• Budde Music Publishing: Berlin-based independent music publisher offering administration, sync licensing, and subpublishing for German and international catalogs. Directly competes with MDW for sync placements in German film, TV, and advertising productions.

Emerging players

• Get Physical Music: Berlin-based independent electronic music label (Booka Shade, M.A.N.D.Y.) whose publishing MDW administers. Comparable as a contemporary catalog owner using MDW-style independent administration rather than major-publisher deals.
• Peacelounge Recordings: Frankfurt-based chillout/lounge label whose catalog MDW administers in Edition Peacelounge. Smaller scale independent comparable as a partner using MDW for publishing administration rather than in-house infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• Warner Chappell Music: Major global music publisher with extensive German-language and international catalogs, competing for sync placements across film, TV, and advertising. Comparable as a full-service incumbent in the same value chain.
• BMG Rights Management: Global music publisher and rights administrator (Bertelsmann-owned) offering publishing administration, sync licensing, and neighboring rights across all major markets. Competes for the same sync opportunities but at vastly greater scale and catalog breadth.
• Sony Music Publishing: World's largest music publisher (formerly Sony/ATV), controlling major contemporary and legacy catalogs including many works MDW sub-publishes in DACH. Represents the structural risk of major publisher consolidation eating into independent subpublishing volumes.

Others

• Josef Weinberger GmbH: Frankfurt-based sheet music distributor and music publisher serving as MDW's print distribution partner. Comparable as a fellow Frankfurt-based music publishing distribution participant and potential adjacent partner or competitor for print rights.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/melodie-der-welt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Melody of the World