ORiGiN Music Group

What ORiGiN Music Group does

ORiGiN Music Group (operating as ORiGiN Entertainment) is an independent Australian-owned music and entertainment partnership founded by Philip Walker and Philip Mortlock, with origins in the mid-1990s through ORiGiN Music Publishing and ORiGiN Recordings. The theatrical division was established in 2004 with exclusive representation of the Rodgers & Hammerstein and Really Useful Group catalogues, and has since grown to become the market leader in Australia and New Zealand for secondary-market theatrical exploitation covering amateur, community, schools, pro-am, small professional, fringe, regional, stock and repertory productions.

The group operates five divisions under one roof: ORiGiN Theatrical (theatrical rights licensing for major global catalogues), ORiGiN Music Publishing (sub-publishing and composer representation across a global independent network), ORiGiN Recordings (an indie record label established in the mid-1990s), POST Production Music (a production-music library for film, TV, and advertising launched in 2019-2020), and ORiGiN IMPRiNT (book publishing for poetry, memoirs, and fiction). Revenue mechanics derive from licensing fees, sub-publishing royalties, record sales, and production-music sync fees; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is based at Pyrmont, Sydney, with approximately 10 employees and no institutional investors, parent company, or public listing.

The roster includes Australian composers and artists such as Gotye, Megan Washington, Lior, Cookin' on 3 Burners, James Morrison, Tinpan Orange, and George Telek, alongside international catalogues including Concord Theatricals entities, Warner/Chappell Music Australia, KISS, REO Speedwagon, Doc Pomus, and Ninja Tunes. The firm has received two APRA Music Awards for songs exceeding one billion streams and multiple ARIA nominations including three wins. No proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capability is disclosed; competitive advantage rests on long-dated exclusive rights agreements, brand reputation in ANZ theatrical licensing, and the boutique flexibility of a founder-led partnership.

Name

ORiGiN Music Group

Legal name

ORiGiN Entertainment

Website

https://originmusic.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ORiGiN Music Group is an independent Australian-owned partnership operating five divisions — theatrical rights licensing, music publishing, recordings, production music, and book publishing — serving composers, artists, rights owners, and media professionals across Australia, New Zealand, and international sub-publishing markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Publishing and Entertainment Services

NAICS

Music Publishers (51223), Music Publishers (512230), Record Production and Distribution (51225)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Rights Representation & Sub-Publishing/Reciprocal Collection Services (MPAIAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ancillary & Derivative Rights Licensing (Remakes, Spin-offs, Merchandising) (MPABANAJ), Program Format Licensing (Scripted & Unscripted) (MPABANAA)

Keywords

• Music publishing services
• Theatrical rights licensing
• Record label services
• Production music library
• Artist representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Pyrmont

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

ORiGiN Entertainment is an independent Australian music and entertainment group that provides professional representation, licensing, and rights management services across five divisions: theatrical rights licensing for musicals and plays, music publishing for composers and songwriters, a record label, a production music library for media professionals, and book publishing for Australian authors.

Product overview

ORiGiN Entertainment is an independent Australian music group operating as a partnership between Philip Walker and Philip Mortlock. The company operates as a unified platform with five distinct divisions: ORiGiN Theatrical (theatrical rights licensing), ORiGiN Music Publishing (composer and catalogue representation), ORiGiN Recordings (record label), POST Production Music (production music library for media), and ORiGiN IMPRiNT (book publishing). Together these divisions provide comprehensive services for creative works across music, theatre, and publishing sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ORiGiN Theatrical: Market leader in Australia and New Zealand for theatrical rights representation covering amateur, community, schools, pro-am, small professional, fringe, regional, stock and repertory productions.
• ORiGiN Music Publishing
• ORiGiN Recordings
• ORiGiN IMPRiNT
• POST Production Music

Products and services

• ORiGiN Theatrical Theatrical rights management and licensing service for amateur, community, schools, pro-am, small professional, fringe, regional, stock and repertory productions in Australia and New Zealand. Represents major catalogues including Rodgers & Hammerstein, Really Useful Group (Andrew Lloyd Webber), Samuel French, and other rights owners.
• ORiGiN Music Publishing Music publishing representation service for Australian and international composers, songwriters, and catalogues. Operates a global independent network of sub-publishers representing catalogues including Just Isn't Music/Ninja Tunes, KISS, REO Speedwagon, and the Doc Pomus catalogue.
• ORiGiN Recordings Independent record label covering a wide range of musical styles, releasing albums across jazz, pop, world music, and comedy genres. Also produces original soundtrack recordings for film and documentary.
• POST Production Music Production music library providing original soundtracks for media professionals working in film, television, and advertising productions.
• ORiGiN IMPRiNT

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rodgers and Hammerstein OrganisationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORiGiN Theatrical holds exclusive representation of theatrical rights to the Rodgers & Hammerstein catalogue (A Concord Theatricals Company) since 2004. This is a flagship partnership as the company was created with this establishment.
• Really Useful GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive representation of theatrical rights for Andrew Lloyd Webber shows including Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, and other Really Useful Group properties through ALW Show Licensing.
• Concord Theatricals Companies (Samuel French, Tams-Witmark, Dramatist Play Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentation of Samuel French Inc & Samuel French Ltd, Tams-Witmark Music Library, and Playscripts/Broadway Licensing/Dramatist Play Service catalogues - all Concord Theatricals Companies.
• Dramatic Publishing USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentation of theatrical rights for Dramatic Publishing USA catalogue.
• Theatrical Rights WorldwideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentation partnership for theatrical rights worldwide.
• Warner/Chappell Music AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentation of Warner/Chappell Music Australia catalogue for theatrical and publishing rights.
• Global Creatures Holdings Pty LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentation partnership for theatrical productions including Walking with Dinosaurs and other Global Creatures shows.
• Nullarbor ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Australian theatrical production rights.
• Playstage SeniorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentation of Playstage Senior catalogue for adult-oriented theatrical productions.
• Cressrelles PublishingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentation partnership for Cressrelles Publishing UK catalogue.
• Just Isn't Music / Ninja TunescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSub-publishing partnership for the Just Isn't Music/Ninja Tunes catalogue - a major UK-based independent music publisher representing artists like Fatboy Slim, The Prodigy, and others.
• KISS (Catalogue Representation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORiGiN Music Publishing represents the complete recordings of KISS - a major rock catalogue in their sub-publishing network.
• REO Speedwagon (Catalogue Representation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSub-publishing representation for REO Speedwagon catalogue including 'Keep On Loving You' and 'Time for Letting Go'.
• Doc Pomus CataloguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSub-publishing of the Doc Pomus catalogue featuring songs sung by Elvis Presley (Viva Las Vegas, Little Sister), The Drifters (This Magic Moment, Save the Last Dance for Me), and B.B. King. Represents some of the greatest songs in history.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Kobalt Music Group: Tech-led global music publisher representing rights and collecting royalties; a structural competitive threat to boutique agencies like ORiGiN due to its direct-to-creator model and technology stack.
• BMG Rights Management: Modern, technology-forward music publisher and record label that has captured significant share from majors; comparable business model across publishing and recordings, with stronger tech infrastructure than ORiGiN.

Broad incumbents

• Warner Chappell Music: One of the three global major music publishers and a current ORiGiN client (Warner/Chappell Music Australia); broad incumbent with overlapping publishing and theatrical licensing capabilities at much greater scale.
• Universal Music Publishing Australia: Major label publishing arm with ANZ operations; provides both the competitive backdrop and a potential partner for catalogue administration in the same region.

Direct peers

• Really Useful Group / ALW Show Licensing: Andrew Lloyd Webber's theatrical licensing arm and one of ORiGiN's anchor mandates. Comparable as a theatre-IP licensor, though relationship is currently principal-agent rather than competitive.
• Music Theatre International (MTI): Largest independent theatrical licensing agency in the world, directly comparable to ORiGiN Theatrical's secondary market rights business and the closest global analogue to its licensing model.
• Mushroom Music Publishing: Long-established ANZ independent music publisher with sub-publishing, catalogue, and artist roster services - the most direct domestic peer to ORiGiN Music Publishing.
• Concord Theatricals: Direct peer and current principal of ORiGiN's largest theatrical mandates (R&H, Samuel French, Tams-Witmark, Dramatist Play Service). Operates global theatrical rights licensing, and could theoretically internalize ANZ distribution.
• Hal Leonard Australia: Theatrical licensing, script rental, and music distribution in ANZ; competes with ORiGiN Theatrical for the same amateur, school, and community production market.
• Albert Music / Albert Productions: Historic ANZ independent music publisher and record label with deep Australian catalogue (INXS, Daddy Cool, etc.); directly comparable to ORiGiN Music Publishing and ORiGiN Recordings combined.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/origin-music-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 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 ORiGiN Music Group