SONY PUBLISHING SECURES AC/DC SONGS

Sony Music Publishing’s latest deed—and we’re guessing it wasn’t done dirt cheap—is a worldwide deal with Australian music company Alberts, which houses the AC/DC catalog. The deal brings the band’s publishing and recording rights together under the Sony banner for the first time.

Also acquired are the catalogs of the songwriting/producing team of Harry Vanda, George Young and Stevie Wright, whose classics include “Friday on My Mind” by The Easybeats and “Love Is in the Air” by John Paul Young.

“David Albert and the Alberts team are leaders in shaping Australia’s modern music culture, and our shared ethos will be powerful in sustaining the global impact of these iconic catalogs,” said Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt.

Alberts CEO David Albert noted, “We have built over a number of years a very close working relationship with Rob Stringer and the team at Columbia and were impressed with [SMP Managing Director, Australia] Damian Trotter and Jon Platt’s vision for the catalogs and the alignment with our approach to business.”