SESAC Performing Rights has chosen Soundreef to represent its extensive repertoire in Italy, effective January 1, 2024. This is a historic development, marking the first time one of the ten largest performing rights organizations (PROs) in the world has withdrawn its mandate from a European CMO to entrust those rights to an independent management entity. This pivotal transition underscores Soundreef’s emergence as a robust alternative in Italy, the sixth largest music market in the world based on CISAC global collections data.
Founded in 1930, SESAC Performing Rights currently licenses the public performance of thousands of chart-topping songs on behalf of its top-tier affiliated songwriters and music publishers, which include such familiar names as Lee Brice, Blanco Brown, Zac Brown, Rosanne Cash, Neil Diamond, Disclosure, Bob Dylan, Ariana Grande, Jack Harlow, Nicky Jam, Margo Price, and many more. SESAC has also long represented the music on some of TV’s biggest shows including Grey’s Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, A Million Little Things, Manifest, Dateline NBC, Dr. Phil, Seinfeld, and Modern Family, and is the PRO of choice among many of Hollywood’s most sought-after film and television composers including Christophe Beck, Danny Lux, The Newton Brothers, John Ehrlich, Gabriel Mann, Lili Haydn, and Guillermo Brown among others.
Established in 2012, Soundreef represents over 43,000 songwriters and publishers globally, with 26,000 hailing from Italy. This includes stars such as Gigi D’Alessio, J-AX, Laura Pausini, Ultimo, Alejandro Sanz, and Sfera Ebbasta; heritage and contemporary writers like Giancarlo Bigazzi, Maurizio Fabrizio, Takagi & Ketra, and Federica Abbate; as well as some of the most important Italian rap artists and film and TV composers. This collaboration signifies an important turning point in the music rights landscape, with Soundreef managing the collection and calculation of rights for every musical work cataloged by SESAC Performing Rights that is utilized or reproduced in Italy.
“I am deeply grateful to SESAC for entrusting us with this responsibility,” states Davide d’Atri, CEO of Soundreef. “We are committed to delivering exceptional results and ensuring the continued success of the diverse and talented community of music creators SESAC represents. We believe we can offer a product based on evolving technology that can deliver significant results to rights holders.” Adrian Berwick, CEO of Soundreef Ltd, shares “This agreement recognises the changes in the Italian market since the monopoly in the collection of music rights ended six years ago, and Soundreef’s success in offering an alternative collecting service to tens of thousands of writers and publishers. Representing SESAC Performing Rights and its stellar creators is both an honour and a challenge to keep raising the bar higher.”
“We are excited to partner with Soundreef for the representation of our affiliates’ repertoire in Italy. SESAC is always looking to improve efficiency and maximize revenue for our affiliates’ intellectual property and this agreement with Soundreef aligns with that mission,” comments Scott Jungmichel, President and COO of SESAC Performing Rights. Alexander Wolf, President of International of the SESAC Music Group adds, "Collaborating with tech-forward Soundreef to manage the SESAC Performing Rights repertoire and The Harry Fox mechanical rights is another important step in enhancing our international platform following on the footsteps of our Mint joint venture with SUISA; our partnership with Gresham in Africa; and our collaboration with the Asian societies through AAMRO."
This transition is not just a milestone for Soundreef but also represents a transformative moment in the copyright market, heralding a new era of international collaborations and reinforcing Soundreef’s standing in the European music rights sector.
About SESAC Performing Rights:
SESAC Performing Rights drives efficiency in licensing for music users and enhances value for its affiliated writers, publishers, and composers by providing timely, efficient royalty collection and distribution. The company represents top-tier songwriters and film composers from a broad range of genres including Adele, Burna Boy, Christophe Beck, Rosanne Cash, David Crosby, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Kesha, Gabriel Mann, R.E.M., and many more. SESAC Performing Rights is a division of SESAC Music Group, a global multi-line music company. Learn more at www.sesac.com.
About Soundreef:
Representing over 43,000 songwriters and publishers globally, with a strong base of 26,000 in Italy, Soundreef has emerged as a significant European player in the music rights sector. Our cutting-edge technology ensures accurate monitoring and distribution of royalties, fostering trust and transparency with our members. Our clientele, a testament to our reliability, spans various facets of the music industry. Renowned artists like Gigi D’Alessio, Laura Pausini, Pooh, Alejandro Sanz, and Ultimo, superstars in the urban scene such as Sfera Ebbasta, J-AX, Guè, and Rkomi, iconic composers like Giancarlo Bigazzi, Maurizio Fabrizio, Takagi & Ketra, and Federica Abbate, as well as many top Italian TV composers have all chosen Soundreef for rights management. The Soundreef Group, encompassing Soundreef SpA, Soundreef Ltd, Soundreef OGI (Spain), and Soundreef Media Service, works harmoniously to provide a seamless royalty management experience. Our commitment to global standards in rights management is further evidenced by our admission to CISAC in 2020.
