UK-based music publishing (holding) company, affiliated with PRS (IPI #87019563). Forms part of the "EMI Music Publishing Group" and operating under this name since 21 January 1974. Formerly incorporated as "Affiliated Music Publishers Ltd" on 4 December 1957. EMI Music Publishing Ltd. and affiliated / subsidiary companies administered the publishing rights of over 1.3 million songs.
The roots of the company were founded in 1957 as "Affiliated Music Publishers Ltd.", which was a newly formed UK-based holding company, established for the purpose of worldwide exploitation and exchange of copyrights. Founded by the "Big 3", Robbins, Feist, Miller, the US-based partnership of publishing firms, and the UK-based Francis, Day & Hunter Group. Principal companies (not including local subsidiaries) held within this company included Robbins Music Group, Robbins Music Corp. Ltd., Francis, Day & Hunter Group, Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd., B. Feldman & Co. Ltd., Herman Darewski Music Publishing Co Ltd., Dix Ltd., British & Continental, and Leo Feist Ltd.
In 1958 in the UK, Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. (EMI) established its first in-house publishing (holding) company as Ardmore & Beechwood Ltd.. Further acquiring in 1969 the international "K.P.M. Music Publishing Group", which included Keith Prowse Music Pub. Co. Ltd., Peter Maurice Music Co. Ltd., KPM Music Ltd., World Copyrights Ltd., and Macmelodies Ltd.
In 1972, EMI Ltd. (EMI) (successor of Electric & Musical Industries Ltd.) acquired "Affiliated Music Publishers Ltd." and subsidiaries from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. (MGM) for $8.75 million; following the acquisition, EMI Ltd. would subsequently bring all its publishing operations under the control of this newly acquired (holding) company. On 7 December 1974, Affiliated Music Publishers Ltd. was renamed EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
A majority holding was obtained in Music House (international) Limited in 1995, further acquiring Big Ben Music Ltd. and Peers Music Ltd. in 1996, and Lawrence Wright Music Co. Ltd. in 1997.
On 19 November 1999, it acquired a majority (51%) holding in Hit & Run Music (Publishing) Ltd. (which included immediate subsidiaries Charisma Music Publishing Co. Ltd., Hit & Run Music Publishing, Inc., Hidden Pun Music Inc., Charisma Music Publishing USA, Inc., and Gang Forward Ltd.), subsequently acquiring the outstanding equity (except for one share retained by John Anthony Smith) in 2004.
In November 2011, Citigroup, Inc., agreed to sell EMI Group Ltd. (formerly known as EMI Group Plc) and certain US and select international interests that formed part of its recorded music operations (EMI Music) to Vivendi S.A. (owner of the various companies that form part of the Universal Music Group) and its worldwide music publishing businesses to a consortium of investors that primarily consisted of Sony Corporation of America, Estate of Michael Jackson, Mubadala development and Blackstone's Group GSO Capital Partners LP. The sale of EMI Music Publishing Ltd. was completed on 29 June 2012.
Since 2012, EMI Music Publishing Ltd. has been administered by Sony/ATV, and formed part of the DH Publishing Group (Partnership). On 22 May 2018, Sony Corporation announced it was acquiring a controlling stake (90%) in the EMI Music Publishing Group, of which it already owned 30%, the £1.7 billion deal would make Sony the largest music publisher in the world, subject to regulatory approval, due to it already owning the rights to over 2 million compositions via its other music-related companies. The takeover was approved by European regulators on 26 October 2018, with the deal being completed as of November 2018.
Full legal entity name: EMI Music Publishing Limited
Company status: Active
UK Company number: 00594758
Incorporated: 4 December 1957 as 'Affiliated Music Publishers Limited'
Name change: 21 January 1974
Immediate parent shareholder: EMI Music Publishing Finance (UK) Limited
Ultimate parent and controlling party: Sony Corporation
Name variations as found on this profile:
- EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
- EMI Music Pub. Ltd.
- EMI Music Publ. Ltd.
- EMI Music Publishing Ltd
- EMI Music Publishing Limited
- E.M.I. Music Publishing Ltd.
Related to:
EMI Music Publishing (UK) Ltd.
