Primary Wave Music has acquired again.
Just last week, the company announced a deal with Joey Tempest, the lead vocalist of the rock band Europe, acquiring what it says is a portion of his music publishing catalog, encompassing five albums.
On Wednesday (June 28), Primary Wave revealed that it has struck what it calls a ‘multi-million-dollar’ deal with George Brown, the legendary songwriter, drummer, producer and Founding Member of Kool & The Gang.
Primary Wave says it has acquired a stake in his music publishing catalog, writer’s share, and writer’s share of public performance.
Brown was one of the main songwriters for the legendary R&B group.
As a member of Kool & The Gang, Brown has been awarded two Grammy Awards and seven American Music Awards.
The band has sold over 70 million albums worldwide, have been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and, in 2018, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2008 they were also honored by the Living Legends Foundation.
Primary Wave says the deal encompasses some of Brown’s and Kool & The Gang’s biggest hits which include 25 Top 10 R&B hits and nine Top 10 pop hits.
Classics such as Hollywood Swinging which was their first No.1 on the R&B Charts, Jungle Boogie, which was ranked as the No.12 song for 1974 by Billboard, Cherish which was the biggest Adult Contemporary chart hit of the 80s, and the No.1 hit Ladies Night which was a radio staple the year it was released, are all included.
The song was also their first major hit in the United Kingdom. The new partnership also includes one of the band’s most well-known songs, Celebration.
Released in 1980, the song was the band’s chart-topping single which reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100, spent six weeks atop the R&B chart, and has since been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry. Kool & The Gang’s songs have been featured in a number of films over the years and their music has been sampled by everyone from Mase to De La Soul to A Tribe Called Quest to Nas.
According to Primary Wave, terms of the deal will also give George Brown access to its marketing team and publishing infrastructure, which includes digital strategy, licensing, synch opportunities, and film & TV production.
“I am very pleased to call Primary Wave my music partner and to join with dozens of other iconic artists and creatives in an incredible business family.”
George Brown
“I am very pleased to call Primary Wave my music partner and to join with dozens of other iconic artists and creatives in an incredible business family,” said George Brown.
“I look forward to collaborating with Larry Mestel and the entire Primary Wave team to further enhance my catalog and the Kool & The Gang brand.”
“As counsel to George Brown and Astana Music, it was my pleasure to initiate, negotiate and close this deal with Primary Wave.”
Kendall A. Minter
Kendall A. Minter added: “As counsel to George Brown and Astana Music, it was my pleasure to initiate, negotiate and close this deal with Primary Wave.
“The alignment of a globally iconic artist and creative talent with an iconic, global independent music publisher and brand enhancer is a win-win for the entire music community and fans.”
“Kool and the Gang’s influence on generations of musicians and fans around the globe cannot be denied.”
Samantha Rhulen, Primary Wave Music
“Kool and the Gang’s influence on generations of musicians and fans around the globe cannot be denied,” said Samantha Rhulen, SVP, Business and Legal Affairs at Primary Wave Music.
Rhulen added: “A few of us from Primary Wave were excited to have been in the audience when they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, and we are so thrilled to now be partnering with George Brown in 2023.”
The acquisition marks the latest in a series of recent deals for Primary Wave Music.
Last month, Primary Wave struck what it says is a “multi-million dollar” music rights deal with rock band Skillet.
In April, the company struck another multi-million dollar deal with singer and songwriter Russ Ballard, which saw the publisher acquire a stake in the singer and songwriter’s music publishing catalog and writer’s share royalties, as well as his writer’s share of public performance.
That deal, followed the acquisition of a stake in in multiple Grammy and Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan’s music publishing and recorded music catalog earlier this month.
In March, Primary Wave acquired the artist royalties of Bob Burns, best known as the original drummer and founding member of iconic southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Prior to that, in February, the company announced an agreement with singer, songwriter, and producer Stevie Van Zandt.
Plus, last month, Primary Wave made a strategic investment in India’s Times Music in a deal worth $100 millionMusic Business Worldwide
