BMG has acquired the entire music publishing back catalog of French electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre.
The company says that the acquisition marks its biggest single deal ever struck in France, with BMG Managing Director France Sylvain Gazaignes stating in a press release that Jarre, “is one of the most influential French artists in music history”.
The deal marks BMG’s second acquisition announcement this week, following the news of its deal to buy “the key music interests” of legendary Scottish rock band Simple Minds on Tuesday, July 19.
According to BMG, the deal with Jarre includes rights in albums such as Oxygene and Equinoxe together with Jarre’s writer’s income stream.
The company previously acquired the sound recordings of Jarre’s first three albums when it bought independent record label Francis Dreyfus Music in 2012.
Jean-Michel Jarre has generated 85 million album sales over his career and holds numerous world records for his live concerts.
BMG says that he’s “attracted some of the biggest audiences in human history”, including the Paris Bastille Day concert 1979 (1m people), Houston 1986 (1.3m people), Paris-La Défense 1990 (2.5m people) and Moscow 1997 (3.5m people).
In 1981, Jarre became one of the first Western musicians to perform in China and returned in 2004 to play the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square live on national television.
More recently, the live stream of his 2020 VR concert Welcome To The Other Side, live from Virtual Notre Dame de Paris, attracted 75 million people.
Jarre has released 21 studio albums including the 1976 release Oxygene, its 1978 follow-up Equinoxe and 1981’s Magnetic Fields, one of the first records to use a sampler.
Jarre has collaborated with artists including Moby, Armin van Buuren, Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja, Edgar Froese, Laurie Anderson, Gesaffelstein, the Pet Shop Boys, Gary Numan and Hans Zimmer.
His latest album Amazonia, the score to an exhibition by photographer Sebastião Salgado, was released in 2021.
BMG describes Jarre as “a long-time advocate of creator rights”, having served as spokesman for global recorded music body IFPI and President of CISAC, the international federation of authors’ societies.
He currently chairs the Council for Strategy and Innovation at French authors’ society SACEM.
The deal was brokered for Jean-Michel Jarre by Catalogue Associates Limited, assisted and advised by Maximilien Jazani Esq.
“Jean-Michel Jarre is not only a ground-breaking pioneer in electronic music, he is a polymath and a shining ambassador for culture and internationalism.”
Hartwig Masuch, BMG
BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said: “Jean-Michel Jarre is not only a ground-breaking pioneer in electronic music, he is a polymath and a shining ambassador for culture and internationalism.
Nearly fifty years after Oxygene burst upon the world, we are delighted to build on our longstanding relationship to become custodians of his music publishing rights.”
“This partnership with BMG means a lot to me. Hartwig Masuch and the entire team have been part of my family for many years.”
Jean-Michel Jarre
Jean-Michel Jarre added: “This partnership with BMG means a lot to me.
“Hartwig Masuch and the entire team have been part of my family for many years. Moreover, I am pleased that my publishing back catalog is sheltered here in Europe and that my work will continue to grow in such good hands.
“Today is a new start allowing me to develop fresh ideas and giving me the means to explore new territories. Together we will thrive.”
“Jean-Michel has always been ahead of his time. Throughout his career, he has relentlessly continued to push the boundaries with his music and his creative innovation. He is one of the most influential French artists in music history.”
Sylvain Gazaignes, BMG
BMG Managing Director France Sylvain Gazaignes, said: “Jean-Michel has always been ahead of his time.
“Throughout his career, he has relentlessly continued to push the boundaries with his music and his creative innovation. He is one of the most influential French artists in music history.
“Our Paris-based team are very familiar with the catalog and look forward to working even more closely with Jean-Michel and his team.”
“We are committed to not only spotlighting it to his existing international fanbase, but also introducing it to new generations.”
Maximilian Kolb, BMG
Maximilian Kolb, BMG EVP Repertoire & Marketing Continental Europe, said: “The dizzying range of Jean-Michel Jarre’s creativity spans six decades.
“We are committed to not only spotlighting it to his existing international fanbase, but also introducing it to new generations.”Music Business Worldwide
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