Bucks Music Group, an independent music rights management company, has announced the launch of a new joint venture called Chelsea Songs, bringing together its expertise with the industry experience of music publishing veteran Eddie Levy.
Chelsea Songs will operate as an independent company, representing a diverse catalogue of music rights. The venture will initially focus on existing assets managed for the UK by Levy, including the works of artists like Bill Withers, Andre Rieu, The Hues Corporation (Rock The Boat), Janet Kay (Silly Games) and Buscemi (Ole Ole We Are The Champions).
The assets also include the Barton Music catalog, which contains standards such as Dean Martin’s Ain’t That A Kick In The Head, Frank Sinatra’s Come Fly With Me and others.
The move will likely bolster Bucks’ position in the music publishing landscape, particularly in the UK market.
Levy has enjoyed a successful career that stretches back to the mid-1960s. He was a founding director of ATV Music, owner of The Beatles catalog, and a co-founder of Heath Levy alongside Geoff Heath. In 1986, Levy launched Chelsea Music (not to be confused with Chelsea Songs), growing it into a respected independent publisher in the UK, before it was sold in 2019 to US-headquartered music publishing company Mojo Music & Media.
Levy’s catalog also includes works written by David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, James Blunt, Beyoncé, Ivory Layne, and more.
“This is a relationship between two indies coming together. I think we will attract people who are less than happy with their current situation and are interested in a relationship deal rather than a money deal,” Levy said in a statement.
“This is a relationship between two indies coming together. I think we will attract people who are less than happy with their current situation and are interested in a relationship deal rather than a money deal.”
Eddie Levy, Chelsea Songs
“I’m a music man, a song man, and I’ve always been involved with writers. I’m not a large hedge fund company. I believe in TLC for my clients, which is why they want to work with me. I’ve represented most of my writers for 20 or 30 years. I’ve represented Bill Withers for 40 years! I’m a very independent, creative person.”
He added: “I felt that Simon [Platz, Bucks Managing Director] was very similar, and the perfect partner for this. He and Sarah [Liversedge-Platz, Bucks director A&R] have an excellent team.”
“There are few publishers in our business with the pedigree and experience that Eddie has. He has built and nurtured relationships with some of the greatest songwriters of all time throughout the course of his career.”
Simon Platz, Bucks Music Group
Platz, who will be serving as a director of Chelsea Songs alongside Levy, said, “There are few publishers in our business with the pedigree and experience that Eddie has.
“He has built and nurtured relationships with some of the greatest songwriters of all time throughout the course of his career, and the fact that he maintains so many of them proves that, no matter how many revolutions our industry goes through, certain qualities are timeless. I look forward to working closely with him in this new venture.”
Music Business Worldwide
