Hipgnosis Songs Fund has acquired 70% of Mark Ronson’s publishing and writer’s share interest in his catalog which comprises 315 songs.
Ronson is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, as well as an Academy Award winning and Golden Globe-winning songwriter, artist and producer.
Best known for his collaborations with artists Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, Adele, Christina Aguilera, Miley Cyrus, Bruno Mars and others, Ronson has produced or co-written hit songs achieving in excess of 83 No. 1 and 209 Top 10 chart positions globally – as well as two songs which have been streamed over 1 billion times on Spotify alone.
One of these two songs, Uptown Funk, featuring Bruno Mars, released in 2014, reached No. 1 in 19 countries including the US, where it remained No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 consecutive weeks, and was awarded the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Uptown Funk has been streamed over 1.1 billion times on Spotify and is the sixth most viewed YouTube video of all-time having been viewed over 3.8 billion times.
“Mark has been amongst the most exciting creators in the world over the last 20 years co-writing and producing records for the most important artists of their time.”
More recently, Ronson co-wrote Shallow, recorded by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper for the movie A Star is Born, which has sold over 10 million copies globally as well as being streamed over 1.1 billion times on Spotify alone.
Ronson’s solo albums have included the platinum-certified Uptown Special, as well as Top 5 albums Version, Record Collection and Late Night Feelings.
His production work includes his famous contributions to Amy Winehouse’s Grammy-winning second studio LP, Back to Black. That record is the UK’s second best-selling album of the 21st century, with over 16 million copies sold worldwide; it has been streamed 350 million times on Spotify.
In 2018, Silk City, a supergroup/duo comprising Mark Ronson and DJ Diplo, released the Grammy Award-winning single Electricity, featuring Dua Lipa, which has been certified platinum in four countries including the US and UK as well as being streamed 386 million times on Spotify.
“Merck was an artist’s guy then and he’s an artist’s guy now. I’ve always had enormous respect for his having such a credible, seminal management roster – artists I was truly influenced by from Nile Rodgers to Jane’s Addiction. And that same respect has continued with what he’s done with Hipgnosis.”
Mark Ronson
That same year, Shallow – which Ronson co-wrote – was released alongside the movie A Star Is Born. The song, performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, has sold over 10 million copies globally as well as being streamed over 1.1 billion times on Spotify.
Shallow reached No. 1 in every major music market, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music, the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Song, as well as two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media.
Merck Mercuriadis, Founder of The Family (Music) Limited and Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, said: “Mark has been amongst the most exciting creators in the world over the last 20 years co-writing and producing records for the most important artists of their time including Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa. I have been an admirer ever since Stop Me and it’s an honour welcoming him and Brandon to the Hipgnosis Family.”
Mark Ronson said: “I’ve known Merck for nearly 15 years. The very first time we interacted was when I nervously and humbly asked permission to cover Stop Me back in 2006, back when he managed Morrissey.
“I was just starting out and he was very kind and generous with me. He was an artist’s guy then and he’s an artist’s guy now. I’ve always had enormous respect for his having such a credible, seminal management roster – artists I was truly influenced by from Nile Rodgers to Jane’s Addiction. And that same respect has continued with what he’s done with Hipgnosis.
“He’s acquired the catalogs of some of my favourite creatives, and I’m excited to be joining those ranks.”
Mark Ronson is represented by manager Brandon Creed at FullStop Management and lawyer Michael Guido at Carroll Guido Groffman Cohen Bar & Karalian, LLP.
Hipgnosis has spent more than $650m to date, on a catalog of over 11,000 songs. This catalog includes pieces of hits including Shape Of You, Uptown Funk, You Give Love a Bad Name, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) and Havana.Music Business Worldwide
