On Tuesday (September 8), the UK-based company, founded by CEO Merck Mercuriadis, announced the appointment of respected music industry execs Ted Cockle and Amy Thomson, and yesterday (September 10) we learned that Hipgnosis has acquired Los Angeles-based Big Deal Music Group.
Topping off the week with another acquisition, Hipgnosis has revealed that it has bought the music catalog of Chrissie Hynde, founding member, lead vocalist and primary song writer of rock band The Pretenders.
Hipgnosis has acquired 100% of Chrissie Hynde’s music publishing catalog of 164 songs including Publishing and Writer’s Share (PRS) from the Pretenders and her other projects.
With The Pretenders, Chrissie Hynde wrote a catalog of hit songs including Brass in Pocket, Talk of the Town, Message of Love, Back on the Chain Gang, Middle of the Road, 2000 Miles, Don’t Get Me Wrong, ‘My Baby and I’ll Stand By You.
Forming in 1978 The Pretenders’ self-titled debut album reached No.1 of the UK Albums Chart the week of its release.
The album achieved success in both the UK, reaching No.1 for four consecutive weeks, and the US where it is certified platinum.
The album included the single Brass in Pocket which was The Pretenders first UK No.1 single in 1980.
The Pretenders have in total released 11 albums including, the just released, Hate For Sale.
“This is very personal for me. Chrissie is one of my favorite songwriters of all time and The Pretenders are one of my favorite bands of all time.”
Merck Mercuriadis, Hipgnosis
After the success of their debut, a further four of the albums are platinum or gold certified including Pretenders II, which reached the Top 10 in both the UK and US albums chart; Learning to Crawl, which included the hit lead single 2000 Miles and Middle Of The Road; Get Close which included two US No.1 Mainstream Rock singles with Don’t Get Me Wrong and My Baby; and Last Of The Independents, which included the group’s most streamed single I’ll Stand By You.
For The Pretenders, Chrissie Hynde has written the following:
Brass in Pocket which was the band’s first UK No.1 in 1980 and has been streamed over 200 million times.
Back on the Chain Gang, which has been streamed over 150 million times and was The Pretender’s biggest US hit reaching No.5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.4 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The Song was covered by Morrissey in 2008 calling the song “a pop classic, of the brain as well as the loins”.
Don’t Get Me Wrong, which has been streamed over 150 million times and was the group’s second Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as reaching No.1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. The song was also a UK Top 10 hit in the singles chart.
Their hit Christmas Song 2000 Miles, which has been streamed over 100 million times.
I’ll Stand by You, which reached the Top 20 in several countries and has been streamed over 250 million times. I’ll Stand By You re-entered the charts with Girls Aloud in 2004, reaching No.1 in the UK, and with American country singer Carrie Underwood, reaching No.6 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Chrissie Hynde continues to release albums and tour globally with The Pretenders.
Whilst their tour schedule for May 2020 has been postponed due to COVID-19 certain dates have been rescheduled to September 2021.
Chrissie Hynde was represented by manager Ian Grenfell at Quietus Management, lawyer Andrew Myers at Clintons and accountant Pat Savage at YMU.
Merck Mercuriadis, Founder of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited and The Family (Music) Limited, said: “This is very personal for me.
“Chrissie is one of my favorite songwriters of all time and The Pretenders are one of my favorite bands of all time.
“Her importance cannot be over estimated and she has been a powerful role model for women and men all over the globe for 40 years.
Added Mercuriadis: “I’m proud to say I have been a vegetarian, now vegan for 35 years thanks to the influence of Chrissie and as a result I have four grown children that have never had meat pass through them.
“That’s the power of great songs and music when combined with genuine integrity.
“She has this powerful effect on her audience which is why they remain so devoted and committed after 40 years and why new generations of fans are constantly attracted to her.
“I’m delighted to welcome her and her wonderful songs to the Hipgnosis family.”Music Business Worldwide
