Catalogue Valuation
How Music Catalogues Are Valued in Today's Market
A guide to the metrics, methodologies and market dynamics that determine what a music catalogue is worth.
5 min readRead →
Henley MBA · 30+ Years in Music Finance · London Records · Chrysalis Music
Independent Advisoryfor Music CatalogueValuation & Corporate Transactions
For artists, songwriters and estates — and the lawyers and managers who act on their behalf. Independent valuation and advisory built around the catalogue itself, not the buyer's framing of it.
For music companies, labels, publishers and the funds investing alongside them. Strategic advisory across partnerships, acquisitions, capital planning and the structuring that sits behind each transaction.
Most catalogue and corporate advisors come from finance.
Or from music.
Rarely both.
Stan Dwight has spent more than thirty years inside the financial machinery of the music business — at London Records, at Chrysalis Music, and across transactions on both sides of the Atlantic.
The work spans two practices: independent catalogue and rights advisory for artists and rights holders, and strategic corporate advisory for music companies navigating partnerships, acquisitions and long-term growth. In both, the approach is the same — independent, rigorous and conflict-free.
For Artists & Rights Holders
Catalogue Advisory
Valuation, benchmarking and transaction strategy for artists, songwriters, estates and the lawyers and managers acting on their behalf. Built around the catalogue itself, not the buyer's framing of it.
- ·Catalogue Valuation→
- ·Benchmarking Offers→
- ·Royalty Income Modelling→
- ·Negotiation Support→
- ·Sale & Partial Sale Strategy→
- ·Catalogue Securitisation→
For Labels, Publishers & Investors
Music Company Advisory
Financial advisory for record labels, publishers, music tech businesses and the funds investing alongside them — acquisitions, capital, restructuring and the long-range planning that sits behind each.
- ·Mergers & Acquisitions→
- ·Catalogue Acquisition Analysis→
- ·Capital Raising→
- ·Strategic Financial Planning→
- ·Independent Valuation for Investors→
Career Background
30+ Years advising at the intersection of music, finance and intellectual property.
Who This Is For
For the side of the table that usually has less information.
Artists & Songwriters
Understanding the true value of your catalogue before any conversation begins.
Estates & Executors
Navigating catalogue valuation and sale in complex estate situations.
Entertainment Lawyers
An independent specialist to bring into catalogue transactions on behalf of your clients.
Business Managers
Objective financial analysis to support artist financial planning and sale decisions.
Talent Agents
A trusted referral for when catalogue conversations become serious.
Catalogue Investors & Publishers
Independent valuation and acquisition analysis from someone who understands both sides.
Music rights have never been more valuable. Independent advice has never been more important.
Streaming stabilised catalogue income, and institutional capital followed. Primary Wave, Hipgnosis, Concord and Sony Music Publishing have since acquired catalogues at multiples that would have looked implausible a decade ago. The buyer base has professionalised. The seller base, for the most part, has not. Independent advice closes that gap.
Music companies are restructuring, partnering and planning for growth in an industry that looks very different from five years ago. Acquisitions, joint ventures, capital planning and shareholder structuring now require the same rigour as catalogue transactions. Independent advisory on both sides of the table is what makes the difference.
Insights
Thinking on music rights, valuation and the catalogue market.
Transaction Strategy
Why Artists Sell Catalogues — And When It Makes Sense
The financial, personal and strategic reasons behind catalogue transactions — and what to consider before making a decision.
4 min readRead →
Royalty Modelling
Streaming, Royalties and Catalogue Value: What the Numbers Actually Mean
How streaming revenue flows through to catalogue valuations, and what buyers and sellers need to understand.
5 min readRead →
If you or your clients are considering a catalogue valuation or corporate transaction, start with an independent view.
Stan works with artists, lawyers, managers, music company founders and investors on a confidential basis. Conversations are direct, discreet and handled personally.
Based in London · Working Globally