Rezonate Music Rights has launched with $150 million in backing from Bridgepoint Credit to acquire music producer royalty rights globally.

The London-based investment platform was co-founded by Cam Blackwood, the producer behind albums by artists George Ezra, Tom Walker, and Jack Savoretti, and Tom Tyler, who has over 20 years of experience in senior financial roles at the London Stock Exchange Group.

Bridgepoint Credit, described as one of Europe’s “most experienced credit managers”, has acquired a minority stake in Rezonate’s management company as part of the strategic partnership.

Bridgepoint Credit says it has invested more than EUR €22 billion ($25bn) in over 350 companies since 2008.

Rezonate says that the $150 million investment will fuel a pipeline of high-profile producer catalog acquisitions.

The company has already acquired rights from several producers, including Blackwood’s own catalog, which has accumulated more than 8 billion streams globally.

Rezonate has also acquired rights from producers Lorna Blackwood, Mark Crew, James Earp, and Jussi Karvinen, who have worked with artists including U2, David Guetta, The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, George Ezra, Lewis Capaldi, Snow Patrol, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Rag’n’Bone Man and Bastille.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the investment platform already has a portfolio of around 700 songs.

According to Rezonate, music producers’ catalogs account for approximately 5% of what it describes as “the $30 billion global recorded music market,” with the total estimated value of producers’ music catalogs at $20 billion, according to the new company.

The focus on producer rights represents a relatively specialized area within the broader music rights investment space, which has typically concentrated on songwriter and recording artist catalogs.

The WSJ indicates that Rezonate will look to acquire royalties from “mix engineers, vocal producers, arrangers, and other studio professionals who contribute to creating the final product”.

Rezonate claims that its team, led by Cam Blackwood and Tom Tyler, have “an innate understanding of [the producer] ecosystem,” and that the new investment platform aims “to bridge the worlds of music and finance [by] providing much-needed liquidity for producers, while creating a scalable, high-growth asset class that can deliver exceptional returns for investors”. 

The company says it uses “cutting-edge data science to ensure producer rights are valued transparently and accurately.”

Beyond catalog acquisitions, Rezonate says it will offer education, industry insights, and networking opportunities to help producers navigate the music business.

“With such substantial firepower, we can significantly accelerate our growth plans and continue to set new standards in the industry, ensuring producers are at the heart of every decision we make.”

Tom Tyler and Cam Blackwood, Rezonate

Tom Tyler and Cam Blackwood, co-founders of Rezonate: “This partnership with Bridgepoint is a strong endorsement of Rezonate’s vision and the value we bring to music producers.

“With such substantial firepower, we can significantly accelerate our growth plans and continue to set new standards in the industry, ensuring producers are at the heart of every decision we make.

“We are excited to bring a fresh and artist-aligned approach to the royalties space, starting with an incredible day-one catalog that includes some of the most iconic tracks of the last four decades.”

“Rezonate offers a rare combination of high-quality income streams, downside-protected entry points and scalable platform dynamics in one of the most exciting corners of the entertainment economy.”

Rohit Dhote, Bridgepoint

Rohit Dhote, Partner and Co-Head of Credit Opportunities at Bridgepoint, added: “Rezonate offers a rare combination of high-quality income streams, downside-protected entry points and scalable platform dynamics in one of the most exciting corners of the entertainment economy.

“We’re backing a world-class team with unique access to producers and a clear strategy to create significant value over time.

“This is a compelling opportunity to build a differentiated royalty platform from the ground up.”Music Business Worldwide