Sony Music Publishing (SMP) has completed its acquisition of the entire music rights portfolio of Recognition Music Group.
The deal, first announced in May, has closed following regulatory approvals in multiple territories, MBW can reveal.
“We can confirm that the acquisition of the entire music rights portfolio of Recognition Music Group by Sony Music Publishing has completed following regulatory approvals,” said a statement jointly issued to MBW by SMP and Recognition.
The acquisition was made by SMP in partnership with the music rights investment venture that Sony Music Group launched in January with Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC.
The deal results in Sony Music Publishing acquiring catalog of more than 45,000 songs.
Financial terms were not disclosed, though Bloomberg reported ahead of the agreement that the deal was valued at between $3.5 billion and $4 billion.
The catalog features shares in hits including Journey‘s Don’t Stop Believin’, Fleetwood Mac‘s Go Your Own Way, Beyoncé‘s Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Lady Gaga‘s Bad Romance, and Mariah Carey‘s All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Jon Platt, Chairman & CEO of Sony Music Publishing, said when the deal was announced in May: “Our investment in this extraordinary catalog reflects our belief in the enduring power of great music – a belief that resonates deeply throughout Sony Music Group and is shared by our partners at GIC.”
“These timeless songs continue to define culture and inspire generations, and it is a privilege to champion their legacy as guardians of their next chapter.”
Ben Katovsky, CEO of Recognition Music Group, said at the time: “It has been an honor to steward this phenomenal catalogue. The team and I are incredibly proud of what we have built at Recognition – protecting and enhancing the legacy and value of these songs while in our care.”
The catalog, accumulated by Merck Mercuriadis, was sold by funds managed by Blackstone, which assembled the Recognition portfolio over several years.
Qasim Abbas, Senior Managing Director and Head of Tactical Opportunities International at Blackstone, said the transaction “delivers a strong outcome for Blackstone and our investors and represents a further vote of confidence in music rights as an institutionally established asset class.”
Abbas described Sony as “an exceptional home for these iconic catalogues,” adding that Blackstone looked forward “to continuing to invest across the music sector through Recognition.”
That comment indicated Recognition will continue to operate as a Blackstone-backed entity following the sale of its catalog to Sony.
The completed deal marks Sony‘s third – and by far its largest – acquisition of assets from the former Hipgnosis portfolio.
Sony Music Group bought a tranche of Recognition assets from Blackstone in February, in a deal reported to be worth over $200 million.
That transaction followed SMP‘s acquisition of Hipgnosis Songs Group, formerly known as Big Deal Music, in June 2025.
Recognition Music Group was formed in March 2025, when Blackstone consolidated its Hipgnosis assets under a new brand led by Katovsky.
Blackstone acquired Hipgnosis Songs Fund from its UK public investors for $1.58 billion in July 2024, in a deal that valued the portfolio at an estimated $2.2 billion.
The acquisition is the latest in a run of large-scale music industry M&A in 2026.
Bertelsmann‘s BMG and Concord confirmed their merger in April, while Primary Wave Music agreed in March to acquire Kobalt from Francisco Partners.
Sony Music Publishing already administered the Recognition catalog before completing the acquisition.Music Business Worldwide
Sony Music Publishing (SMP) has successfully completed its acquisition of the entire music rights portfolio of Recognition Music Group, a deal that was initially announced in May and has now closed following necessary regulatory approvals across various territories. The acquisition marks a significant expansion for SMP, as it includes a catalog boasting over 45,000 songs, including iconic tracks such as Journey’s « Don’t Stop Believin’, » Fleetwood Mac’s « Go Your Own Way, » Beyoncé’s « Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), » Lady Gaga’s « Bad Romance, » and Mariah Carey’s « All I Want for Christmas Is You. »
The financial details of the deal were not disclosed, but prior reports suggested the transaction could be valued between $3.5 billion and $4 billion. SMP’s acquisition was made in collaboration with a music rights investment venture initiated by Sony Music Group together with Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC. Jon Platt, Chairman & CEO of Sony Music Publishing, expressed confidence in the enduring value of the music acquired, stating, « Our investment in this extraordinary catalog reflects our belief in the enduring power of great music… These timeless songs continue to define culture and inspire generations. »
Recognition Music Group’s CEO, Ben Katovsky, also commented on the acquisition, highlighting the pride in stewarding the catalog and enhancing the legacy of the songs during their management. The catalog was originally accumulated by Merck Mercuriadis and sold by funds managed by Blackstone, which had built the Recognition portfolio over several years. Qasim Abbas, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, noted that the transaction represents a strong outcome for Blackstone and its investors, reaffirming the confidence in music rights as a valuable asset class.
The completion of this acquisition marks Sony’s third and largest transaction involving assets from the former Hipgnosis portfolio. Earlier in February, Sony Music Group acquired a portion of Recognition’s assets from Blackstone in a deal exceeding $200 million. This was preceded by SMP’s acquisition of Hipgnosis Songs Group in June 2025. Recognition Music Group was formed in March 2025, when Blackstone consolidated its Hipgnosis assets under a new brand led by Katovsky. Notably, Blackstone had acquired Hipgnosis Songs Fund from UK public investors for $1.58 billion in July 2024, valuing the portfolio at an estimated $2.2 billion.
This acquisition is part of a broader trend of significant mergers and acquisitions in the music industry, highlighted by Bertelsmann’s BMG and Concord’s merger confirmed in April and Primary Wave Music’s agreement to acquire Kobalt from Francisco Partners in March. After the acquisition, Sony Music Publishing will continue to administer the Recognition catalog, further solidifying its position in the music rights market.
