Hipgnosis acquires Kaiser Chiefs catalogue

10 December 2019 - Press release

Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited (“Hipgnosis” or the “Company”)

Acquisition of Music Catalogue

The Board of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited and its Investment Adviser, The Family (Music) Limited, are pleased to announce that the Company has acquired a music catalogue by the English indie band, the Kaiser Chiefs from B-Unique. 

The Kaiser Chiefs’ 2005 debut album ‘Employment’, which won the Ivor Novello Award for “Best Album”, is certified 6x platinum in the UK and includes the platinum certified ‘I Predict a Riot’, ‘Oh My God’ which reached the Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart and the UK Top 10 ‘Everyday I Love You Less and Less’. With ‘Employment’ the Kaiser Chiefs won three Brit Awards in 2006, an NME Award for “Best Album” and were shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.

The Band’s second album ‘Yours Truly Angry Mob’ released in 2007 reached Number 1 in the UK Album Charts and is certified as 2x platinum in the UK and included the UK Number 1 and platinum certified lead single ‘Ruby’.

The Catalogue also includes the UK Top 5 single ‘Never Miss a Beat’ off the Band’s 2008 Number 2 album ‘Off With Their Heads’. 

The Catalogue consists of 100% of the worldwide ownership of the master rights to the Kaiser Chiefs’ first four studio albums, ‘Employment’, ‘Yours Truly, Angry Mob’, ‘Off With Their Heads’ and The Future is Medieval’, as well as their greatest hits album ‘Souvenir’ and their live audiovisual release ‘Live at Elland Road’. This Catalogue will be allocated to the C Shares.

Merck Mercuriadis, Founder of The Family (Music) Limited and Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, said: 

“The Kaiser Chiefs have been one of the most successful English bands of the last 15 years and it’s no secret that it’s down to great songs, great albums and a terrific live show. They follow the very English tradition of The Who and Madness and incredible hits like I Predict a Riot and Ruby just get better with time. I’m delighted that Mark, Martin, James, Nick, Ricky and the band have entrusted us with this special catalogue.”

Mark Lewis & Martin Toher of B-Unique said:

“We are delighted to be part of the Hipgnosis story, Merck managed the first band signed to B-unique, we know he is a proper music man. This deal will allow us to continue working with the Kaisers and James to keep this great catalogue growing.

Martin and I shared such a commonality with the band, we both had a real underdog spirit and the fact that they are still having top 3 albums and selling more tickets than ever is a testament to their continued hunger.”

James Sandom at Red Light Management said:

“It’s great to be in business with Merck and Hipgnosis. We’re excited by the potential and fresh focus on Kaiser Chiefs classic catalogue in this new chapter, Hipgnosis’ modern thinking and resource will add value and presence to a catalogue that’s engrained in British culture.”