Hipgnosis Songs Fund

03 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 from British songwriter and producer, Fraser T. Smith who has co-written, mixed and produced seven UK Number 1 and two US Number 1 singles, as well as contributing to 17 Number 1 albums.

Fraser T. Smith co-wrote and produced ‘Set Fire to the Rain’ from Adele’s 2011 album ‘21’ which was crowned by Billboard 200 Albums as the “Greatest of All Time” and is the best selling album of the 21st century. In addition to winning the Grammy Award for “Best Solo Pop Performance”, ‘Set Fire to the Rain’ achieved 13 Number 1s and 35 Top 10s globally including in the US and UK and was certified 4x Platinum in the US and 2x Platinum in the UK and has been streamed over 480 million times on Spotify alone. Fraser T. Smith was also co-writer and co-executive producer on Stormzy’s seminal UK Number 1 album ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’, which was “British Album of the Year” at the 2018 Brit awards and became the first grime album in history to reach UK Number one as well as achieving six Top 10 chart positions globally, including co-writing and producing the seminal Platinum certified single ‘Blinded by Your Grace, Pt. 2’.

Fraser T. Smith is also responsible for ‘Break your Heart’ by Taio Cruz, co-written and produced by Fraser T. Smith, which reached Number 1 in 4 countries including the UK and the US where it was certified 3x Platinum (167 million Spotify streams); ‘Broken Strings’ by James Morrison featuring Nelly Furtado which achieved four Number 1 chart positions globally (165 million Spotify streams); and ‘Number 1’ by Tinchy Stryder featuring N-Dubz which was Number 1 and certified Platinum in the UK (31 million Spotify streams). He also co-wrote and produced on Jesse & Joy’s album ‘Un Besito Más’ which was nominated as ‘Album Of The Year’ in 2015 at the Latin Grammy’s and won for ‘Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album’ and ‘Best Latin Pop Album’.

The Catalogue also includes his collaborations with Kano, where he was a co-writer and producer on his 2016 MOBO Award winning album ‘Made In The Manor’; Sam Smith, on his 9x Platinum and Grammy nominated Number 1 album ‘In The Lonely Hour’. Fraser T. Smith has also co-written and produced for Dave, Plan B, Cee Lo Green and Craig David.

Hipgnosis has acquired 100% of Fraser T. Smith’s worldwide writer share of performance income of his Catalogue which comprises of 298 songs.

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

“It’s an honour to welcome Fraser T. Smith and Sarah T. Smith to the Hipgnosis family. Every time I hear one of Fraser’s songs they always feel special. He writes and produces enormously successful songs that make popular music not only special but culturally important.”

Fraser T. Smith said:

“Merck’s pedigree as a music industry executive, manager and visionary is almost unprecedented - and above all, he truly realises the value of the song in popular culture. I’m excited to be part of the Hipgnosis family, and know that this part of my songwriting catalogue is in very safe hands.”