MUMBAI: Legendary singer and songwriter Billy Joel has signed an exclusive worldwide publishing administration agreement with the Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and its subsidiary Rondor Music International. The announcement was made by UMPG Worldwide chairman and CEO Zach Horowitz and Rondor Music president Lance Freed.
The agreement encompasses Joel’s catalogue of music since the beginning of his career more than 40 years ago which include some of his biggest hits of all time like ‘Just the Way You Are’, ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘Only the Good Die Young’, ‘Big Shot’, ‘Movin’ Out’, ‘Piano Man’ and ‘New York State of Mind’ amongst others.
Horowitz said, “We couldn’t be more thrilled that Billy Joel has chosen to bring his songs to Rondor and UMPG. There are few songwriters in the history of music who have created a catalogue of such depth and quality. With Rondor’s distinctive focus and UMPG’s global scale, administrative infrastructure and network of worldwide sync specialists, we are uniquely positioned to maximize the extraordinary opportunities that exist for Joel’s music.”
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Joel said, “Publishing is a cornerstone of the music business, one of the reasons songs live and thrive around the world years after they’ve been written or recorded. Rondor and UMPG understand the complexities of music publishing in general and the nuances of my catalogue in particular. The successful ongoing administration of my songs is in good hands under the stewardship of Rondor and UMPG.”
Since having his first chart and sales success in the early 1970s, Joel’s music has remained among the most popular in the world. His albums have sold over 150 million copies globally, while his recordings have hit the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts over 33 times. Artistes like Beyoncé, Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand and Westlife have recorded cover versions of his songs over the years.
His music has also served as the inspiration and score for the hit Broadway play ‘Movin’ Out’ which took home two Tony Awards including Best Orchestration and Best Choreography. Recently, Joel was honoured by Steinway & Sons with a painted portrait that hangs in Steinway Hall in Manhattan. He is also the first non-classical pianist to be immortalized in the Steinway Hall collection and has received six Grammy awards for his works.
