Merck Mercuriadis In The News

Strap in. Blackstone is ready to bid $1.5 billion for Hipgnosis Songs Fund.

To paraphrase Pink Floyd, Will the sun (Concord Chorus) be eclipsed by the moon (Blackstone)?

Concord, financed by Apollo, makes $1.4bn cash bid to acquire Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s assets

But will Merck Mercuriadis and Blackstone go quietly? Don't bet on that.

Nile Rodgers and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen win 2024 Polar Music Prize

Rodgers and Salonen join a prestigious list of previous laureates, including Paul McCartney, Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and Miriam Makeba

Analysis

Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s assets are now valued at $690 million less than they were before. Blackstone must be licking its lips.

JP Morgan analyst says the likelihood of a Blackstone takeover just increased, thanks to Shot Tower's re-valuation of HSF

News

Hipgnosis Songs Fund shareholders vote in favor of giving £20m ‘bung’ to bidders on its catalog

Decision could result in multiple companies each being paid £20 million by UK-listed fund

News

Downtown, Hipgnosis and NMPA rally behind Universal Music Group in its fight with TikTok

Andrew Bergman, David Israelite, Merck Mercuriadis all publicly support UMG's position

News

Merck Mercuriadis to exit CEO role at Hipgnosis Song Management, becoming Chairman; Ben Katovsky promoted to Chief Executive of company

HSM, which has approximately $3 billion-worth of assets under management, counts Blackstone as a majority investor

Analysis

Hipgnosis Songs Fund’s Chairman is determined to abolish Merck Mercuriadis’ ‘call option’. He was less bothered when Round Hill Music Royalty Fund’s investment manager had a near-identical clause.

A tale of two call options...