Universal Music Publishing buys Criterion

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has fully acquired Criterion Music Corporation and its affiliated entities, the major confirmed today.

For 70 years the family-owned and run music publishing company has built a pop, country and jazz catalogue which includes songs written by jazz great Charlie “Bird” Parker(“Ornithology”), Lee Hazlewood (“These Boots are Made for Walkin’”), Lyle Lovett (“If I Had a Boat”), Rodney Crowell (“Shame on the Moon”), Rosanne Cash (“Seven Year Ache”), Jackson Browne (“Doctor My Eyes”), and many others.

Criterion’s catalogue ncludes 13 No. 1 country hits, one of the largest collections of Hawaiian and Polynesian music and interests in such standards as “Dream (When You’re Feeling Blue),” “Moonlight in Vermont,” “It’s a Good Day,” “Mañana,” “Papa Ooh Mow Mow,” “Let The Good Times Roll,” “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You,” and “Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair”.

The company will relocate to UMPG’s global headquarters in Santa Monica, CA, where Bo Goldsen will continue to serve as President of Criterion.

“Over seven decades, the Goldsen family has built one of the finest collections of songs in contemporary music publishing. We are privileged that they have entrusted their legacy to UMPG. We are delighted that Bo Goldsen will continue to run Criterion as its President and work with us to write the next chapter in the company’s history,” said Zach Horowitz, Chairman & CEO, UMPG.

“I am excited to take Criterion into the future, under the wing of UMPG, and the great enthusiasm for the catalogue shown to me by Zach Horowitz, Lance Freed, and Evan Lamberg” said Bo Goldsen, President of Criterion.

The company’s history dates back to 1943 when music publishing veteran Mickey Goldsen joined the newly founded Capitol Records to create its publishing division, then called “Capitol Songs.”

Many of the earliest publishing copyrights were recorded by Capitol’s recording artists, including Nat King Cole (“Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You”), Peggy Lee (“It’s a Good Day,” “Mañana”), The Pied Pipers (“Dream (When You’re Feeling Blue)”), and Stan Kenton (“I Told You I Love You (Now Get Out)”). In 1950, Goldsen purchased the publishing assets from Capitol and started Criterion Music Corporation.Music Business Worldwide

Related Posts