APRA AMCOS Secures Pan-Asian Deal For Downtown Music Publishing's Catalogue

The works of John Lennon, Imogen Heap, Hans Zimmer, One Direction and more will be licensed by APRA AMCOS on behalf of Downtown Music Publishing following the confirmation of a deal under the Australian industry body's Pan-Asian administration initiative.

The global publisher joins a growing roster of companies prescribed to APRA AMCOS' purview over digital and online rights licensing for the region, including India and China, and will see the Australian organisation represent the Downtown catalogue as well as providing copyright management (via its custom platform Songtrust) for its works throughout Asia across multiple territories and digital services, such as Spotify, Apple, Deezer and more.

Downtown is the sixth publisher to sign up to APRA AMCOS' initiative in the past four years, adding to the ranks already inhabited by Universal Music Publishing, Peermusic, Imagem, Hillsong Music and ORiGiN. Songtrust, too, is a growing presence in global music copyright, with more than 100,000 artists now utilising the platform in order to retrieve royalties around the world.

"As Downtown and our Songtrust platform continue to expand our global network, we are thrilled to broaden our direct relationship with APRA AMCOS," Downtown chief executive Justin Kalifowitz said in a statement. "This new agreement will further enhance our licensing efforts in the world’s fastest-growing region, resulting in faster and more equitable compensation for all of our songwriter and music publishing partners."

Soon-to-exit APRA AMCOS chief executive Brett Cottle echoed Kalifowitz's sentiments, saying the company is "truly excited to be partnering with Downtown in our rapidly expanding Asian business".