LATEST HIPGNOSIS DEAL HAS A TWIST

Hipgnosis Songs Fund Ltd. and its investment advisor, The Family (Music) Ltd., have entered the master rights world for the first time by acquiring The Kaiser Chiefs catalog.

The catalog, previously owned by independent British label and publisher B-Unique, consists of 100% of the worldwide ownership of the master rights to the Kaiser Chiefs’ first four studio albums.

Those span Employment, which has sold nearly 2m in the U.K. and reached #2 in 2005, Yours Truly, Angry Mob, which has shifted over 600k copies since hitting #1 in 2007, 2008 #2 charting album Off With Their Heads, and The Future is Medieval, which charted at #10 in 2011.

Those albums feature a number of Top 10 hits, “Oh My God,” "I Predict a Riot," “Ruby,” and “Never Miss A Beat.” The deal also includes the band’s greatest hits album, Souvenir, and their live audiovisual release, Live at Elland Road.

“The Kaiser Chiefs have been one of the most successful English bands of the last 15 years and it’s no secret that it’s down to great songs, great albums and a terrific live show,” Family (Music) and Hipgnosis Founder Merck Mercuriadis said. “They follow the very English tradition of The Who and Madness and incredible hits like ‘I Predict a Riot’ and ‘Ruby’ just get better with time.”

Kaiser Chief’s manager, James Sandom at Red Light, added: “It’s great to be in business with Merck and Hipgnosis. We’re excited by the potential and fresh focus on Kaiser Chiefs classic catalog in this new chapter, Hipgnosis’ modern thinking and resource will add value and presence to a catalogue that’s engrained in British culture.”