Warner Music India buys Gemini catalogue and signs two South India deals
Warner Music India has bought a Tamil film music catalogue and signed two long-term film music deals in South India.
The three agreements were announced on October 16. Financial terms were not disclosed, according to Music Business Worldwide.
The catalogue deal is for Gemini Music, a collection of Tamil film soundtracks. A catalogue, in music business terms, means the existing recordings that already have an audience.
It covers five soundtracks: Nanban, Thuppakki, Mayakkam Enna, Singam 2 and Paradesi. They were originally released on Gemini Audio, the music label of Chennai-based Gemini Film Circuit. The music is by composers Harris Jayaraj, G.V. Prakash Kumar and Devi Sri Prasad.
The second deal is with filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon and his production company Ondraga Entertainment. Warner Music India said it is an exclusive, long-term music agreement. It covers both past recordings and future releases.
That package includes Darbuka Siva’s Maruvaarthai from Enai Noki Paayum Thota and A.R. Rahman’s Thalli Pogathey from Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada. It also includes two independent singles released by Ondraga in 2018, Bodhai Kodhai and Ulaviravu. Forthcoming Menon titles with music by Harris Jayaraj and A.R. Rahman are part of the deal as well.
The third agreement is with Magic Frames, a Malayalam film production and distribution company. It is structured as a partnership rather than an outright sale.
It covers a catalogue of more than 500 tracks, plus new releases. Named titles include Kaduva, Jana Gana Mana, Driving Licence, Gold and Vilaayath Budha.
Under that deal, Warner Music will handle global release of soundtracks and music videos from all future films that Magic Frames produces, acquires or distributes. That means one company takes charge of getting the songs and videos out worldwide, from streaming services to YouTube.
For listeners, this mainly matters in the background. Catalogue deals decide who maintains older recordings, clears their use in films and adverts, and places them on playlists. Future-release deals decide which label puts out the next soundtrack.
All three were confirmed together as part of Warner Music India’s push into Tamil and Malayalam film music.
