Seeker Music Group has signed a global distribution deal with Virgin Music Group.
Under the agreement, announced on Tuesday (June 9), Virgin Music Group will serve as Seeker‘s global distribution partner for its catalog of recordings and new project releases.
Seeker‘s catalog spans more than 19,000 copyrights and recordings, which the company values at $400 million.
Seeker is the rights, publishing and record company led by songwriter Evan Bogart, who co-wrote Beyoncé‘s Halo. It launched in 2020 with backing from M&G Investments.
The company said the deal builds on years of collaboration between Bogart, Seeker Chief Creative Officer Steven Melrose and Virgin Music Group.
Virgin Music Group is the independent artist and label services division of Universal Music Group.
The company completed its $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings in February.
“Seeker represents the kind of forward-thinking, creator-driven company we love partnering with at Virgin Music Group.”
Cindy James, Virgin Music Group North America
The Seeker deal is the latest in a run of distribution partnerships for the company, following an agreement with Ari Elkins and Joey McCarthy‘s Suede Records in April.
“Seeker represents the kind of forward-thinking, creator-driven company we love partnering with at Virgin Music Group,” said Cindy James, General Manager of Virgin Music Group North America.
“Steven, Evan, and their team have a unique ability to reimagine catalog and artist partnerships in ways that feel fresh, relevant, and culturally impactful. With our global infrastructure and their creative vision, we see a tremendous opportunity to amplify this music and connect it with new audiences around the world, and we’re incredibly excited about what we can build together.”
Bogart added: “This partnership is a game-changer for Seeker in how we elevate our catalog and artists.”
“We are so excited about the cultural impact and importance of the records we have the opportunity to support, and Virgin is the best at championing independent catalogs and artists on a global scale. Whether it is Nu Shooz, Run the Jewels, Joan Jett, or Christopher Cross, we are now in a position to celebrate our music with more energy and resources than ever before.
“Seeker is here to build, preserve, and extend legacies, and Virgin is the perfect partner to help us scale that mission.”
“We are so excited about the cultural impact and importance of the records we have the opportunity to support, and Virgin is the best at championing independent catalogs and artists on a global scale.”
Evan Bogart, Seeker Music Group
Seeker‘s catalog includes J-Kwon‘s Tipsy, which was interpolated into Shaboozey‘s A Bar Song (Tipsy).
Released in 2024, that track spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, tying Lil Nas X‘s Old Town Road for the longest run in the chart’s history.
Among Seeker‘s catalog campaigns is its work with Christopher Cross, whose masters and publishing catalog it acquired in 2023.
Seeker says the work has grown Cross‘s Spotify monthly listeners from roughly 2.5 million to more than 8 million.
The company has also released reissues and previously unreleased recordings from Run the Jewels and Christopher Cross.
Reissue and remix projects are in the works this year for Joan Jett, Christopher Cross and Nu Shooz.
The distribution deal follows a period of growth for Seeker.
In March, the company closed its inaugural $267 million asset-backed securitization.
“We’ve been good friends with, and huge admirers of Nat, JT, Jacqueline and Cindy for a while, so it made all the sense in the world for us to team up with them and their great extended global family.”
Steven Melrose, Seeker Music Group
“We’ve been good friends with, and huge admirers of Nat, JT, Jacqueline and Cindy for a while, so it made all the sense in the world for us to team up with them and their great extended global family,” said Melrose, Seeker Chief Creative Officer.
“They bring the same creative passion and forward-thinking spirit that defines Seeker, and together we’ll unlock new opportunities for our artists and catalogs worldwide!”Music Business Worldwide