Sell your catalogue to a buyer who values it.
I broker catalogue acquisitions between artists, estates, and labels and the funds, publishers, and majors who buy them. Deals run from $100K to $16M+. I match your catalogue to buyers who actively want it — and get you real, competitive offers on the table.
What "catalogue acquisition" actually means.
A catalogue acquisition is the sale of your music catalogue — usually your masters, sometimes your publishing rights, sometimes both — to a buyer who owns them going forward. You receive a lump sum. The buyer collects future income. It's a permanent transfer, not a licence.
For the right catalogue and the right owner, it can be transformative — turning years of future royalty income into capital you can use now. For the wrong situation, it can be a mistake you regret. My job is to work out which one it is for you before we go anywhere near a buyer.
When a sale might be right for you.
Sales are the biggest decision an artist or estate ever makes about their music. If any of these describe you, it's at least worth a conversation.
- You're ready to convert future income into capital now. You've got a plan for the money — a business investment, a house, retirement, a family transfer, a tax event — and the capital in hand matters more than the future income stream.
- You believe the catalogue has peaked or is in decline. If your honest read is that the catalogue's best years are behind it, selling at today's number can be smarter than watching the future income shrink.
- You want to hand over active management. Some artists and estates would rather someone else deals with royalty collection, sync approvals, and admin. A sale hands that off cleanly.
- You're an estate managing complex ownership. Multiple heirs, disputed splits, tax considerations, succession planning — a sale can simplify the whole situation with one transaction.
- You're an artist with income on major-label recordings and want to unlock some of that value. Even if you don't own your masters, you may have income streams — royalty shares, songwriter income, name/likeness rights, sync approvals — that can be sold, licensed, or advanced against. If you're not sure what parts of your income stack you actually own or control, that's exactly the kind of thing a first call would work out.
When a sale is probably wrong for you.
- You still believe the catalogue's best years are ahead. If you think a sync licensing wave, a generational rediscovery, or a genre resurgence is coming — don't sell into that upside. Fund against it instead.
- You want to stay involved. Selling means giving up control. Future sync approvals, remaster decisions, brand partnerships — all in someone else's hands. If that thought bothers you, don't sell.
- You need money faster than a proper process allows. A serious catalogue sale takes months. If your timing is tight, a funding deal (which closes faster) is usually the better route.
- You're being pressured to sell by someone with an interest in the outcome. If a buyer, a manager, a lawyer, or an accountant is pushing you toward a sale with urgency — take a step back. Come talk to me before signing anything.
How the process works.
Selling a catalogue isn't fast — and honest advisors don't pretend it is. Here's how it actually goes.
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We talk — 15 minutes.
No pitch, no forms. Tell me about the catalogue, your situation, and what you're trying to achieve. I'll give you my honest read on whether a sale makes sense — and if it doesn't, what alternatives might.
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I value the catalogue.
Streaming data, historical royalty statements, publishing splits, ownership structure. One to two weeks to put a real number range on your catalogue based on comparable acquisitions I've seen. You'll get a valuation range you can pressure-test, not a wishful headline number.
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I take it to the right buyers.
I've spent years building relationships with catalogue funds, publishers, and majors' catalogue divisions. I know who's actively buying your genre, career stage, and geography right now. That means warm introductions to buyers already looking for what you have — not cold pitches into an inbox.
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Offers come in and we compare.
Serious catalogue offers typically take 2–6 weeks to land from a properly-run process, depending on catalogue complexity. You get multiple offers to compare, all live, all vetted — not a single take-it-or-leave-it number.
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We negotiate, diligence, and close.
I run the negotiation, you make the calls. Full close typically takes another 2–4 months from the offer stage — buyer diligence, legal work, contract signing. Total start-to-finish is usually 3–6 months.
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You get paid, and I do too — after you do.
My 10% commission comes out of the closed deal. If we don't close, I don't get paid. My incentives are aligned with getting you to the finish line — but only if the deal is right for you.
Why I'm different from most brokers.
- I actually run competitive processes. Most brokers place a catalogue with one buyer and call it a day. I run real auctions between multiple buyers so you can actually see what your catalogue is worth.
- I explain what's in the contract. In plain English. Every clause designed to disadvantage you, I flag and negotiate. Every unusual term, I explain what it means and what it costs.
- I only get paid when you do. No retainers, no upfront fees, no fee for the valuation. My 10% commission comes out of the closed deal, agreed with you before anything starts.
- I'll tell you not to sell. If a sale isn't right for you, I'll say so — even after weeks of work. Wrong deals close for other brokers. They don't close for me.
How I get paid on catalogue sales.
10% commission on the closed deal. Agreed upfront, fixed at the start, no back-end additions.
On larger or more complex deals (typically $2M+), I sometimes work at 5–7% — we agree that before anything moves.
No retainers. No upfront valuation fees. No hidden costs. If we don't close, I don't get paid.
"Pearse was great to work with, and he managed to get us a good deal! The process was smooth and he communicated clearly with us throughout."Liam McKenna — Manager, Ceol
Questions about catalogue sales.
How is my catalogue actually valued?
A multiple of your average annual royalty income, adjusted for growth trends, catalogue quality, and market conditions. Typical multiples run 8–15× for standard catalogues, higher for exceptional ones. I'll give you a real range at valuation, not a wishful number.
What are buyers actually looking for?
Consistent, predictable royalty income. Catalogues with clear ownership. Music that's held its value or grown over time. Genres and eras that are performing well in the current market (which shifts — buyers in 2026 are looking for different things than in 2022).
How long does the full sale process take?
Realistically, 3–6 months from first call to money in the bank. Valuation and buyer outreach take 3–8 weeks; negotiation, buyer diligence, and legal close take another 2–4 months. Anyone promising much faster on a serious catalogue sale is either exaggerating or cutting corners — I won't do either.
Will I have to sign an exclusive with you?
Yes, for a defined period — typically 6 months. Buyers won't take a process seriously if the catalogue could be shopped elsewhere at the same time. The exclusive is standard, defined, and revocable if I'm not delivering.
What if I get an unsolicited offer while we're working together?
Bring it to me. I'll benchmark it against what a properly-run process would deliver. Sometimes an unsolicited offer is genuinely good; often it's below-market. Either way, you should know before you decide.
Can you benchmark an offer I've already received?
Yes — even if you're not sure you want to sell yet, I'll give you an honest read on whether an offer you've received is fair. No fee for the benchmarking read. It's the kind of thing I'd want done for me if the roles were reversed.
What about tax?
Catalogue sales have significant tax implications — often more than the deal itself if not structured well. I don't do tax advice, but I work with your accountant or refer you to specialists who understand catalogue transactions specifically.
What about my publishing rights?
Publishing can be sold separately from masters, sold together, or kept while masters are sold. Each shape has different implications for value, complexity, and control. We'll work out the right shape for your situation.
Ready to see what your catalogue is worth?
15-minute call, no pitch. I'll give you an honest read on whether a sale makes sense — or if it doesn't.