The Deals: Tiny Vinyl to Release Pint-Sized Records for ATEEZ & More K-Pop Artists in hello82 Pact
Another day, another flood of music industry deals. How does one keep track? In an effort to provide an overview of the latest acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, licensing agreements and more, every other week Billboard publishes a list of all of the latest pacts that hit our radar.
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Tiny Vinyl, which manufactures collectible, playable four-inch vinyl records, has signed a new partnership with independent K-pop label hello82, Billboard can exclusively report. Through the deal, Tiny Vinyl will release Tiny Vinyls for multiple artists on the hello82 roster, starting with two for the Korean boy band ATEEZ.
Billed as a limited-edition collectible for fans that “easily fits in your pocket” and is “more sustainable” than full-sized records, Tiny Vinyls can hold up to four minutes of audio per side. A press release notes that “Tiny Vinyl is not intended to replace other forms of recorded music — it is a bonus for fans to collect.” Tiny Vinyls can be purchased at Target and other national retailers or directly via artist partners.
Tiny Vinyls have previously been released for a slew of big-name artists, including Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Chapell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, Doechii, Noah Kahan, Lainey Wilson, Bruno Mars, The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath.
Tiny Vinyl was co-founded by Neil Kohler and Jesse Mann, who partnered with Nashville Record Pressing (a subsidiary of vinyl manufacturer GZ Media) to develop the pint-sized format.
“We created Tiny Vinyl to reward fans with an adorable, collectible, and playable miniature vinyl record,” Kohler and Mann said previously in a statement to Billboard. They added, “We knew we needed our vinyl format to play an overwhelming majority of popular music, which happened to be trending to less than four minutes per song.”
Check out more recent music industry deals below.
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SoundExchange Signs New Agreements With 17 CMOs
Neighboring rights collective SoundExchange announced that over the past several months, it has added 17 new agreements with collective management organizations (CMOs) globally. The most recent signings include partners in Kenya, Barbados, Panama, Paraguay and several European territories, bringing SoundExchange’s portfolio to more than 90 agreements. According to a press release, the deals expand SoundExchange’s “coverage of the available global neighboring rights market to exceed 91%.”
“Expanding our network of agreements with partner CMOs throughout the work bolsters our ability to offer premier international neighboring rights services and reflects SoundExchange’s commitment to ensuring that creators are fairly compensated for their work, no matter where their music is played,” said Michael Huppe, president and CEO of SoundExchange, in a statement. “This growth strengthens our global reach and reinforces our mission to deliver transparency and efficiency for artists and rights holders worldwide.”
The full list of newly announced agreements is below.
International performer agreements:
Norway – Gramo
Kenya – Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP)
Switzerland – SwissPerform
Poland – Stowarzyszenie Artystów Wykonawców (STOART)
Netherlands – Collective Management Organisation for the Neighbouring Rights of Performing Artists (NORMA)
India – Indian Singers’ and Musicians’ Rights Association (ISAMRA)
Lithuania – Lietuvos Gretutinių Teisių Asociacija (AGATA)
Croatia – Hrvatska Udruga Za Zaštitu Izvodačkih Prava (HUZIP)
Czech Republic – Intergram
Austria – Linz AG Strom GmbH (LSG)International rights owner agreements:
Kenya – Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP)
Paraguay – Sociedad de Gestión de Productores Fonográficos del Paraguay (SGP)
El Salvador – Asociación Salvadoreña de Productores de Fonogramas y Afines (ASAP)
Denmark – Music Producers’ Management Organization (MPO)
Barbados – Copyright Society Of Composers Authors & Publishers, Inc. (COSCAP)
Portugal – Audiogest
Panama – Sociedad Panameña de Productores Fonográficos (Produce) -
Norman Feels Catalog Acquired by KMG Distribution & The Royalty Network
The catalog of late soul artist Norman Feels, whose music has been heavily sampled in hip-hop by artists including Freddie Gibbs, Nas, DMX and Ghostface Killah, will soon be made available on streaming platforms for the first time through a partnership between KMG Distribution and The Royalty Network, which have jointly acquired all master and underlying publishing rights to Feels’ catalog from the late artist’s estate.
On April 3, three Feels tracks will become available on streaming platforms, including “You Can’t Stop My Love,” which has been sampled by artists including Ghostface Killah and Theophilus London, and “Everything is Going Our Way,” which has been sampled by several artists and producers, including 9th Wonder.
“Norman’s music was always meant to be shared with the world — a hope our entire family (Mom, Dad, James, Coleman, and I) held during Norman’s time, and that our family now carries forward in his memory,” said Feels’ sister Gerri in a statement. “We are thrilled to have entrusted our longtime partners at The Royalty Network and KMG to help Norman’s brilliance reach the audience it has always deserved.”
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Virgin Music Group/Gallo Record Company/Content Connect Africa
Virgin Music Group extended its global distribution partnership with two music companies based in South Africa: Gallo Record Company and Content Connect Africa (CCA). According to a press release, the deal will “facilitate strategic collaborations between African and international artists, opening new audiences and creative synergies, while leveraging Virgin Music Group’s advanced audience analytics and market insights to guide release strategies and territory-specific campaigns.”
Gallo’s current roster includes K.Keed, Falabo and Nozipho Phiri. CCA’s roster includes Zuko SA, Temple Boys CPT, Teddy James III, and Kwiish SA.
“This partnership is about combining strengths to build a sustainable ecosystem for African music globally,” said Nicole Thomas, managing director of Virgin Music Group South Africa, in a statement. “Gallo Record Company and CCA are deeply committed to nurturing artists, and Virgin brings the global reach, infrastructure, and expertise to ensure their music thrives.”
Antos Stella, CEO of Arena Holdings, the parent company of Gallo and CCA, added: “At The Music Arena, our passion is to champion African music and its creators. This partnership between Virgin Music, Gallo Music and Content Connect Africa embodies the power of collaboration and partnership, uniting global reach with local authenticity. This is a celebration of South African creativity and the boundless power of unity through music.”
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BMG/Sketch Music
BMG signed a global recordings partnership with Sketch Music, which has released streaming hits by creators including Ogryzek, QMIIR, HUSSVRX, DYGO, Sayfalse and DJ ALIM. Under the deal, BMG will provide global distribution and resources to Sketch to expand its reach across new markets.
“I’m incredibly proud of what the Sketch team has built since launching the label in 2024,” said Ian Rasmussen, founder & CEO of Sketch Music, in a statement. “Our goal has always been to identify what’s breaking online and move fast, helping artists and records cut through culture with best-in-class digital marketing. BMG immediately understood that mission. Their global infrastructure and forward-thinking approach make them the ideal partner as we continue to scale our release strategy and expand Sketch’s reach worldwide.”
Added Dan Gill, executive vp of recorded music at BMG, “Sketch represents the cutting edge of what’s happening in music right now, a new generation of artists who are born online, move fast, and think globally. Partnering with Ian and the Sketch team aligns perfectly with BMG’s vision as a modern music company built around creativity, technology, and fairness. Together, we’re building the bridge between viral discovery and lasting artistry.”
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Sonoton Music/Be With Records
Independent production music company Sonoton Music launched a new division, Music Ventures, which houses a record label and commercial music publishing company, to administer the share of samples Sonoton controls. At launch, Sonoton announced that Music Ventures had struck a deal with British label Be With Records to reissue some of Sonoton’s albums of library recordings and release new albums from its contemporary roster. The first reissues under the deal are two old Sonoton library albums, Slow and Drugs. Be With also released Eros, an album by Daniel O’Sullivan, which was originally recorded as a library music album but was recently given a wider release on vinyl and streaming services.
