Cutting Edge Group has been a prominent buyer of film and TV music rights over the past few years.
Today (September 3), the UK-born company has announced its latest transaction: The acquisition of AMC Studios’ “full portfolio of TV music rights,” adding compositions from hit TV series including The Walking Dead franchise and Anne Rice adaptations to its media music portfolio.
Cutting Edge, led by CEO Philip Moross, said it has acquired both the publishing and master rights to AMC Studios’ entire TV music library for an undisclosed amount.
The compositions and recordings from the latest deal join CEG’s total portfolio of over 400,000 owned and/or managed media music rights, which it says is valued at more than USD $1 billion.
Cutting Edge Group completed a USD $500 million debt refinancing in April last year, with a syndicate of four banks led by US-based Fifth Third Bank and Toronto-headquartered private investment firm, Northleaf Capital Partners.
Cutting Edge said at the time that it had already identified a “circa USD $1.5 billion pipeline” of potential investments.
The transaction marks the latest expansion for Cutting Edge following its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery in January to create a joint venture through which it now co-owns and co-manages the studio’s vast catalog of film and TV music, spanning almost a century.
“AMC Studios’ catalogue represents some of the finest storytelling in modern television and we are honoured to become custodians of the remarkable music behind it.” Tara Finegan, Cutting Edge Group
The company’s latest acquisition covers music from AMC’s original programming over the past decade.
The Walking Dead ran for 11 seasons and 177 episodes. The franchise has expanded into multiple spin-offs including The Walking Dead: Dead City and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
Other assets in the deal include Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire, Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, Into the Badlands and Dark Winds.
The deal also sees CEG secure rights to music from future seasons of existing franchises The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, premiering in September, Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat, expected in 2026, Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order, premiering in October, and a new Immortal Universe TV series.
According to Cutting Edge, under the deal, AMC Networks will continue to use the music within AMC Studios’ series “in perpetuity.”
Commenting on the latest deal, Tara Finegan, COO of Cutting Edge Group, said: “AMC Studios’ catalogue represents some of the finest storytelling in modern television and we are honoured to become custodians of the remarkable music behind it.
“Being a record label partner to AMC since 2016 through our soundtrack division, Lakeshore Records, and having released the soundtrack album of Bear McCreary’s iconic The Walking Dead score, we have first-hand experience with how valuable and long lasting this studio’s catalogue is and we look forward to carrying this extraordinary body of work into its next chapter.”
Tim Hegarty, Head of M&A at Cutting Edge Group, said: “This investment reflects our unwavering commitment to securing the very best music rights in the media & entertainment industry.
“Our ability to complete deals of this caliber is testament to the reputation we have established within the Film and TV industry over the past decades.”
“We have a deep conviction in this subsector of the music copyrights market, having completed 25 acquisitions in just four years, and are confident we can grow the audience and revenue potential of the portfolio by utilizing our team’s specialist experience and operating expertise.”
Full article available via Music Business Worldwide here.