Elvis Presley, whose celebrity brand is part of the Authentic Brands Group portfolio. Photo Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Back in November of 2021, Universal Music Group and Authentic Brands Group (ABG), which manages the celebrity brands of Thalia, Prince, Elvis Presley, and others, inked a partnership deal. Now, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is officially set to represent the catalog of the “King of Rock ‘n Roll” with ABG.
Universal Music Publishing Group, which yesterday closed an extended agreement with the estate of Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel, unveiled the just-finalized pact with Authentic Brands Group this morning.
Founded in 2010, New York City-headquartered ABG also manages the brands of Reebok, Shaquille O’Neal, Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali, David Beckham, Sports Illustrated, Izod, Forever 21, and Aéropostale, to name just some. The company – which aims to create “memorable brand experiences that come to life across key consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media” – likewise owns Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Bearing in mind these details as well as UMG’s initially highlighted pact with ABG, Universal Music Publishing Group and the brand-management business are poised to jointly represent the catalog of Elvis Presley globally (excepting the UK, however).
Of course, older songs (referring specifically to tracks that debuted over 18 months ago) account for the majority of music consumption in the United States, and Elvis Presley’s body of work, which boasts 12.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify, remains particularly popular.
On this front, ABG president of entertainment Marc Rosen (not to be confused with the JCPenney CEO of the same name) in a statement emphasized the “Can’t Help Falling In Love” artist’s continued media prominence.
“2022 is shaping up to be a banner year for Elvis, highlighted by the highly-anticipated theatrical release this June of ‘Elvis’ directed by Baz Luhrmann, as well as the debut of Netflix’s upcoming animated action series ‘Agent King,’” said Marc Rosen, formerly a director at Ryan Seacrest’s Civic Entertainment Group.
“We are honored to work in partnership with UMPG as guardians of Elvis’ incomparable catalog, bringing his music and cultural influence to audiences around the world,” concluded the nearly eight-year ABG veteran.
In another testament to the considerable reach of Tupelo, Mississippi-born Elvis Presley, the “Jailhouse Rock” singer’s jumpsuit and cape fetched north of $1 million at auction last year, while a jar of the three-time Grammy winner’s hair received a top bid of $58,000.
A number of collectors own Elvis memorabilia that could also sell for substantial sums at auction, and it’ll be worth following the performance of these sales moving forward, as UMPG and ABG coordinate to help the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s music “reach, captivate and inspire fans for generations to come.”