SESAC Music Group has acquired HAAWK, a media software and services company specializing in copyright management and monetization for independent music, film, television, and video catalogs.
HAAWK (which stands for Helping All Assets With Knowledge) provides ‘full-service’ administration of YouTube’s Content ID system and Facebook’s Rights Manager platforms (including Instagram), and works with a number of record labels, publishers, and music rightsholder clients.
The company also operates a distribution service called Diistro and a Micro Sync Music Licensing platform called Keyframe Audio.
HAAWK’s headquarters will remain in Los Angeles under the leadership of Ryan Born, who founded the company in 2017.
HAAWK’s new parent company, SESAC Music Group, has offices in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, London and Munich, and is led by CEO John Josephson.
HAAWK will operate alongside AudioSalad as part of the artist and label distribution services segment of SESAC Music Group’s Music Services division.
The Music Services division is one of four units at the company, which also include Church Music Resources, Audiovisual Music and the SESAC Performing Rights, which licenses the public performance of more than 1.5 million songs on behalf of its 15,000+ affiliated songwriters, composers, and music publishers.
The deal for HAAWK marks the latest in a series of acquisitions for SESAC Music Group in recent years.
It acquired music administration organization Music Services last year, just a couple of months after it acquired AudioSalad, a New York-based content management, analytics, delivery, and distribution tech provider that continues to operate as a standalone business.
In 2021, SESAC Music Group acquired Audiam, a streaming royalties collection agency, from Canadian licensing society SOCAN. It also purchased the rights licensing platform Harry Fox Agency from the National Music Publishers’ Association in 2015.
In January 2017, Blackstone Group acquired SESAC from Rizvi Traverse Management for a sum believed to be close to $1 billion.
“This is truly a dream come true. HAAWK already leads the way in providing unmatched opportunities and increased royalty revenue for our clients across YouTube, Facebook, and social video platforms.”
Ryan Born, HAAWK
Ryan Born, Founder & CEO of HAAWK, said: “This is truly a dream come true. HAAWK already leads the way in providing unmatched opportunities and increased royalty revenue for our clients across YouTube, Facebook, and social video platforms.
“By partnering with SESAC Music Group, we’re opening the door to even greater possibilities, enabling us to scale globally and offer more advanced royalty collection and administration services to our clients.
“HAAWK’s mission aligns with SESAC Music Group in delivering maximum value and transparency to music creators.”
John Josephson, SESAC Music Group
John Josephson, Chairman and CEO of SESAC Music Group, added: “HAAWK’s mission aligns with SESAC Music Group in delivering maximum value and transparency to music creators.
“Their leadership and technology strengthen our services for independent labels and publishers worldwide.
“We’re thrilled to welcome HAAWK to our Music Services portfolio, enhancing our comprehensive asset management and royalty collection services for independent labels and publishers globally,” added Malcolm Hawker, EVP and COO of SESAC Music Group.
Music Business Worldwide