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Barry Manilow Sues Hipgnosis, Seeking $1.5 Million in Allegedly Unpaid Funds
In an ongoing dispute, Barry Manilow, who sold a catalog of his music to Hipgnosis Songs in 2020, is seeking $1.5 million in unpaid bonus funds.
Referencing Hipgnosis’ founder Merck Mercuriadis, who stepped down from the company earlier this year after its stock plunged, the lawsuit states: “Via its agent Merck Mercuradis, Hipgnosis induced Plaintiffs to enter into the contract by promising that its Chief Catalogue Officer and its various other purportedly experienced music industry employees and officers would pursue and achieve album reissues, special compilations, and licensing agreements in commercials, films, television and other media. But, it continues, “Plaintiffs and Defendant entered into the MCAA on or about March 20, 2020, having to ultimately backdate it as, in a sign of things to come, Mercuradis lacked the corporate authority he represented he possessed, causing the deal execution to stagnate and delay… None of the promised marketing or promotion ever materialized. Launched in 2018, Hipgnosis almost single-handedly led a gold rush on song catalogs by paying top dollar for more than $2 billion for a variety of music assets from artists ranging from Neil Young and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Shakira and a large number of producer-songwriters.
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