Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Jack Antonoff extends deal with Sony/ATV, launches own imprint

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 4 December 2015

Sony/ATV has extended its worldwide publishing deal with Bleachers and Fun’s Jack Antonoff, and launched a new joint venture publishing company with the singer-songwriter called Rough Customer.

A lot of people decided that they had something to say about this when it was announced earlier this week, so bear with me. First up, Sony/ATV CEO Marty Bandier, who said: “Jack is one of our most important and successful songwriters and I’m delighted that he will be part of our team for a considerable time to come. I’m especially pleased that we have entered into a new JV with him that will make him a magnet for other great songwriters and collaborators”.

Sony/ATV US’s Co-President Rick Krim then added: “We are very excited to be expanding our relationship with someone as multi-talented and with such a great track record as Jack. He provides an incredible triple threat as a writer, producer and recording artist, as well as having an amazing gift for finding and nurturing new artists”.

Sony/ATV SVP Creative Jennifer Knoepfle noticed that no one had yet said that they were “thrilled”, so chipped in with: “We are thrilled to be extending our deal with Jack Antonoff. Beyond his achievements as frontman for the beloved Bleachers and as a Grammy-winning songwriter and guitar player in Fun, Jack is a well-respected and in-demand songwriter and producer. We are also overjoyed to expand our relationship with Jack with a newly-formed JV. On top of being a great songwriter, Jack has a keen eye for spotting and developing talent and we are so happy he is taking this journey with Sony/ATV”.

Jack Antonoff himself commented: “Sony/ATV is a place where I feel fully supported in creating all the things I dream about doing. It’s a place where I feel that my songs are safe and I continue to grow. The next step for me is our imprint, Rough Customer. I want to create a place for writers and artists to collaborate and make great work. I want to create an environment where they don’t have to be fearful of people breathing down their necks to underachieve artistically. I believe all music, mainstream included, can make the world a better place when the quality and integrity of it is the highest possible. That’s what I want to contribute to”.

And not wanting to be left out, the musician’s manager Tyler Childs screeched: “We couldn’t be happier to continue Jack’s incredible creative relationship with Sony/ATV. We’re lucky to have Marty, Rick, and Jenn as partners beyond publishing and fortunate to work with Brian Monaco and his incredible sync team at Sony/ATV, especially Wende Crowley’s group on the West Coast. The creation of Rough Customer is the next logical step in Jack’s creative journey and the culmination of years of planning. Rough Customer is going to deliver the service of a start-up with the muscle of the biggest publisher in the world. We see it as the best of both worlds for artists and songwriters”.

Rough Customer will apparently work mainly with artists who Antonoff is currently collaborating with. The first signing is yet to be revealed. They’re probably still writing all the quotes.