Music Licensing Valuation Multiples

Spotify is the leading global music streaming service, with over 750 million monthly active users and nearly 300 million paying subscribers, with the latter constituting the firm’s premium segment. Most of the firm’s revenue and nearly all its gross profit come from subscribers, who pay a monthly fee to access a music library that includes most of the most popular songs ever recorded, including all from the major record labels. The firm also offers access to audiobooks and integrates podcasts within its standard music app. Podcast content is not exclusive and is typically free to access on other platforms. Ad-supported users can access a similar music catalog, but cannot customize a similar on-demand experience.

Live Nation is the largest live entertainment company in the world, serving as a concert promoter, venue operator, and ticketing platform. In addition, the firm generates revenue from sponsorships and advertising. With offices in 51 countries, Live Nation promotes concerts globally and it owned, operated, or had exclusive booking rights to more than 400 venues worldwide at the end of 2025, which the firm says makes it the second-largest operator of music venues globally. In 2025, Live Nation promoted nearly 55,000 events, drawing roughly 160 million fans. Ticketmaster is a dominant global ticketing service, selling nearly 650 million tickets in 2025.

Universal Music is the largest of the three major record companies. Recorded music accounts for most of the firm’s revenue, with the segment housing more than a dozen record labels, including notable names like Interscope, Capital Music, Motown Records, and Def Jam. Some of the most successful current artists signed to record deals with Universal include Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, and Morgan Wallen. Most of Universal’s remaining revenue comes from its publishing segment, which generates revenue for songwriters and composers, including some of Universal’s recording artists as well as songwriters and composers who do not record music themselves or are attached to other labels. Universal’s publishing group has nearly 4.5 million owned or administered titles in its catalog.

Wolters Kluwer is a global provider of professional information, software solutions, and services in health; tax and accounting; environmental, social, and governance; finance; compliance; and legal. More than 60% of revenue is generated in North America and around 30% is from Europe.

News Corporation is a diversified media and information services conglomerate with significant presence in the US, the UK, and Australia. Key mastheads include The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, New York Post, The Times, The Sun, The Australian, Herald Sun, and The Daily Telegraph. Its 61%-owned REA Group is the dominant property listings platform in Australia. In addition, it owns Harper Collins, one of the largest book publishers in the world, and has a sizable US digital property advertising business, Move. The 65% interest in Foxtel, the Australian pay-TV and streaming provider, was sold in April 2025. The sale to global sports streaming platform, DAZN, was struck at more than 7 times Foxtel's EBITDA.

Warner Music is the third-largest of the three major record companies. Recorded music accounts for most of the firm’s revenue, with the segment housing notable record labels including Atlantic Records, Warner Records, Elektra Records. Some of the most successful current artists signed to record deals with Warner include Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Cardi B, and Dua Lipa. Warner’s remaining revenue comes from its publishing business, where Warner Chappell represents more than 180,000 songwriters and composers, some of whom are also Warner recording artists but many of whom are not recording artists or are attached to other labels. Warner Chappell controls more than 1 million musical compositions. Access Industries controls 98% of Warner’s voting rights, while holding a 72% economic interest.

Informa PLC is an international events, digital services, and academic research group. Through various brands, products, and services, it connects businesses and professionals with the knowledge they need. The group's reportable segments are Informa Markets, Informa Tech, Informa Connect, Informa Festivals, and Taylor & Francis. The Informa Markets segment generates the highest revenue, connecting buyers and sellers across various specialist markets, including boating, pharmaceuticals, food, fashion, and infrastructure. This is achieved by delivering transaction-focused live events, such as exhibitions, specialist digital content, and targeted digital services, including data-driven demand generation products. It generates half its revenue from North America, followed by Asia.

Tencent Music is the largest online music streaming platform in China, established in 2016 through the merger of QQ Music, Kuwo Music, and Kugou Music. Tencent, its largest shareholder, holds over 50% of the shares and more than 90% of the voting rights. Beyond streaming services, Tencent Music generates revenue through a diverse range of offerings, including podcasts, livestreaming, concerts, and karaoke.

The New York Times Company is an American media company headquartered in the New York Times Building in Manhattan, New York City, and the publisher of The New York Times and The New York Times International Edition. Alongside its news report it owns The Athletic, a subscription sports news site bought in February 2022 for $550 million, the word game Wordle, acquired in January 2022, and podcast producer Serial Productions, acquired in 2020. The company earns most of its revenue from digital and print subscriptions, supplemented by digital and print advertising. In 2025 it added 1.4 million net digital subscribers, including 450,000 in the fourth quarter, to reach about 12.8 million, and its digital revenue topped $2 billion for the first time, driven by roughly 14% growth in digital subscription revenue; fourth-quarter digital advertising rose about 25% to $147 million. The newspaper was first published on September 18, 1851, by Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones. The company introduced a website paywall in 2011 and has since sold About.com and The Boston Globe to concentrate on its subscription model. Meredith Kopit Levien has been chief executive since 2020.

Pearson is a British education and assessment company headquartered in London, listed on the London Stock Exchange as a FTSE 100 constituent with a secondary New York Stock Exchange listing through American depositary receipts. It is organised into five business units: Assessment & Qualifications, Virtual Learning, English Language Learning, Higher Education, and Enterprise Learning and Skills. It owns Edexcel, one of the main GCSE and A-level examination boards in England, and sells learning materials, assessments, qualifications, virtual schooling and digital learning products to schools, universities, governments, employers and individual learners. In 2025 it reported revenue of £3,577 million, operating income of £507 million and an average workforce of 17,062. The company traces its origins to 1844, when Samuel Pearson set up the business that became S. Pearson & Son; in the twentieth century it built a publishing and media portfolio that included the Financial Times, a 50% stake in The Economist and Penguin Books. Under Marjorie Scardino it refocused on education, forming Pearson Education in 1998, and between 2015 and 2020 it sold the Financial Times, its Economist stake and its remaining stake in Penguin Random House. Omar Abbosh, formerly of Microsoft, has been chief executive since January 2024.

HYBE is a music-based entertainment lifestyle platform company. The company operates through three segments: Music, Platform, and Technology-based Future Growth. The Music segment focuses on creating artists and music IP. The Platform segment aggregates content and delivers it directly to fans. The Technology-based Future Growth segment explores and develops new business opportunities arising from shifts in the digital and industrial landscape. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Music segment.

Springer Nature AG & Co KGaA is a research, educational, and professional publisher providing content to communities through a range of platforms, products, and services. It offers journals, books, platforms, databases & and solutions. The company includes three Segments: Research, Education, and Health. The company operates in the Americas, APAC, Germany, and Other EMEA regions. The majority of revenue is generated from the research segment in America.

JOYY Inc is a technology company. The Company operates several social products, including Bigo Live for live streaming, Likee for short-form videos, Hago for multiplayer social networking, an instant messaging product, and others. The Company operates through two segments: BIGO and All other. The BIGO segment consists of several social entertainment platforms, including Bigo Live, Likee, imo, and others. The All other segment consist of Hago, Shopline, and certain audio live streaming platforms.

Kadokawa Corp is a Japan based publisher and digital content platform provider. It is involved in various businesses such as publishing, film, publishing rights, digital contents, planning, development and operation of network entertainment service, and contents and operation of video- sharing website.

Jiangsu Phoenix Publishing & Media Corp Ltd is a China-based publishing company. The company operates four segments. The Publishing segment covers the publishing and distribution of textbooks, teaching aids, general books, audio-visual products, and vocational education software. The Issuing Division handles the wholesale and retail of teaching materials, teaching aids, general books, audio-visual products, and cultural supplies. The Other segment includes new media businesses such as software development, film and television production, digital asset management, cloud services, and investment management. The Headquarters segment oversees distribution management, procurement, settlement, group publication distribution, textbook bidding, and publishing business management.

Xinhua Winshare Publishing & Media Co Ltd is engaged in integrated cultural operations specializing in the creative content production of publications, education services, cultural consumption services, supply chain services, and capital operation. Its activities are editorial and publishing of publications, sales of publications in physical stores and the internet, distribution of textbooks and supplementary materials, education information and equipment services, etc. It is through two operating segments; the Publication segment, which includes publishing books, periodicals, and audiovisual products, and the Distribution segment, which comprises the distribution of textbooks and supplementary materials. The group generates a majority of its revenue from the Distribution segment.

Lagardere SA is in the business of content publishing, production, broadcasting, and distribution. It is also engaged in the travel retail business with various brands such as Relay and Aelia Duty-Free, and other selective distribution brands. The company operates through divisions: Lagardere Publishing, Lagardere Travel Retail, and others.

China South Publishing & Media Group Co Ltd operates in the publishing and media industry. The company offers publishing products, including books, newspapers, periodicals, audio and video products, electronics, network, comic, and animation.

China Science Publishing & Media Ltd is a China based company engaged in providing publishing services. It offers books, journals, newspapers, literature and data, online publishing, import and export and printing services. For overseas distribution, the company uses Science Press brand.

China Literature Ltd is an investment holding company. The company along with its subsidiaries provides online reading services, copyright commercialization, writer cultivation and brokerage, and operation of text work reading. It generates its revenue from Online reading through self-owned platform products. it operates in two segments: Online business and Intellectual property operations and others. The Online business segment that derives the majority of revenue comprises online paid reading, online advertising, and game publishing. The Intellectual property operations and other segment include licensing and distribution of film and television properties, copyrights licensing, sales of adaptation rights and scripts, sales of physical books, and in-house online games operations.

Zhejiang Publishing & Media Co Ltd is engaged in the publication, distribution and printing of books, periodicals, audio-visual products and electronic publications.

McGraw Hill is an American education company that publishes curriculum and course materials and sells adaptive learning software to schools, universities and professionals. Its roots go back to 1888, when James H. McGraw bought the American Journal of Railway Appliances, and to the 1909 merger of his and John A. Hill's publishing operations into the McGraw-Hill Book Company. The K-12 business provides core, supplemental and intervention curricula to US schools; Higher Education sells digital courseware such as the Connect platform and the ALEKS adaptive learning system alongside e-books and print materials; Global Professional serves medical and engineering learners; and International sells in more than 100 countries. The McGraw-Hill Companies sold the education business to Apollo Global Management for $2.4 billion in 2013, Platinum Equity bought it for $4.5 billion in 2021, and it completed an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker MH on 24 July 2025. The company reports about $2.2 billion of annual revenue and 4,200 employees, and digital products generated about 61% of revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. It is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and led by chief executive Philip Moyer.

John Wiley & Sons Inc is a publisher and a trusted leader in research and learning. The company segment includes: Research, which includes the reporting lines of Research Publishing and Research Solutions, and Learning includes the Academic and Professional reporting lines and consists of publishing, courseware, and assessments. Its industry-principal content, services, platforms, and knowledge networks are tailored to meet the evolving needs of its customers and partners, including researchers, students, instructors, professionals, institutions, and corporations. The company empowers knowledge-seekers to transform today’s obstacles into tomorrow’s brightest opportunities. For more than two centuries, the company has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential.

Cloud Music is the second-largest online music service provider in China, founded in 2013 by NetEase. NetEase currently holds approximately 58% of Cloud Music’s equity stake and controls 90% of its voting power. The platform’s business model is similar to its main competitor, Tencent Music, as both offer music streaming services along with social entertainment features like live streaming to engage users and drive additional revenue.

Shandong Publishing & Media Co Ltd provides publishing services. The company owns and manages publishing houses, periodical presses, printing enterprises, printing materials company, and logistics company. Geographically, the activities are carried out through China.

TX Group AG is a Swiss company with a network of digital platforms. It offers information, orientation, entertainment, and services to its users every day. The company provides newspapers and magazines. The company's operating segments include TX Markets; Goldbach; 20 Minuten; Tamedia and Group and Ventures. It generates maximum revenue from the Tamedia segment.

Louis Hachette Group is engaged in Publishing, Travel Retail and Magazines and Online Media.

Sanoma Oyj is a learning and media company. The group publishes magazines and newspapers along with educational learning literature and services. It operates in two segments: Learning and Media Finland. Sanoma's learning products and services enable teachers to develop the talents of every child to reach their full potential. The company offers printed and digital learning content as well as digital learning and teaching platforms for primary, secondary and vocational education. The Finnish media business of Sanoma provides information, experiences, inspiration, and entertainment via multiple media platforms: newspapers, radio, television, events, magazines, online, and mobile channels. The company's publications include Helsingin Sanomat, IltaSanomat among others.

China Publishing & Media Holdings Co Ltd is a specialized and large-scale publishing group. The company's publishing business mainly includes book publishing, newspaper publishing, electronic audio and video publishing and related copyright business.

Visual China Group Co Ltd is engaged in providing digital visual content and visual solutions to customers in media, commercial, and consumer sectors. It services include Copyright removal, rights protection agent, Sports, Entertainment and Digital marketing, and Special shooting.

Anhui Xinhua Media Co Ltd operates as a publishing and printing company in China. Its businesses include publication and distribution logistics services, import and export business, real estate development, advertising, film and television media, hotel management, financing lease, e-commerce and other fields.

Chinese Universe Publishing And Media Co Ltd are engaged in the publishing, printing, and distribution of materials, newspapers, periodicals, and audiovisual publications in China. A company extends is business in new media and online education, Internet games, digital publishing, Internet of Things technology applications, international copyright transactions.

Changjiang Publishing & Media Co Ltd is engaged in the publication and media industry, as well as the manufacturing of clothing and other fiber products.

S.M Entertainment Co is engaged in the media industry in Korea. Its business involves recording and production of music. It also distributes its music and videos through the medium of internet. Apart from its core operations, the company ventures into management, casting and training for artists.

Alma Media Oyj is a media and service company focusing on digital services and publishing. In addition to news content, the Group's products provide useful information related to lifestyle, career, and business development. The business segments include Alma Career, Alma Marketplaces, and Alma News Media. It generates maximum revenue from the Alma Career segment. The group's business is mainly divided into two geographical areas, Finland from where it earns the majority of its revenue, and the rest of Europe.

Saudi Research And Media Group is an integrated publishing group based in Saudi Arabia, engaged in trading, media, advertising, promotions, distribution, printing and publishing, and public relations. It operates mainly in the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. The company has four operating segments; Publishing, visual, and digital content segment, the Public relations and advertising segment, the Printing and packaging segment, and All other segments. The company derives a majority of its revenue from the Publishing, visual, and digital content segment.

USA Today Co Inc is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level, dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. It prioritizes a digital-first approach, focusing on audience growth and engagement while diversifying revenue streams. Through its trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including a network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. Its digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with digital marketing products and solutions.

Sonaecom SA is engaged in technology, media and telecommunications . The business portfolio includes the Software and Technology area, with Bright Pixel Capital the Online & Media area where there are businesses such as the Publico daily, generalist newspaper. Its segments include NOS, Media segment derives revenue from Advertising revenues: essentially include the solicitation of advertising for Jornal Publico; and Technologies segment which derives revenue from Maintenance services revenue associated with the maintenance of IT services provided or sold, Consulting services revenue from services provided in consulting projects, and Software as a Service revenue from the implementation of Software as a Service (SaaS) contracts. Geographically, it derives majority revenue from Portugal.

Saregama India Ltd is a holding company, which engages in the production and distribution of music, television programs, and movies. It operates through the following segments: Music, Films/TV Serials, and Publication. The Music segment deals with the business of manufacturing and sale of Music storage devices viz. Carvaan, Music Card, etc, and dealing with related music rights. The Films/TV Serials and Event segment engaged in the production and sale/telecast/broadcast of films/TV Serials, pre-recorded programs, organizing live musical events, and dealing in film rights. The Publication segment publishes the weekly current affairs magazine ‘OPEN’ through its publication business. The firm derives a majority of its revenue from the Music segment.

JYP Entertainment Corp is an entertainment company. It is engaged in music production as well as in recruiting, training, and management of new artist.

Daily Journal Corp publishes newspapers and websites covering California and Arizona and produces several specialized information services. The company operates in two segments: Traditional business and Journal Technologies which includes Journal Technologies, Inc. and Journal Technologies (Canada) Inc. It also serves as a newspaper representative specializing in public notice advertising. The majority of revenue is generated from the Traditional segment.

Tips Music Ltd operates in the media and entertainment industry. The principal business activities of the company include the production and distribution of cinematographic films and the exploitation of its content on various platforms. The company has structured its operations into a single business segment, Music (Audio/ Video). Geographically, the company generates maximum revenue from international markets.

Zhejiang Sunriver Culture Co Ltd is a China-based company engaged in culture consulting, animation design, film and television planning, information services, among others. The group is mainly engaged in the creation, planning, production, distribution, and animation of mobile internet animation, animation related copyright authorization and animation related internet and mobile online game development and operation services. In addition, the company is also involved in the finance business.

Nine Entertainment is the largest media conglomerate in Australia. It operates Nine Network, a free-to-air TV network across five capital cities, as well as in some regional areas. It owns 9Now, a leading broadcast video-on-demand business. Its publishing business is the second-largest newspaper group in Australia with key mastheads such as Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, and The Age. Nine also operates a leading domestic-owned subscription video-on-demand business in Australia called Stan, and a talk-based radio network. In March 2026, Nine completed the purchase of outdoor advertising entity QMS Media for AUD 850 million.

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC is a publisher of books and other media for general readers, children, students, researchers, and professionals. It offers authors access to these multiple markets in multiple formats throughout the world in print, through e-books, digital downloads, and apps in schools, libraries, universities, and in terrestrial and internet bookshops. The company divisions are Consumer and Academic & Professional. Consumer division is split out into Children's Trade and Adult Trade; and Academic & Professional division split between Academic and Professional, Education, Special Interest, and Content Services. It derives maximum revenue from the Consumer division segment. The company operates in the UK, North America, and other countries.

Scholastic Corp is an American publishing and education media company that focuses on books and educational material for schools, teachers, parents, and children. It creates print, digital, and audiobooks, learning materials and programs, classroom magazines, and other products that support children’s learning and reading both at home and at school. The company also owns rights to various books, including Harry Potter, Dog Man, and The Hunger Games among others. It has three reportable segments Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution, Education Solutions, and International. The majority of its revenue is from the Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution segment.

Reservoir Media Inc is an independent music company. It operates a music publishing business, a recorded music business, a management business, and a rights management entity in the Middle East. The company's segments include Music Publishing and Recorded Music. It generates the maximum of its revenue from the Music Publishing segment.

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore SpA is a European publishing group. It publishes books and magazines and operates retail bookstores across Italy. Books are fiction, and non-fiction, for the young genres. Magazines published are in various fields for both men and women. The company's operating segment includes Trade Books; Education Books; Retail; Media; Corporate and Shared Services. It generates maximum revenue from the Books segment.