Sony Music Publishing has struck a worldwide deal to administer the works of the Australian music company Alberts, which owns the complete song catalogs of AC/DC and the songwriting and producing team Vanda, Young and Wright. The latter team included George Young, the older brother of AC/DC founders Malcolm and Angus Young, and who, with Harry Vanda, produced the group’s early recordings as well as writing many hits for the Easybeats and others.
The deal includes such AC/DC classics as “Highway to Hell,” “Back in Black,” “Thunderstruck,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “TNT” and dozens more, since the Young brothers co-wrote nearly all of the group’s original songs; the deal brings the band’s publishing and recording rights together under the Sony banner for the first time.
The catalogs of the songwriting and producing team of Harry Vanda, George Young, and Stevie Wright include hits like the Easybeats’ “Friday on my Mind” (covered by David Bowie in 1973) and “Good Times” by the Easybeats, as well as “Love is in the Air,” “Yesterday’s Hero” and “Standing in the Rain” performed by John Paul Young.
David Albert, CEO, Alberts said, “We are looking forward to working with Sony Music Publishing and continuing to create opportunities to showcase these great catalogues. We have built over a number of years a very close working relationship with Rob Stringer and the team at Columbia and were impressed with Damian Trotter and Jon Platt’s vision for the catalogues and the alignment with our approach to business.”
Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt stated, “We are pleased to join forces with Alberts to deliver new opportunities for AC/DC and Vanda, Young and Wright. David Albert and the Alberts team are leaders in shaping Australia’s modern music culture, and our shared ethos will be powerful in sustaining the global impact of these iconic catalogs.” Sony Music Group Chairman Rob Stringer added, “We are so excited and honored at Sony Music Group to build on our long standing relationship with both Alberts and AC/DC through the representation of the Alberts song catalogue. We thank them for their trust and faith in us.”