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October 3, 2023 – Seeker Music, the songwriter-led music rights, publishing and record company, has acquired award-winning songwriter and recording artist Plested’s publishing catalog. One of the UK’s most in-demand contemporary songwriters, Plested’s catalog includes Lewis Capaldi’s #1 smash “Before You Go,” Marshmello and Jonas Brothers’ hit single “Leave Before You Love Me,” Little Mix’s chart-topping “Touch,” and countless others hits with Kygo, OneRepublic, Niall Horan, The Chainsmokers, Anne-Marie, James Arthur, and more. Plested is also a renowned recording artist whose debut album First & Foremost was released on Atlantic Records.
Plested began his music career in the early 2010’s while still in university, and he formed the band Chasing Grace in 2012 before transitioning to professional songwriting and recording as a solo artist in 2016. Since then, the songs he’s written have earned him accolades including several BRIT Awards nominations, the ASCAP Award for Most Performed Pop Song, 2020 (“Before You Go”), and more.
Seeker’s acquisition of Plested’s catalog represents two important aspects of their overall creative investment strategy. First, their forward-looking emphasis on acquiring contemporary catalogs, with strong and powerful songwriting, to complement their legacy acquisitions (other modern-day catalogs that Seeker has acquired include Mozella’s, Jon Bellion’s, Sam Watters’, a portion of Teddy Geiger’s, etc), and second, their international strategy, and strength, in the UK market led by Global Head of Creative, Steven Melrose. Beyond Plested, Seeker has also acquired publishing catalogs from UK-based songwriter duo Future Cut (Lily Allen), the songwriter/producer John Ryan (an American, but the songwriter behind more than 40 hits for One Direction), and has actively been signing UK-based songwriters, producers and artists to co-publishing and record deals.
Seeker Music CEO Evan Bogart, an award-winning songwriter in his own right (Rihanna’s “SOS,” Beyonce’s “Halo”), said of the acquisition: “Phil Plested is an extraordinarily talented songwriter who has helped shape and define pop music today. He is a true songsmith and, being a recording artist himself, is masterful in helping other artists create and convey with honesty, authenticity and emotion. That’s his superpower. He’s also an absolutely amazing person, pillar of our community and a songwriter that other songwriters always root for. Those are the kinds of music creators that Seeker looks to align with, celebrate and support. It’s an honor to bring his legacy and catalog of songs into the Seeker family!”
Seeker’s Global Head of Creative, Steven Melrose, added “I’m personally so happy to be reunited with Phil again, and his great management team, after having so much success working together when I was at Sony and heading Epic in London. I’ve always been a big fan of his songwriting and our whole team is excited about the opportunity to celebrate his songs, and collaborate on future projects.”
Plested said of working with Seeker: “Together with my best friend, and manager, Hannan Malik, I’ve built this catalogue of songs since 2012 with my heart and soul and passing it on was a decision I didn’t take lightly. I’ve looked up to Evan as a writer throughout my career. He understands the emotional attachment we make with our songs, and the fact that I was able to retain my songs as an artist is a testament to that. I’m confident that Seeker has the best intentions for my songs and I look forward to working with them into the future and throughout my next chapter as a songwriter. I couldn’t be happier with this partnership.”
Plested’s manager, Hannan Malik, added: “Seeker have been fantastic throughout. Phil & I were exploring a catalogue deal and finding the right home was the most important thing. It really feels like these songs are in good hands for years to come. Phil still writes a song a day and is only just getting started! I’m excited for his future, as the prolific songwriter that he is, and to see where Seeker takes his wonderful body of work.”
Plested’s catalog joins other Seeker acquisitions including: the full works of Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Gos, “We Got the Beat”) and Christopher Cross (“Sailing”, “Ride Like The Wind”), Run the Jewels’ first three albums, the catalogs of modern day hitmakers Jon Belllion, Mozella, John Ryan, Future Cut, RuthAnne, Sam Watters and Teddy Geiger (via the Bunettas’ Family Affair), and classic copyrights performed by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Drake, Eminem, SWV, One Direction, DMX, Nelly, 2Pac and many more.
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