Music licensing platform Slipstream has announced that it has acquired the production music portfolio of Toronto-based music rights company Anthem Entertainment.
The acquisition of Anthem Production Music Group includes three major brands: Anthem’s production music agency Jingle Punks, independent production music library 5 Alarm Music, and U.K.-based independent production music publisher Cavendish Music. The net result is the addition of over 650,000 tracks to Slipstream’s catalogue.
Slipstream says the acquisition positions it as “the largest global independent music licensing platform.”
There are long and close connections between the principal players involved. Slipstream was founded in 2021 by CEO Dan Demole and Chief Revenue Officer Jesse Korwin. Demole was the co-founder of Jingle Punks and former President of Anthem Production Music Group, while Korwin served as Managing Director of Jingle Punks.
“This acquisition is a homecoming for us,” says Demole. “Jesse and I built both Jingle Punks and Slipstream on the foundation of making great music accessible to every type of creator. We now have an unprecedented opportunity to build on the success of both brands while leading the next wave of innovation in music licensing. With this vast catalog and our tech-enabled platform, we’re not only the largest independent player in the space, but also the most innovative.”
The expanded platform will serve a diverse client base, from individual content creators and small businesses to global brands and enterprises. Slipstream said the acquisition is in line with its goal to streamline music licensing across TV, film, advertising, gaming, social media and brands.
Anthem Entertainment will make an investment in Slipstream as part of the transaction. Anthem Entertainment CEO, Jason Klein, who is one of Billboard Canada’s 2024 Power Players in the Publishing category, commented: “Anthem’s focus since my appointment in January 2023 has been on building its core music publishing and recorded music divisions, while considering the best path forward for our production music businesses. “
“This sale to Slipstream has placed Jingle Punks, 5 Alarm and Cavendish Music back in the familiar and capable hands of proven leaders in the production music and technology space. Dan and Jesse already know these businesses and have a unique vision for their future as part of Slipstream. Our belief in them as leaders and their vision is the reason we have also chosen to invest in Slipstream going forward.”
The New York City-headquartered Jingle Punks has long maintained an office in Toronto, alongside branches in Santa Monica, London, Sydney and Melbourne.
Anthem Entertainment has a long and storied presence in the Canadian music industry. Its origins are in the independent record label, Anthem Records, founded in 1977 by Ray Danniels and Vic Wilson and best known as the home of international rock superstars Rush. The three members of Rush, Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson, became associate directors.
Anthem was acquired by Canadian music rights company ole Media Management in November 2015. It flourished under the leadership of Robert Ott, with Billboard Canada FYI’s David Farrell writing earlier this year that “during his time with ole, Ott had offices in most of the music capitals of the world and a war chest of $1B. It was and is one of the most successful Canadian music companies in the world, alongside Michael Cohl’s Concert Productions International that would later become part of the foundation of Live Nation.”
In June 2019, ole was rebranded as Anthem Entertainment. Headquartered in Toronto, with operations in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and London, Anthem, in the words of its website, “supports and invests in the careers and works of songwriters and artists, and the creation of exceptional music for recording artists and audio-visual productions.”