Sweden’s Cosmos Music buys Ace Records catalog, including recordings by Etta James, B.B. King and more – Music Business Worldwide

Another day, another significant rights deal.

Cosmos Music, one of Scandinavia’s biggest independent labels, has acquired what it calls “a substantial interest” in the owned master and publishing repertoire of London-based Ace Records – amounting to some 9,000 masters and 3,000 compositions.

Founded in 1975 by Ted Carroll, Trevor Churchill and Roger Armstrong as Chiswick Records, Ace had success with Rocky Sharpe & the Replays, Sniff ‘n’ the Tears, The Damned and Motörhead.

More recently focusing on catalog releases, Ace has acquired many US catalogs over the years, including Kent-Modern, Spring, Goldwax, Sensation and Fraternity.

These catalogs include recordings by legendary artists such as John Lee  Hooker, Etta James, B.B. King, Millie Jackson, Joe Simon, The Fatback Band, James Carr,  Lonnie Mack, Ike & Tina Turner and many others.

Cosmos says that it will now take on management of the wide array of recordings and songs acquired by Ace over the years.

Additionally, Cosmos says that it will focus on the marketing, sales and promotion of these master and publishing rights in the digital marketplace along with sync and other licensing and branding opportunities. 

Stockholm-based Cosmos Music, whose history dates back to 1966, owns what it calls a “vast catalog of master recordings” that spans over six decades.

The company adds that its music publishing division represents close to 1 million international copyrights for the Nordic region.  

Cosmos Music acquired Scandinavian Songs – then one of the leading independent music publishing companies in the Nordics – in 2015

In 2017, Scandinavian Songs rebranded to Cosmos Music Publishing.

Ace Records will remain an independent record company under its existing management team.

The London-based company says that it will continue to handle origination, production and distribution of physical product for the owned catalog as well as for product from a wide range of third-party repertoire sources, which it will continue to represent independently under license.

It adds that all backroom operations, including administration of royalties will continue as they have done. 

“Having spent considerable time and effort trying to find a suitable partner to carry on the legacy of Ace Records, we feel strongly that in Cosmos we have found the perfect match.”

Ted Carroll, Trevor Churchill and Roger Armstrong, Ace

The three founding members at Ace said: “Having spent considerable time and effort trying to find a suitable partner to carry on the legacy of Ace Records, we feel strongly that in Cosmos we have found the perfect match, as people who are fully engaged in the traditions of Ace Records, musically, emotionally and culturally.” 

“I bought my first Ace LP when I was 14 years old.  Today – almost 40 years later – I get to  say that it is our actual job to continue working this legacy catalog worldwide.”

Fredrik Ekander, Cosmos

Fredrik Ekander, Founding partner at Cosmos, added: “It is a true honour and a real privilege for Cosmos Music to have been trusted  by Ted, Trevor and Roger to help carry the Ace torch into the future. I bought my first Ace LP when I was 14 years old.

“Today – almost 40 years later – I get to  say that it is our actual job to continue working this legacy catalog worldwide. Absolutely amazing.”

 Music Business Worldwide