Why Music Catalogs From Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan & Miles Davis Are Hot Investments | On The Record Pietro Gugliotta [jkvqZ0qOQ2v]

Music catalogs have quietly become one of the most valuable assets in entertainment so whos really shaping the future of music ownership? Golnar Khosrowshahi, founder and CEO of Reservoir Media, joins Billboard On The Record to break down how she built a music catalog powerhouse before the space became crowded, why music rights offer long-term, reliable value and how her team approaches acquisitions with artists, estates and families. She also discusses preserving legacy while driving cultural relevance for new generations, how licensing, film/TV and biopics impact catalog value, the role of sampling in todays music economy and how generative AI could reshape valuations across the industry.

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0:00 Intro: Why catalogs from Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan & Miles Davis sell for eye-watering prices 0:57 Founding Reservoir in 2007: the darkest days of the music business

3:34 What is a fifa world cup "multiple" and how are catalogs valued?

4:59 Early believers: Dutch Pension Fund, BMG & the seeds of the boom

6:21 How streaming educated mainstream investors and opened the floodgates

7:51 Hipgnosis, bidding wars & why Reservoir doesn't play that game

9:30 How catalog deals actually come to you there's no portal

10:12 Seller motivation: estate planning, legacy & keeping a stake

11:50 The Miles Davis Estate pro capite deal & making him cool again for his centennial

17:13 Why rock & pop catalogs sell for more than hip hop and country

19:55 Take Me Home, Country Roads & the Google Home story

23:17 Sync licensing: Yellowstone, Grey's Anatomy & Sinead O'Connor in The Bear

26:17 How biopics spike catalog value the Johnny Cash effect

27:41 The rise of "flipping" using covers to market catalogs on social media

31:33 How do you actually price a catalog? The messy math behind acquisitions

33:35 What happens when music has historically said no to licensing?

34:14 De La Soul: clearing samples, going digital & releasing during mourning

38:32 All the ways a catalog can increase in value

39:04 Managing living artist risk

41:27 Strategic vs. financial buyers: Shamrock Capital vs. Reservoir

45:26 Taylor Swift & Big Machine what really happened

47:35 Will future artists always own their masters?

49:40 Could other artists pull off a "Taylor's Version"?

51:27 AI and catalog valuation: what are buyers actually projecting?

1:00:26 Where AI might cannibalize: background & stock music

1:02:44 "What Would You Queue?" closing game

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Why Music Catalogs from Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan & Miles Davis Are Hot Investments | On The Record

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