Primary Wave Music has struck its latest deal with Jon Landau, the record producer and long-time manager of Bruce Springsteen.
According to Primary Wave, the terms of the deal will see the company acquire Landau’s producer royalties and neighboring rights royalties across his 55 years in music.
As a producer, Landau has worked with artists including Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne.
Landau’s work as a music critic led him to his long-time relationship with Springsteen.
In 1974, while writing for Boston’s The Real Paper, he reviewed a performance by Springsteen, declaring that night, “I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen”.
He began working with Springsteen the next year, co-producing Born To Run. Landau would go on to not only manage Springsteen, but co-produce many of his albums over the years including The River, Darkness on the Edge of Town, The Promise, Born in the U.S.A., Live 1975-1985, Human Touch, Lucky Town and Tracks.
He also worked with Jackson Browne on his fourth studio album, The Pretender. The album reached the Top 5 on the Billboard 200, was nominated for a Grammy. The album has also been certified multi-platinum and was included on Rolling Stone’s “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list.
Landau’s very first work as a producer was on the pre-punk classic Back In the USA by the MC5, who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.
He also worked with Shania Twain in the 1990s. Primary Wave noted in its announcement today (August 15) that Landau’s work as manager for Shania Twain “contributed to establishing her as the biggest female artist of her generation”.
Primary Wave also noted that Twain’s Landau-managed 1997 album Come On Over “remains the highest-selling studio album of all time by a solo female artist”, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide.
Landau has also worked with Natalie Merchant, Train, Alejandro Escovedo, Livingston Taylor and many others.
In 2020, Landau was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame receiving the Ahmet Ertegun Award for Lifetime Achievement.
“I thank all at Primary Wave for recognizing my contributions over the last fifty years and look forward to having an ongoing and productive relationship with them.”
Jon Landau
Of the deal, Landau said: “I thank all at Primary Wave for recognizing my contributions over the last fifty years and look forward to having an ongoing and productive relationship with them.”
“We’re honored to be partnering with Jon Landau and all of the legendary music he helped shape.”
Marty Silverstone, Primary Wave
On behalf of Primary Wave, President of Global Synch Marty Silverstone said: “We’re honored to be partnering with Jon Landau and all of the legendary music he helped shape. He’s an influential figure in music, and we’re proud to welcome him to the Primary Wave family.”
The transaction between Landau and Primary Wave Music was facilitated by David Simone and Winston Simone.
Landau’s deal with Primary Wave follows the company’s “multi-million dollar” music rights deal last month with Steve Porcaro, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and one of the founders of rock band Toto.
Also in July, Primary Wave acquired the writer’s and producer shares of songwriter and musician Keith Forsey.
Other recent Primary Wave deals include the acquisition of Nuno Bettencourt’s catalog. Bettencourt is the guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer known best as the lead guitarist of 90s hard rock band Extreme.
Other recent Primary Wave deals include a multi-million-dollar music rights deal with Neil Finn, founding member of Crowded House, in April.
That same month, US singer, songwriter and pianist Neil Sedaka sold a stake in his music publishing and master recording rights to Primary Wave for an undisclosed amount.
In February, Primary Wave signed a partnership with Y.M.C.A hitmakers Village People, covering the group’s brand, as well as name & likeness rights, plus master recordings and publishing assets.
In 2021, Bruce Springsteen sold his music catalog – both recordings and music publishing – to Sony Music Group.
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