Big Loud, the Nashville-based label home of country superstar Morgan Wallen and others, has sold a minority stake in Wallen’s master recordings to Chord Music Partners for upward of $200 million, sources say.
A spokesperson for the company confirmed the sale but not the price or other details; the deal is said to cover a minority holding in Wallen’s first three studio albums, including his blockbuster 2023 double album “One Thing at a Time,” which landed seven titles in Luminate’s Top 25 songs of that year.
A $200 million price tag for a minority stake in the catalog, which numbers around 90 songs, reflects Wallen’s enormous popularity. Three key members of the veteran rock group Genesis, including Phil Collins, sold their nearly 50-year catalog and most solo recordings for $300 million.
“Big Loud has sold a minority stake in Morgan Wallen’s master recording catalog to Chord Music Partners, as part of a strategic investment to expand the label’s global footprint and fuel long-term artist development,” a Big Loud spokesperson confirmed. “The deal was executed with the support of the internal Big Loud team, alongside partners at Chord Music, Republic Records and [Universal Music Group], PLUS Capital, Eisner, Loeb & Loeb, DLA Piper, Dickinson Wright and Armanino.”
The deal, which was first reported by the Hollywood Reporter, comes ahead of the release of Wallen’s 37-song fourth LP, I’m The Problem, later this month. That album features guest appearances from Tate McRae, Hardy, Post Malone, Ernest and Eric Church. Wallen co-wrote 22 of the tracks on the record, which features 49 songwriters.
Chord Music Partners was launched in 2021 by KKR and Dundee Partners and has acquired interest in catalogs including music by the Weeknd, Ryan Tedder, and John Legend. UMG acquired a 25.8% stake in Chord last year for $240 million; this new deal tightens Universal’s relationship with Wallen and Big Loud, which UMG distributes.
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