In 2021, when it was rebranded Sony Music Publishing after 25 years, the House of Platt’s role in the spectacular Bruce Springsteen deal (which saw Sony acquire The Boss’ catalog) was only the latest in a series of triumphs. Paul Simon, AC/DC, Gilberto Gil and Gregg Allman were among the other catalog deals.

SMP signings included the year’s biggest new-artist breakout, Olivia Rodrigo, as well as The Kid LAROI, whose “Stay” f/Justin Bieber was an outright juggernaut, Kane Brown, Janelle Monae, Polo G, GIV�'ON and Pink Pantheress. Måneskin won the Eurovision Song Contest and proceeded to conquer the U.S. Writer Arlo Parks was decorated at the BRITs and won a Mercury Prize and became a Grammy BNA nominee; Rodrigo, “Stay” and GIV�'ON also earned Grammy noms. Writers Carole King, Jay-Z and Todd Rundgren were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The pubco was BMI’s Pop Publisher of the Year, ASCAP, BMI and ASCAP’s Country Publisher of the Year (a first since 2012) and SESAC’s Latin Publisher of the Year. Sony’s sync team won the very first Publisher of the Year award at the Clio Music Awards.

Several initiatives were also unveiled to advance the interests and prosperity of songwriters and composers. Amogn these were Songwriters Forward; the “legacy unrecouped balance program,” upgrades to the invaluable SCORE portal; and the launch of BeatStars Publishing to cater to beatmakers and producers.

2022 promises a bold new refrain.