Saban Music Group
Global music entertainment company for international artists.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor | €0.0 | round |
* | N/A | Acquisition | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Saban Music Group (SMG) represents media magnate Haim Saban's re-entry into the music industry, launched in 2019 with a declared $500 million commitment. The company operates as a global music entertainment entity based in Los Angeles, focusing on a "360 model" that encompasses recorded music, publishing, touring, management, and acquisitions. The business model is designed to support artists with international appeal, providing the resources of a major label with the nimbleness of an independent.
The venture is led by founder Haim Saban and CEO Gustavo Lopez, a seasoned music executive with over two decades of experience at Universal Music Group, where he founded the prominent Latin-urban label Machete Music. Saban's own extensive history in entertainment began with a tour promotion business in Israel and an independent record company in France before he moved to Los Angeles in 1983. He became a major force in television, founding Saban Entertainment in 1988 and co-founding Fox Family Worldwide in 1995, which was later sold to The Walt Disney Company. This background in building global entertainment brands, including the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," informs the group's strategy.
Saban Music Group's operational strategy hinges on identifying, signing, and developing artists for a global audience. To achieve worldwide reach, the company entered into a global distribution and marketing alliance with Universal Music Group (UMG) in January 2020. This was followed by a global administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group in June 2020. The company has a particular focus on the Latin music market, which led to the formal launch of its Saban Music Latin division in February 2022, headed by Alejandro Reglero. In a significant strategic move, UMG's Virgin Music Group acquired Saban Music Latin in January 2024, absorbing its artist roster and catalog. The group's artist roster has included Israeli duo Static and Ben El, Colombian reggaeton star Reykon, Puerto Rican artist Chesca, and French singer Marie Monti.
Keywords: music entertainment, record label, artist development, 360 model, music publishing, international artists, Latin music, Haim Saban, Gustavo Lopez, Universal Music Group partnership, Saban Music Latin, artist management, global music, music acquisitions, Static & Ben El, Chesca, Reykon, Don Omar, Alejandro Reglero, Virgin Music Group