In the wake of Hipgnosis Song’s blockbuster growth, former Geffen Records president Neil Jacobsen, who launched his own songwriter-producer management firm in 2019, is lining up a $200 million IPO on the New York Stock Exchange for a new company called the Music Acquisition Corporation. The move was first reported byWhile Hipgnosis has spent more than $1.
According to an SPAC S-1 prospectus for Jacobson’s new company, it is raising the money to buy unidentified music assets after its floatation — but not just copyrights.
The firm’s top officers include Jacobson as CEO and chairman, Todd Lowen . Directors include Michael Levitt , film-TV producer Ben Silverman and Tunde Balogun, president and co-founder of multi-faceted music company LVRN, which manages Summer Walker and 6lack, among others.
A graduate of Berklee School of Music — from which he and Bhasker graduated in 1999 — Jacobson spent 17 years at Interscope-Geffen-A&M, where he signed or working closely with Avicii, Black Eyed Peas, LMFAO and others. Hallwood originated as Interscope Records’ producer management division, which Jacobson started in 2013; he spun it off into Hallwood as part of his exit from Geffen.
The prospectus, dated Jan. 15, reads in part: “We believe that our management team’s extensive experience acquiring, operating and growing businesses in the music sector, coupled with their vast network of leading industry executives, entrepreneurs, investors and deal makers, will provide access to attractive business combination opportunities and position us to succeed in consummating an initial business combination.
Parasites have to eat too .