Universal Music Group And Frank Sinatra Enterprises Announce Global Licensing Initiative For The Legendary Entertainer's Reprise Catalog

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group (UMG), the world's leading music company, has licensed global audio catalog rights to Frank Sinatra's timeless Reprise recordings from Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE). The multi-year agreement unites Sinatra's classic Capitol albums from the 1950's with his signature Reprise albums from the 1960's for the first time, creating unprecedented opportunities for new releases. The deal further expands the existing relationship between FSE and UMG, which first licensed the international rights to the Reprise catalog in 2009.

The agreement enables the release of a broad range of Sinatra titles under a new "Signature Sinatra" imprint, which will be backed by marketing initiatives building toward the hundredth anniversary of Sinatra's birth in 2015. UMG, which is already home to Sinatra's critically acclaimed concept albums from his Capitol years (including "In The Wee Small Hours," "Swing Easy!" and "Come Fly With Me"), will now represent Sinatra's recordings on Reprise Records, a catalog that includes such popular-culture milestones as "Strangers In The Night," "That's Life," "Theme From New York, New York," "It Was A Very Good Year" and "My Way."

"Frank Sinatra's music is iconic and enduring, and we are honored to be selected to build on our success working with FSE and the Sinatra family with exciting and innovative products marking the centennial celebration under a new 'Signature Sinatra' imprint worthy of his rich legacy," said Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of UMG.

"The Sinatra sound appeals to the broadest range of music lovers in every corner of the world, spanning generations," said Max Hole, Chairman and CEO of UMG International. "By combining the Reprise and Capitol collections for the first time ever, this expanded relationship not only offers opportunities to create a whole new slate of offerings but also will keep the 'Chairman of the Board's' great legacy shining bright."

"We today approach the Sinatra Centennial with an opportunity to showcase our father's prodigious body of work to a world of new and loyal fans," stated Nancy, Frank, and Tina Sinatra.

"This new arrangement will allow FSE to present Sinatra's music in a coordinated and consistent manner, and enable more cohesive catalog initiatives, at a time when access to music is ubiquitous and more instantaneous than ever before," added Robert Finkelstein, Co-Chairman of Frank Sinatra Enterprises.

One of the most important pop culture figures of the 20th century, Frank Sinatra's career spanned many disciplines.  As a recording artist, actor, cabaret and concert star, radio, film and television personality, and occasional producer, director and conductor, Frank Sinatra's achievements earned him three Oscars, two Golden Globes, 10 personal Grammys (and a total of 21 including those for his albums), an Emmy, a Cecil B. DeMille Award, and a Peabody.  One of the most prestigious awards Sinatra received was the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Motion Picture Society of America. This award, presented only a few times in the Academy's history, is given to an "individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry." Sinatra's charitable legacy is legendary. His pioneering fight against prejudice is one of the important facets that shaped his life from childhood on the streets of Hoboken, New Jersey. His short film, "The House I Live In" received a special Oscar in 1945.

Throughout his 60-year career, "Ol' Blue Eyes" demonstrated a remarkable ability to thrive in changing times, moving deftly from the swing era to the rock-and-roll era.  He performed on more than 1,400 recordings, was awarded 31 gold, nine platinum, three double platinum and one triple platinum album by the Recording Industry Association of America.  He also appeared in 58 films, and produced eight motion pictures.  Frank Sinatra was awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Grammys, The Screen Actors Guild, The Kennedy Center and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, and remains a legend and inspiration to thousands for his contributions to culture and the arts.

Frank Sinatra began the golden age in which American popular music became a universal language and this extraordinary creative genius is its most articulate spokesman worldwide. Sinatra's contribution to our life and times extends far beyond his music, to embrace an exuberance, a zest for life, a sense of style and a glorious self-confidence that define, for all time, what it meant to be young at heart and have the world on a string. His spirit and vision continue to be defined by the wisdom and insight from the legacy of work he left behind.

A special "Signature Sinatra" promotional video can be accessed through this link: http://umusic.ly/SignatureSinatra.

About Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE)

Frank Sinatra Enterprises is a joint venture between the Sinatra family and Warner Music Group. FSE owns Sinatra's recordings from the Reprise era as well as a treasure trove of films, television specials and unreleased footage, photos and audio recordings, which collectively represent one of the foremost bodies of artistic work of the modern era.  FSE also owns and manages Sinatra's name and likeness rights and represents the artist's rights to the Columbia and Capitol catalogues.  FSE pursues innovative new product and venture opportunities with respect to the legendary entertainer's name and likeness, as well as Sinatra's audio and visual recordings. (www.sinatra.com)

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the global music leader, with wholly owned operations in 60 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's premier music publishing operations worldwide.

Universal Music Group's labels include A&M/Octone, Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note Records, Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol Records, Capitol Records Nashville, Caroline, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, EMI Records Nashville, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Harvest, Interscope Records, Island Records, Machete Music, Manhattan, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Polydor Records, Republic Records, Universal Music Latino, Verve Music Group, Virgin Records, Virgin EMI Records, as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes Global Digital Business, its new media and technologies division and Bravado, its merchandising company.

Universal Music Group is a fully owned subsidiary of Vivendi.

SOURCE Universal Music Group