Entertainment Finance & Music Catalog Lending

Stites & Harbison represents banks, financial institutions, and other lenders in complex entertainment finance transactions, including music catalog acquisition financing, royalty-backed lending, and credit facilities secured by copyrights and other intellectual property assets. Our attorneys combine extensive commercial lending experience with an understanding of the legal and business considerations unique to the music and entertainment industries.

Based in Nashville and serving clients nationwide, our entertainment finance attorneys assist lenders in structuring, negotiating, documenting, and closing financing transactions involving recording artists, songwriters, music publishers, record labels, and other entertainment businesses. These transactions often involve specialized collateral, including music publishing rights, master recordings, royalty receivables, distribution agreements, and other intellectual property interests.

Our multidisciplinary approach brings together attorneys experienced in commercial finance, secured transactions, copyright law, and entertainment matters. We work with lenders to address the complexities of intellectual property ownership, collateral valuation, royalty collection, and the creation, perfection, and enforcement of security interests in entertainment assets.

Our entertainment finance experience includes:

• Music catalog acquisition financing
• Royalty-backed loans, revolving credit facilities, and other asset-based lending arrangements
• Financing secured by music publishing catalogs, master recordings, copyrights, and related intellectual property
• Loans to recording artists, songwriters, music publishers, record labels, and entertainment companies
• Copyright mortgages, security agreements, and UCC and federal copyright filings
• Collateral assignments of royalty streams, distribution agreements, and other entertainment-related contracts
• Royalty payment directions, collection accounts, and cash management arrangements
• Due diligence involving copyright ownership, licensing rights, existing liens, and contractual restrictions
• Loan documentation, collateral monitoring, amendments, refinancings, and lender protections

Music and entertainment assets present unique considerations for lenders, particularly where collateral value depends on intellectual property rights, contractual relationships, and future royalty income. Our attorneys help clients navigate these issues while addressing emerging developments affecting the industry, including artificial intelligence, digital distribution, and evolving copyright and licensing practices.

With experience representing lenders in sophisticated commercial financing transactions and advising on intellectual property matters, Stites & Harbison provides coordinated legal counsel for financial institutions lending to the music and entertainment industries.