BMG acquires Wolfmother frontman Andrew Stockdale’s publishing and recorded rights
BMG has acquired the publishing, recorded music royalties and neighbouring rights interests of Andrew Stockdale, frontman of Australian rock band Wolfmother, bringing all three rights streams under the company for the first time. The deal, announced on Tuesday 4 August, builds on a publishing relationship that has run since 2016 and marks the latest move in BMG's long-running acquisition drive backed by parent company Bertelsmann's Boost programme.
Stockdale co-founded Wolfmother in Sydney and serves as its vocalist, guitarist and songwriter; the band's single "Woman" won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2007. BMG's Heath Johns, who signed Stockdale to his first publishing deal in 2005, said the acquisition reflected a two-decade partnership. It follows other recent BMG purchases, including A Flock of Seagulls' catalogue in March 2026 and Liquido's in December 2025, as part of a strategy that has seen more than 30 acquisitions in 2025 alone and over $1.5 billion invested in music rights since 2021; BMG reported 2025 revenue of €900 million and catalogue investment of €358 million.
- BMG buys Wolfmother's Andrew Stockdale's publishing and recording rights
- Deal extends BMG's publishing relationship with Stockdale since 2016
- Part of BMG's wider Boost-funded catalogue acquisition strategy
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Music rights determine who receives income when songs are used or recordings are played. Publishing rights cover the songs themselves, including their music and lyrics; recorded music royalties and neighbouring rights relate to recordings and to payments for performers and other rights holders when recordings are used.
Andrew Stockdale co-founded Wolfmother in Sydney and is the band’s singer, guitarist and songwriter. Wolfmother’s single “Woman” won a Grammy in 2007, and Stockdale has worked with music company BMG since 2016 on publishing.
BMG buys and manages music rights, earning income when the songs or recordings are used. Its purchase of Stockdale’s interests brings several kinds of rights together under one company and forms part of BMG’s wider programme of buying music catalogues.