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Dynamite Songs acquires catalog of The Association co-founder Terry Kirkman
Dynamite Songs, a UK-headquartered specialist music publisher, has acquired the catalogue of Terry Kirkman, co-founder and principal songwriter of 1960s American group The Association. The deal, announced on Thursday 9 July, brings 71 compositions into the publisher's portfolio, most notably the 1966 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper Cherish, which BMI later ranked among the most-played songs on US radio and television of the twentieth century. The acquisition underlines the continuing appetite among publishers for heritage catalogues with enduring cultural and commercial value.
Dynamite has taken 100% of the US publishing copyrights of key Association recordings from the 1960s, along with worldwide non-PRO songwriter royalties, the writer's share of public performance income, Kirkman's artist royalties and neighbouring rights income. Other titles in the catalogue include Everything That Touches You, Six Man Band and the anti-war piece Requiem for the Masses. The purchase lifts Dynamite's holdings to more than 1,700 works spanning six decades, and follows the firm's launch in May 2025 and earlier deals such as the September acquisition of producer Keith Harris's catalogue. The Kirkman estate, represented by Music Rights Group and Miles Feinberg, was handled on behalf of the songwriter's widow, Heidi Kirkman, who said the catalogue was passing to a buyer who understood the band's place in music history.
In short
- Dynamite Songs buys Terry Kirkman's 71-song catalogue, including hit Cherish.
- Deal covers US copyrights, royalties and neighbouring rights from 1960s recordings.
- Dynamite's portfolio now exceeds 1,700 works across six decades.
Explained simply
The Association were an American pop group that achieved major commercial success in the 1960s, producing numerous hit songs. Terry Kirkman was the group's co-founder and principal songwriter, most notably of Cherish, which topped the US charts in 1966 and became one of the most-played songs on American radio and television during the twentieth century.
A music catalogue is the body of songs owned by a songwriter or composer, which continues to generate income when the music is performed, broadcast, streamed or licensed for use in films, advertising and other contexts. Publishers acquire these catalogues from artists and their estates, securing the rights to collect ongoing income and administer how the music is used. Catalogues connected to artists who had sustained commercial success are particularly sought after, as these works have shown their enduring appeal.
The buying and selling of music catalogues has become an increasingly significant business activity within the music industry in recent years. Older works from successful artists continue to generate substantial revenue through modern streaming platforms and various licensing deals, making them attractive purchases for publishers seeking to build comprehensive portfolios and generate ongoing returns.