Catalog acquisition multiples are expected to stay largely flat for the rest of 2026, even as investor interest grows in Latin, country and younger catalogues, according to Duetti and Billboard's Music Finance Index published on 21 July. The survey polled roughly 70 lawyers, managers, artists and industry professionals about their expectations for catalogue valuations and deal activity over the next six months, revealing a "more balanced" market in which sellers are willing to transact but buyers remain discerning.

Publishing rights for the youngest catalogues (six months to two years old) are expected to fetch four-to-6.5 times trailing 12-month net revenue, while catalogues over a decade old could command 12.1 to 14.6 times, with publishing consistently valued above masters across all age bands. Latin catalogues are forecast to see the strongest investor demand, with 75% of respondents expecting deal volume to rise, up from 67% six months earlier, while country music recorded the sharpest jump in optimism, from 48% to 60%. These trends echo Luminate data showing Spanish-language songs now account for nearly one in ten US streams, and this is the first edition of the index to gauge how "super new" music, released within the last six months, is being valued.