Randy Newman Catalog Sale to Litmus Music Includes Disney, Solo Hits

The iconic singer-songwriter has a friend in the Carlyle-backed rights company.

By Marc Schneider

Industry News Editor

Legendary singer-songwriter Randy Newman has sold his share of his recorded music and publishing rights to Litmus Music, a catalog-acquiring firm backed by private-equity giant Carlyle Group.

The deal encompasses Newman’s seminal film scores along with his catalog of popular solo hits. The rights acquisition includes his compositions for Disney franchises like Toy Story (“You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” “We Belong Together”), Monsters, Inc. (“If I Didn’t Have You”) and The Princess and the Frog (“Almost There”), among others.

The list of non-animated movies he has worked on over the decades includes The Natural, Three Amigos, Awakenings, The Paper, Maverick, Ragtime, Pleasantville, Meet the Parents, Seabiscuit and his recent pairing with director Noah Baumbach, for The Meyerowitz Stories and Marriage Story.

The lifelong Angeleno launched his career in 1968 with a self-titled solo debut but came into his own in the following decade with a string of critically acclaimed albums including 1970’s mature 12 Songs, 1972’s lush Sail Away, 1974’s provocative Good Old Boys and 1977’s slick Little Criminals. His solo output slowed in the 1980s, but included 1983’s pop-leaning Trouble in Paradise and 1988’s rock-tinged Land of Dreams. In 1995, he released musical album based on the story of Faust, followed by a more traditional pop-rock effort in 1999’s Bad Love and then 2008’s jazzy Harps and Angels. He has also released three collections of stripped-down versions of his work under the moniker of The Randy Newman Songbook.

His catalog of solo hits, featuring that folksy, does-he-have-a-cold? warble, includes “I Love L.A.,” “Short People,” “It’s Money That Matters,” “Feels Like Home,” “Short People,” “Baltimore” and “It’s A Jungle Out There.” Many of his songs have been picked up and made into hits by others, including “Mama Told Me Not To Come” (Three Dog Night) and “You Can Leave Your Hat On” (Joe Cocker).

Newman’s work ethic over the years has earned him seven Grammys, three Emmys, two Oscars, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and inductions into the Songwriters and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame.

Litmus did not disclose financial terms of the acquisition. Launched in August 2022 with a $500-million-investment from Carlyle’s Global Credit Platform, Litmus has so far acquired publishing and recording rights of artists from a range of genres, including rights to Katy Perry’s first five studio albums for Capitol Records, Keith Urban‘s master recordings and a package of publishing and performance copyrights from producer Benny Blanco.

Dan McCarroll, co-founder of Litmus Music, expressed unbridled enthusiasm about the acquisition, calling Newman a “brilliant songwriter and performer” whose work transcends generations. Hank Forsyth, co-founder and CEO, thanked Newman for entrusting them with his songs, which “continue to transcend time and illuminate films. And Alex Popov, head of private credit at Carlyle, emphasized the enduring presence of Newman’s music as a “staple of childhood memories and experiences for decades.”

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