Olivier Chastan’s acquisition vehicle, Iconoclast, has acquired again.
The company acquired the music publishing catalog of songwriter and producer Dave Taylor, aka Switch.
Best known as co-founder, alongside Diplo, of electronic dance music group Major Lazer, Taylor, known professionally as Switch, has collaborated with artists including MIA, Beyonce (for whom he wrote Rule the world girls)Santigold, Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera and Brandy.
In 2009, Switch was nominated for a Grammy Song of the Year Award for MIA’s paper planes (certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA) from the album Kala (2007), which he co-produced with Diplo.
In addition to Kalahe produced tracks from his albums Arular (2005), Maya (2010), and Matangi (2013).
Most recently, Switch produced and co-wrote the 2019 album Hello Happiness by Chaka Khan with the hit single like sugar.
In addition to his production credits, Switch has done remixes for artists across multiple genres, including The Chemical Brothers, Robbie Williams, Bjork, TV on the Radio, and Kylie Minogue.
The catalog includes additional hit songs such as Run the world for Beyoncé and Pon the ground And Get free for Major Lazer.
Founded in 2021 and led by music veteran Olivier Chastan, Iconoclast says it “operates at the intersection of brand management and technology to preserve and grow the intellectual property and legacy of culturally significant artists. “.
In February, Iconoclast acquired the catalog of Mad Decent Publishing, co-founded by DJ and producer Diplo and Kevin Kusatsu.
In March, iconoclast snapped up the music publishing catalog of Lady Gaga co-writer and producer Nick Monson.
In July 2022, veteran music manager and producer Irv Gotti (Irving Lorenzo), the founder of rap label Murder Inc, sold a stake in his master recordings at Iconoclast in a deal worth $300 million.
Olivier Chastan was previously CEO of Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group, which in 2021 catalogs acquired from the likes of the Beach Boys, David Crosby and Linda Ronstadt.
Seth Lichtenstein of Hertz Lichtenstein Young & Polk LLP represented Iconoclast, and Greg Brooks and Joe Serling of Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy Worob & Averill LLP, as well as Benji Vermeil of Jab Music, represented Switch in the transaction.The music industry around the world