Anarbor: Alt-Rock Performance Royalties

DESCRIPTION

We recently auctioned the songwriter’s share of this catalog, which proved very popular. Now up for bid are the publisher’s share of the public performance royalties for this rock catalog featuring the indie band Anarbor.

LISTING HIGHLIGHTS:

• Life of Rights investment term
• 7-Year Dollar Age = stable earning history
• Positive earning trends
• Diverse song income mix

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS:

The top-earning source and song in this catalog both grew year-over-year. 

Streaming drove 86% of royalties in the last 12 months and demonstrated a 38% increase over the prior year. What’s more, three of the five highest-earning songs in the catalog grew by double digits in the last 12 months a well. Not only do these songs have a long track record of earnings—released between 2008 - 2013—but the highest-earning song among them accounts for only 21% of last year’s total. 

You’ll notice a spike in earnings in Q4-2017 — this is a result of increased Spotify earnings for the catalog, likely because the band released a new album Anarbor in late 2016. New releases can help boost an artist's back catalog, as new music draws discovery among first-time listeners and re-engages existing fans.

ABOUT THE CATALOG

Originally formed in 2003 while the band members were in middle school, Anarbor was signed to Hopeless Records in 2008. The catalog contains the band’s oldest works during their time with the label.

The top-earning title is “18,” which is the band’s most popular song to-date with over 23 million spins on Spotify. Following that is 2009’s “You And I” with 15% of last year’s revenue. The track appears in the 2009 made-for-TV movie Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins. The movie aired on the Cartoon Network and continues to generate public performance revenue every time the film airs on TV or is streamed online. 

Also included in this catalog are songs from Anarbor’s first full-length studio album The Words You Don't Swallow: notably “Gypsy Woman,” and “Let The Games Begin.” The album peaked at No. 50 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart. 

KEY DRIVERS

Dollar Age. This catalog has a Dollar Age of 7.90 years. This means the majority of royalties earned in the last 12 months came from songs that have collected royalties for nearly eight years. A high Dollar Age like this suggests stability and longevity. A catalog containing mature works with consistent (and even growing earnings) is something worth noting as an investor. This can help sustain a catalog's earnings moving forward.

New Releases. Anarbor is planning to release an EP sometime in Spring 2020, along with a full-length studio album later in the year. While the new songs are not included in this auction, new releases can help boost an artist's back catalog. The release of new music draws discovery among first-time listeners and re-engages existing fans. 

Diversity in Song Income Mix. Revenues are also widely distributed — the single highest-earning song only accounts for 21% of last year’s income. This means the catalog’s earnings are not tied to the success of a single track and provides built-in diversification.