Universal Music Publishing Group Signs Songwriter/Artist/Producer Former Cars Frontman Ric Ocasek

Universal Music Publishing Group Signs Songwriter/Artist/Producer Former Cars Frontman Ric Ocasek

To An Exclusive, Publishing Administration Agreement

LOS ANGELES, July 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) announced today the signing of former Cars frontman songwriter/artist/producer, Ric Ocasek, to an exclusive, publishing administration agreement.

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Through the agreement, UMPG will administer all of Ric's catalogue including huge hits by the Cars such as "Candy-O," "Drive," "Just What I Needed," "Magic," "My Best Friend's Girl," "Shake It Up," "Since You're Gone," "You Might Think," and many more. The deal encompasses world-wide administration rights (excluding US) as well as synchronization rights world-wide.

David Renzer, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group said of the signing, "Ric Ocasek's hits for the Cars represent a seminal piece of modern rock and pop history. Ric's talents as chief songwriter, artist and producer are legendary and he continues to create new music today both as a writer and producer that continues to be at the cutting edge. It's a true privilege for us to welcome Ric to the Universal Music Publishing Family".

The Cars continually presented platinum albums and Top 40 singles that made them one of the most popular rock & roll bands of the late '70s and early '80s. The group's eponymous debut album appeared in the summer of 1978 and it slowly built a following thanks to the hit singles "Just What I Needed," "My Best Friend's Girl," and "Good Times Roll." The Cars stayed on the charts for over two and a half years, delaying the release of the group's second album Candy-O. It would eventually sell over six million copies. With further releases such as 1980's Panorama, and 1981's Shake It Up, the band became one of the top rock bands in the U.S.

Managed by Jeff Kramer and Brian Higgins of OK Management, Ric Ocasek joins UMPG's successful rock roster, including The Killers, Maroon 5, Coldplay, All American Rejects, Franz Ferdinand, Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Joy Division, the Pixies, including many others.

Ric Ocasek's songs for the Cars have been featured many times on Viacom's MTV; in commercials for such products as Circuit City Stores, Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings, Inc.; in motion pictures such as Herbie Fully Loaded (Disney and Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.), Transformers (Dreamworks LLC, Paramount Pictures and Hasbro), Click (Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures), Nancy Drew (Warner Bros. Pictures); Just Like Heaven (DreamWorks, LLC), Good Luck Chuck (Lions Gate Films, Inc., Lions Gate Entertainment); and in television shows such as "What About Brian" (Touchstone Television, American Broadcasting Company "ABC", Buena Vista Telvision, E4), "Brotherhood" (Showtime Networks, Mandalay Television), "Las Vegas" (National Broadcasting Company "NBC", NBC Studios, NBC Universal Television, DreamWorks Television, MGM Worldwide Television, Universal Pictures, Universal Home Entertainment), "CSI" (Columbia Broadcasting System "CBS", Jerry Bruckheimer Television, Alliance Atlantis Communication, Arc Entertainment, CBS Paramount Network Television), "The Sopranos" (Home Box Office "HBO", Brad Grey Television), "Everybody Hates Chris" (Chris Rock Entertainment, CBS Paramount Network Television), and "Medium" (NBC, Canadian Television "CTV", British Broadcasting Corporation "BBC", CBS Paramount Network Television).

Universal Music Publishing Group has a successful track record of placing songs in film, television and advertising opportunities with such Fortune 500 companies as Viacom, GE, General Motors, Chevron, Ford, Citigroup, Verizon, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Merill Lynch, Proctor & Gamble, AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, Sears Holdings, Microsoft, and many more, and looks forward to marketing Ric Ocasek's songs for various upcoming synchronization opportunities.

About Universal Music Publishing Group

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is the industry's largest global music publishing operation and is part of Universal Music Group. UMPG's represents music in every genre from some of the world's hottest songwriters and catalogs including U2, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, R. Kelly, Coldplay, Nelly, Ciara, Dave Grohl, Prince, Diana Krall, Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5, Britney Spears, Godsmack, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, No Doubt, 3 Doors Down, Beastie Boys, Anastacia, Robbie Williams, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Paul Simon, Henry Mancini, Christina Aguilera and Linkin Park, among many others. UMPG is also a global leader in the areas of Production Music, Christian and Classical Music. For more information, visit: http://www.umusicpub.com/.

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Source: Universal Music Publishing Group

CONTACT: Heather Brown, Senior Dir. of Marketing and Communications of
Universal Music Publishing Group, +1-310-235-4870, heather.brown@umusic.com

Web site:

http://www.umusicpub.com/

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