Olivier Chastan’s acquisition vehicle Iconoclast has acquired again.
The company has bought the music publishing catalog of British songwriter and producer Dave Taylor, aka Switch.
Best known as the co-founder, alongside Diplo, of electronic dance music group Major Lazer, Taylor, known professionally as Switch, has collaborated with artists such as M.I.A., Beyonce (for whom he wrote Run the World (Girls), Santigold, Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera, and Brandy.
In 2009, Switch was nominated for a Grammy Song of the Year Award for M.I.A.’s Paper Planes (certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA) from the album Kala (2007), which he co-produced with Diplo.
In addition to Kala, he produced tracks from her albums Arular (2005), Maya (2010), and Matangi (2013).
Most recently Switch produced and co-wrote the 2019 album Hello Happiness by Chaka Khan featuring 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 Beyonce and Pon The Floor and Get Free for Major Lazer.
Founded in 2021 and led by veteran music executive Olivier Chastan, Iconoclast says that 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 Kusastsu.
In March, Iconoclast snapped up the music publishing catalog of Lady Gaga co-writer and producer Nick Monson.
In July 2022, veteran music executive and producer Irv Gotti (Irving Lorenzo), the founder of rap label Murder Inc, sold a stake in his master recordings to Iconoclast in a deal worth $300 million.
Olivier Chastan was previously CEO at Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group, which in 2021 acquired catalogs 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, along with Benji Vermeil of Jab Music, represented Switch in the transaction.Music Business Worldwide
