Photo Credit: Steven Melrose (Seeker Music CCO), Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins)
After securing a $267 million ABS tranche, Seeker Music has acquired Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde’s publishing catalog, including his full body of work with the band.
Songwriter Evan Bogart’s Seeker Music has acquired the music publishing catalog of acclaimed songwriter, producer, bassist, and keyboardist Simon Raymonde. The deal includes his full body of work as a member of the legendary Scottish rock band Cocteau Twins, whose catalog has helped shape generations of artists and continues to resonate today.
Raymonde joined Cocteau Twins in 1983 and quickly established himself as a core songwriter in the band throughout its tenure. Across iconic albums such as Treasure, Blue Bell Knoll, and Heaven or Las Vegas. Raymonde’s work helped define the group’s signature sound, a fusion of atmospheric pop and instrumentation that has become foundational in modern alternative and mainstream music alike.
Cocteau Twins’ influence can be heard across decades of indie, electronic, and pop music, with their songs continuing to find new audiences through streaming, film/TV, and modern reinterpretations, including The Weeknd’s “The Knowing,” which samples the band’s “Cherry-Coloured Funk.”
Besides his work with Cocteau Twins, Raymonde is also a solo artist and music industry executive who co-founded and leads the famed UK indie label Bella Union—home of acts like Beach House, Father John Misty, The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, Xiu Xiu, and many more. He has served as vice-chairman of AIM, received the Ivor Academy’s Visionary Award alongside his Cocteau Twins bandmates, and has produced and mixed albums of other artists like Clearlake, The Czars, Billy Mackenzie, and Fionn Regan.
“Growing up as a little boy just across the water in Edinburgh, Scotland, these songs have always provided the soundtrack to my life,” said Steven Melrose, Seeker Music Chief Creative Officer. “Between the wonderful melodies and Liz Fraser’s incredible vocals, there’s nothing else like the music Simon has made and contributed to. When the chance to work with him presented itself, well, there’s never been a quicker yes… It’s an honor.”
The deal with Raymonde reflects two major tenets of Seeker Music’s strategy: their focus on timeless music with the potential to reach new fans in new ways, and their continued expansion into the UK and international markets. Plans are already underway for multiple different global activations over the next two years with Raymonde’s music.
“Between the generational impact Simon already holds, and the global creative marketing we do at Seeker, we believe this new partnership makes the perfect pairing to further reverberate Simon’s musical influence the world over,” Melrose added.
“The enthusiasm for our music appears to be strong 30 years after our last studio album. Maybe stronger than ever; I’m not sure!” said Simon Raymonde. “Seeker Music have shown that passion and excitement since we began talking last year. Hopefully the relationship with them grows alongside the work we are doing with 4AD to keep our fans happy! I’m sure all the fans want is for us to play shows and make new music. While that still seems a long way off, there’s a lot to be done with the music we have left behind.
Led by CEO and hit songwriter Bogart (Beyonce’s “Halo,” Rihanna’s “SOS”), Seeker was built with a creator-first philosophy, approaching classic catalogs with the same intentionality and creative ambition typically reserved for new music. Seeker has developed a reputation for revitalizing enduring catalogs and extending their legacy by selectively partnering with works the team deeply believes in.
With a portfolio that encompasses more than $400 million in value and over 19,000 copyrights, Seeker Music has focused on catalogs with lasting international resonance, with strategic acquisitions including The Wombats, Mark Morrison, production duo Future Cut (Lily Allen), Plested (Lewis Capaldi), and RuthAnne Cunningham.
Simon Raymonde was represented in the transaction by Christy McNaughtan at NMD Solicitors, and Seeker Music was represented by Henry Root for Counsel LLP and Seeker’s General Counsel Dan Stuart, along with Melrose and Bogart.
