Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Publishing inks global deal with Warner/Chappell

Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Publishing has struck a global deal with music publishing giant Warner/ Chappell Music.

With immediate effect, Warner/ Chappell will administer the EDM specialist’s entire catalog which includes works from Autoerotique, Garmiani, Henry Fong, Max Styler, Ookay, QUIX, Shaun Frank, Stooki Sound, Viceroy and more.

The superstar DJ, producer and executive is having a particularly good week; he came in at No. 5 in Forbes’ new Electronic Cash Kings List with a whopping US$29.5 million.

Aoki established DMP in 2014 as the fourth division of the Dim Mak empire which also includes records, a branded clothing and accessories collection and events. In the same year, veteran Aussie dance music exec and Vicious Recordings stalwart Lorne Padman relocated to L.A. for an executive position at the expanding group. Padman now serves as Vice President and Label Manager at Dim Mak.

“As Dim Mak continues to grow, having the right partners becomes all the more crucial,” comments Aoki in a statement. “Warner/Chappell has been important to my development as a songwriter, and now I’m excited to expand that relationship to Dim Mak Publishing’s talented roster of up-and-coming artists.”

Lee Kurisu, President, Dim Mak, added: “Three years ago, we started Dim Mak Publishing and, much like the way Steve has started everything at Dim Mak, we dove in head first and did it completely indie.” Now with its foundation in place, Kurisu explains, “the time was right to seek out a bigger partnership. This new administration deal will allow us to retain our independent spirit, while at the same time benefit from Warner/Chappell’s best-in-class creative, synchronisation and collections abilities. We’re honored to be a part of this legendary publishing house.”

Since its launch, DMP has landed sync placements across national advertising campaigns (T-Mobile, Acura), feature films (Sausage Party, Ride Along 2, Why Him?) and TV programs (Transparent, CSI: Cyber.)

Aoki, who was the subject of the 2016 doco I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, is a longstanding Warner/Chappell client as a songwriter.

“Steve is an extremely talented songwriter, artist and businessman and, for the past seven years, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with him, while both he and the Dim Mak brand have reached incredible levels of worldwide success,” notes Marc Wilson, Senior Director, A&R, Warner/Chappell Music.