Deal is announced ahead of Miles Davis' Centennial year in 2026, which will feature brand partnerships, marketing campaigns, special events, and celebrations
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 9, 2025 / Reservoir Media, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSVR), an award-winning independent music company, today announced the acquisition of Miles Davis' publishing catalog, as well as rights to his recorded music. Reservoir will also partner with the estate on name and likeness opportunities.
Ahead of the Miles Davis Centennial in 2026, Reservoir is joining the estate, overseen by his daughter Cheryl Davis, his son Erin Davis, and his nephew and musical collaborator Vincent Wilburn Jr., along with general manager Darryl Porter and Attorney Jeff Biederman, to pursue and collaborate on celebrations commemorating the 100th anniversary of Davis' birth. The Centennial will feature a variety of events, special programming, high-profile tributes and concerts, marketing collaborations, and other celebrations curated by Reservoir, the Miles Davis Estate, and various other partners.
Activations set to launch next year and beyond include: a feature film entitled Miles & Juliette recounting Davis' love affair with Juliette Greco, developed in partnership with River Road Entertainment and Mick Jagger's Jagged Films; a live, international symphonic show, which pairs Davis' iconic sound with original orchestrations and cherished footage, giving audiences an opportunity to experience his enduring legacy in a brand new way; and an M.E.B. (formerly Miles Electric Band) international tour including the Miles Davis Centennial Celebration with four nights of special programming at SFJazz in March. In recent years, the Miles Davis Estate has produced a broad range of content and events, including the Emmy Award-winning documentary, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, and We Want Miles, a major traveling retrospective exhibition exploring Davis' musical and visual artistry.
Davis is regarded as one of the most influential artists of all time. He was consistently at the forefront of music innovation, whether revisiting his own sound and making masterful adjustments to his artistry, or driving forward-thinking stylistic revolutions to blend and create genres. With over 60 studio albums to his name, as well as another 60+ live albums, box sets, compilations, and soundtracks, Davis had an enduring and widely acclaimed career that earned him eight Grammys, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Throughout his five decades as an active artist, Davis collaborated with countless other jazz powerhouses. He became a renowned bandleader, with a unique ability to attract, assemble, and cultivate world-class talent who frequently pushed the bounds of what audiences expected.
Davis' sonically diverse cache of studio albums includes revolutionary records like Birth of the Cool (1957 album that moved jazz away from the bebop sound), Kind of Blue (1959 album certified 5x-Platinum and dubbed the best-selling jazz album of all time), and Bitches Brew (1970 avant-garde jazz album embracing electronic and rock elements). Both Kind of Blue and Bitches Brew have been selected by the National Recording Registry as culturally significant works, and Kind of Blue featured at #12 on Rolling Stone's list of "The Greatest Albums of All Time." Beyond music, Davis was also a notable fine artist and profoundly influenced fashion and popular culture, earning a reputation as the epitome of "cool." To this day, he remains a pillar of music history and culture at large, and his impact continues to radiate across the globe.
Erin Davis commented, "We are so pleased to begin this new chapter of Miles' legacy-we are looking forward to working with Golnar, David, and the entire team at Reservoir."
Vince Willburn Jr. added, "With Reservoir, there's a real respect for Miles-his music, his style and his cultural impact. That means a lot to us. This partnership gives us the chance to elevate his legacy in new ways, and to ensure that his influence continues to inspire."
Reservoir Founder and Chief Executive Officer Golnar Khosrowshahi also said, "Miles Davis is one of the most influential musicians of all time, and it is an incredible honor that his catalog has found a home at Reservoir. We are deeply grateful to the entire Miles Davis Estate-Cheryl, Erin, Vince, Darryl and Jeff-for entrusting us with this responsibility." She added, "This moment is also a recognition of Reservoir's proven commitment and capability to preserve legacies and reignite discovery of legendary artists on modern platforms, like streaming and social media. As we head into his centennial year, we look forward to showcasing Miles' brilliance to new audiences, ensuring his music continues to be heard and celebrated worldwide."
Reservoir Vice President of A&R and Marketing David Hoffman also commented, "With an unrelenting commitment to innovation and exploration, Miles Davis has served as a blueprint for musicians and creatives of all kinds for decades. His music is elemental to me, and it is a dream come true to be working with his estate to share that passion with the world. The Reservoir team is proud to champion Miles' incredible body of work, while honoring the essence and vision of a once-in-a-lifetime artist."
ABOUT RESERVOIR
Reservoir is an independent music company based in New York City and with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Toronto, London, Abu Dhabi, and Mumbai. Reservoir is the first female-founded and led publicly traded independent music company in the U.S. Founded as a family-owned music publisher in 2007, Reservoir represents copyrights and master recordings including titles dating as far back as 1900 and hundreds of #1 releases worldwide. Reservoir frequently holds a Top 10 U.S. Market Share according to Billboard's Publishers Quarterly, was twice named Publisher of the Year by Music Business Worldwide's The A&R Awards and won Independent Publisher of the Year at the 2020 and 2022 Music Week Awards.
Reservoir also represents a multitude of recorded music through Chrysalis Records, Tommy Boy Music, and Philly Groove Records and manages artists through its ventures with Blue Raincoat Music and Big Life Management.
Media Contact
Reservoir Media, Inc.
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www.reservoir-media.com
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Alpha IR Group
Jackie Marcus
RSVR@alpha-ir.com
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SOURCE: Reservoir Media, Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/reservoir-acquires-catalog-of-music-and-cultural-icon-miles-davis-1070409
