![\"music](\"https:\/\/www.digitalmusicnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Bella-Figura-Music-1024x546.jpg\" "\\"music\\"")
<\/p>\n
(l to r) Bella Figura Music\u2019s Gary Gersh (chairman), Alexi Cory-Smith (co-founder and CEO), and Neelesh Prabhu (co-founder). Photo Credit: Nelta Kasparian<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
London-based Bella Figura just recently unveiled its latest investment \u2013 but not the financial or ownership particulars thereof. Despite this lack of concrete details, the buyer did note that the play extends to \u201cselect albums, EPs and recordings\u201d from Jeepster, which set sail back in 1995.<\/p>\n
From there, the label went on to release Belle and Sebastian\u2019s If You\u2019re Feeling Sinister<\/em> (1996), The Boy with the Arab Strap <\/em>(1998), Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant<\/em> (2000), and Storytelling <\/em>(2002),\u00a0besides Snow Patrol\u2019s debut album (1998\u2019s Songs for Polarbears<\/em>) and sophomore effort (2001\u2019s When It\u2019s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up<\/em>).<\/p>\n Also part of the Jeepster catalog is the Gentle Waves\u2019 initial album, 2000\u2019s Swansong for You<\/em> (and the 2001 follow-up EP Falling from Grace<\/em>). Additionally, the decades-old label has put out projects from SixNationState, Parka, and Salako.<\/p>\n \u201cJeepster helped bring truly distinctive records into the world. Music that has continued to resonate with listeners decades on,\u201d said Cory-Smith. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to become the steward of this catalogue and to support its long-term legacy through thoughtful, active rights management.\u201d<\/p>\n As for how the deal fits into the bigger catalog picture, given last year\u2019s massive IP capital commitments<\/a> and the huge pile of existing song-rights agreements<\/a>, the red-hot sub-sector\u2019s direction seems clear enough.<\/p>\n On one hand, the Jeepster sale is the latest in a line of recent plays for entire labels (and publishers); 2025 brought transactions centering on the IP of Skorpioni<\/a>, Fat Wreck Chords<\/a>, Merge Records<\/a>, Monstercat<\/a>, Prosthetic Records<\/a>, and Cooking Vinyl<\/a>, to name some.<\/p>\n And the trend hasn\u2019t abated to this point in 2026; earlier in January, Sony Music scooped up both Fame Recordings<\/a> and, on the publishing side, Big Yellow Dog Music<\/a>.<\/p>\n On the other hand, the space\u2019s ample capital is also fueling asset-specific indie growth. Duetti last week pulled down<\/a> another $200 million in funding, and on the straight advance front, Pipeline set sail with $200 million of its own (plus a Merlin pact<\/a>).<\/p>\n Elsewhere in the song-rights arena, high-profile acts are continuing to cash in on their work. The Weeknd\u2019s six-week-old Lyric Capital tie-up<\/a> definitely comes to mind here, and today, Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Domain Capital revealed the purchase of Miranda Lambert\u2019s catalog.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\nAddressing the investment, Bella Figura co-founder and CEO Alexi Cory-Smith noted Jeepster\u2019s role in helping \u201ctruly distinctive records\u201d reach fans. <\/strong><\/h4>\n