We’re delighted to announce Hal Leonard is joining Muse Group, uniting two music-content leaders in a shared mission to improve the lives of music makers everywhere.
Read on to learn more.
What has happened with Muse Group and Hal Leonard?
Hal Leonard — the legendary sheet music publisher and music-learning provider — is combining with digital music leader Muse Group, creators of Ultimate Guitar, MuseScore, Audacity and more. This combination will revolutionize access to popular music libraries and creator tools.
What makes Muse Group and Hal Leonard a good fit?
Hal Leonard and Muse Group share a vision to provide the best content and resources for the passionate, global community of everyday music makers, educators and learners.
Both companies are historic trail-blazers in the music industry. Hal Leonard revolutionized print music publishing in the 1940s, by providing arrangements of popular songs to school bands for the first time. Ultimate Guitar, the forerunner of Muse Group, sparked a similar revolution in the late 1990s, by providing easily accessible tabs to guitarists in the internet’s formative era.
I subscribe to a Muse Group product. How will this news affect me?
Good news! While there will be no changes in the short term, eventually you can look forward to learning more of Hal Leonard’s high-quality arrangements in digitized, interactive formats on Muse platforms, such as Ultimate Guitar and MuseScore.com.
Does Hal Leonard still exist as a company?
The Hal Leonard name and legacy as a cornerstone of music education for millions will proudly continue, now as part of Muse Group. The majority of Hal Leonard operations will continue to be led by CEO Larry Morton in their current HQ in Milwaukee, USA.
What will happen to Hal Leonard products and catalog?
Hal Leonard’s exclusively licensed premium arrangements include the world’s most iconic artists and scores, from Taylor Swift and The Beatles to John Williams and Disney soundtracks. These will be combined with over 3 million expert and community-created tabs and compositions on Muse Group’s Ultimate Guitar and MuseScore.
So musicians can look forward to learning more of Hal Leonard’s high-quality arrangements in digitized, interactive formats on Muse platforms. With over 300 million annual visitors and over 40 million accounts on Ultimate Guitar and MuseScore alone, a whole new global audience will discover Hal Leonard’s library. Hal Leonard products will also benefit from the innovative culture and technical expertise of Muse Group.
What will happen to Hal Leonard’s existing partnerships?
The newly expanded Muse Group remains committed to continuing Hal Leonard’s valued partnerships with educators, distributors, suppliers, content creators and license holders that serve the global music community. If you are a current partner, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Hal Leonard team with any questions you may have.
Will there be any immediate changes to the Hal Leonard team?
No — all Hal Leonard employees will continue in their current roles.
Who are Francisco Partners and how are they involved in this partnership?
Francisco Partners are an investor in music industry giants including Kobalt Music and Native Instruments. They have supported this partnership between Muse Group and Hal Leonard with key growth investment.
