Concord Acquires Daddy Yankee Catalog
• Concord announced that it has concluded the purchase of key elements of the music publishing and master recording catalog of Latin superstar Daddy Yankee, including chart-topping hits “Gasolina,” “Con Calma,” and “Despacito.” The agreement, which encompasses Daddy Yankee’s work from 2002 through 2019, also includes certain name, image, and likeness rights. The catalog will be managed out of Concord’s Miami office and bolsters Concord’s already impressive catalog of more than 1.3 million songs, composed works, plays, musicals, and active recordings.
Born Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, Daddy Yankee began independently releasing albums in 2000 with El Cartel, followed by El Cartel, Vol. 2 in 2001. However, it was the release of his 2002 album El Cangri.com, which included the hit single “Latigazo,” that propelled his recognition beyond his home in Puerto Rico. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his breakthrough album Barrio Fino, which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums Chart and featured the smash hit “Gasolina.” The first Reggaeton album to reach No. 1, Barrio Finodominated the top of the chart for nearly one year and became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000-2009.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee achieved international acclaim with his collaboration with Justin Bieber and Luis Fonsi on the hit track “Despacito,” which tied a record for the longest consecutive No. 1 in history on Billboard’s Hot 100. Daddy Yankee followed the success of “Despacito” in 2018 with the multi-platinum hit “Dura,” and 2019’s “Con Calma.”
“Since he burst onto the scene, Daddy Yankee has been at the forefront of not only Reggaeton, but pop music generally,” said Concord CEO Bob Valentine. “We were incredibly excited by this opportunity to work alongside Daddy Yankee to continue building on his remarkable legacy and significance. His real and lasting cultural impact is clear, and Concord is thrilled to be a part of his story.”
Concord plans to continue to sign and work with talented artists and songwriters out of its Miami office and will also continue to acquire important content in the Latin music space.
