Seidler Equity Partners has sold Hal Leonard to Muse Group, with growth investment from Francisco Partners

Hal Leonard

Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Hal Leonard is a global leader in providing digital and physical music content and related solutions as well as musical equipment and instruments for learning, playing, teaching and creating the world’s largest catalog of owned and licensed music. As an exclusive partner to major and independent global music labels, Hal Leonard boasts a large catalog of available titles representing many of the world’s best known and most respected names in music, as well as leading educational content.

The Deal

Hal Leonard and Muse Group have forged a strong, 15-year long commercial partnership and established a foundation of trust and mutual respect. Hal Leonard boasts an exclusive collection of premium arrangements featuring the world’s most renowned artists, from Taylor Swift and The Beatles, to John Williams and Disney soundtracks. When combined with Muse Group’s Ultimate Guitar and MuseScore, which collectively draws more than 300 million annual visitors and host more than 40 million accounts, the joint venture now encompasses an extensive content library surpassing 5.5 million scores, tabs, books, video courses, backing tracks and presets.

Seidler Equity Partners

Based in Marina Del Rey, California, Seidler Equity Partners is a private equity firm known for its expertise in strategic investments and value creation. With a focus on partnering with exceptional management teams, Seidler actively seeks opportunities to drive growth of its partner companies. The firm is dedicated to fostering innovation, operational excellence and long-term success in the businesses it invests in. Known for its collaborative approach and commitment to building sustainable value, Seidler has established itself as a trusted partner in the world of private equity.

Muse Group

Muse Group is a visionary, international team of music lovers and audio obsessives, empowering millions of creatives to play, produce and compose every day. The company began life in 1998 as Ultimate Guitar, a tab sharing site that grew into the world’s most popular online musician community. Muse Group now includes products such as MuseScore, Audacity, StaffPad and more.

Francisco Partners

Francisco Partners is a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology and technology-enabled businesses. Since its launch nearly 25 years ago, Francisco Partners has invested in more than 400 technology companies, making it one of the most active and longstanding investors in the technology industry. With approximately $45 billion in capital raised to date, the firm invests in opportunities where its deep sectoral knowledge and operational expertise can help companies realize their full potential.

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