Valence Media Acquiring Nielsen's Music Data, Software Business

Billboard parent company Valence Media is "acquiring the music-industry data, software and analytics business" of Nielsen, according to sources cited by Lucas Shaw of BLOOMBERG NEWS. The transaction "would bring the music industry’s top chart and data providers under one roof." Sources said that the deal is "expected to close later this year at a price in the eight-figure range." The two companies have been "partners for decades: Nielsen supplies song and album sales data to Billboard, which uses it to assemble its charts." But one source said that the deal would "allow Billboard to do more with Nielsen’s information." Billboard "could put Nielsen-based charts and data behind a paywall and generate more revenue." For Nielsen, the deal is "part of a strategy to sell off its business in parts." It "held earlier talks to sell the whole company to private equity buyers," but those efforts have not yet led to a deal (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/6).