“We treat artists as partners and not commodities, and have built a successful kind of enclave where
they can succeed, both creatively and financially.” – TSM Co-founders Patrick Curley and Jeff Waye
Third Side Music Celebrates 20 Years of Global Success
As Third Side Music (TSM) celebrates its 20th anniversary, it remains exactly what it set out to be—an artist-first, fiercely independent music publishing powerhouse, empowering artists and songwriters to maximize the value of their music. In 2005, the company was co-founded in Montreal by Jeff Waye, TSM COO, and Patrick Curley, TSM President and CEO, who shared the vision of creating an equitable destination for career artists. Since then, TSM has proven the strength of its model that defies industry norms, having experienced up to 20% year-over-year growth, a 99% client retention rate, and more than 95% of deals recouped.
Today, TSM is one of the most successful publishers with global reach, supported by offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Montreal, and Mexico City. Its 75,000+ title catalog spans a dynamic roster that includes SOFI TUKKER, Sky Ferreira, BadBadNotGood, Cults, Courtney Barnett, Surf Curse, Future Islands, Pharoah Sanders, Colin Stetson, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Kurt Vile, The Cinematic Orchestra, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Carlos Niño, Waxahatchee, Blonde Redhead, Current Joys, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, and more. The company also represents iconic legacy catalogs such as The Clyde Otis Music Group, Studio One/JamRec, Galt MacDermot, and Alan Watts, among others. The highly experienced team of industry veterans, music and data obsessives, creatives, and legal negotiators is known for their hands-on approach and relationships. With a high staff retention rate of 93%, TSM has one of the best staff-to-copyright/artist ratios in the business and provides exceptionally proactive and personalized support in creative services, sync licensing, administration and beyond. The roster’s international success is a testament to TSM’s track record in developing and nurturing talent to elevate, grow, and sustain their careers. The creative team led by Brontë Jane and Alex Kelman in Los Angeles, and Stephen Christian in London, identifies and secures the best opportunities for represented writers, with an emphasis on co-writing, sync briefs, work-for-hire projects, sampling, scoring, song pitching, and general A&R direction. The sync division is widely known for its creative strength, extensive catalog knowledge, and relationships with agencies and the music supervision community. TSM has secured more than 17,000 placements across film, television, advertising, trailers, video games, and other media. Dedicated and knowledgeable catalog experts unlock new opportunities and breathe fresh life into entire catalogs, generating consistent income well beyond just the headline hits. With faster clearances, a seamless licensing process, and consistent results, they maximize fees and negotiate the best possible terms for clients. Leading artists consistently emphasize the company’s lasting impact on their careers. GRAMMY-nominated, platinum-selling artists SOFI TUKKER credit TSM for landing them over 400 sync placements. ‘Over the last eight years, Third Side has absolutely killed it for us. Our music is in more TV shows, movies, and commercials than we can even keep up with. It’s the best thing ever and a huge part of our business. We’re so grateful for everyone at TSM and are excited to continue working together for a long time’ says SOFI TUKKER. GRAMMY Award-winning musician and composer Colin Stetson says, ‘In representing me for over fifteen years now, the people at Third Side Music have been avid and active advocates of my music and career—truly familial in their care, consideration, and support. I am enormously grateful for all of their dedication and counsel over the years.’ As TSM looks ahead, it has expanded the scope of admin deal structures, creating joint ventures and catalog purchases with the artists and songwriters it represents. These financing options, which have traditionally been unavailable at scale in the independent space, enable artist partners to access capital, lock in the value of their works, and diversify revenue streams.
