Reservoir Acquires Catalogs of Latin Indie Label Nacional Records, Publisher Canciones Nacionales

Reservoir Media has acquired independent label Nacional Records and the publishing assets of its sister company, Canciones Nacionales, Billboard can exclusively announce Thursday (July 16). The new deal also includes a joint venture to sign and develop recording artists and songwriters.

“Over the last two decades, Nacional has cemented itself as one of the most influential independent music companies in the Latin market, with an incredible catalog and exceptional talent,” Reservoir president and COO Rell Lafargue said in a statement. “We’ve been deliberate about expanding Reservoir’s presence in Latin music, and this partnership is a transformational step in that strategy.”

Lafargue added, “It strengthens both our recorded music and publishing businesses while positioning us to invest in the next generation of Latin artists and songwriters. We’re proud to welcome Nacional to Reservoir and continue building on its remarkable legacy.”

Tomas Cookman, who founded Nacional in Los Angeles in 2005, stated: “I have long been a fan of what Golnar [Khosrowshahi] and Rell have built at Reservoir. We initially met a few years ago and developed a mutual respect for each other’s work — until it became obvious that we should now build together. I feel we share the same work ethic and, equally as important, a love of music and the industry that supports it. I look forward to what comes next for our current and future artists and writers. We look forward to working together to expand the Reservoir footprint in Latin music and culture.”

Founded by Khosrowshahi, Reservoir is an independent music company based in New York City with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Toronto, London, Abu Dhabi and Mumbai. The company, which is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker RSVR, represents copyrights and master recordings dating back as far as 1900 and has been recognized as one of the leading independent music companies in the business.

Cookman built Nacional into a key force in Latin alternative and independent music. Over the years, its roster and catalog have included artists such as Ana Tijoux, Nortec Collective, Bomba Estéreo, Tom Tom Club, El Mató a un Policía Motorizado, Aterciopelados, DJ Bitman, YADAM, La Vida Bohème, Jungle Fire, Cheo, Manu Chao, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Jarabe de Palo and Los Amigos Invisibles.

The label earned its first Latin Grammy for best alternative album in 2007 for Aterciopelados’ Oye; according to the company, it has since amassed more than 100 Grammy and Latin Grammy wins and nominations across its catalog. Its music has also been featured extensively in film, TV, gaming and advertising. Beyond the label and publishing company, Nacional is also tied to the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC), founded by Cookman and considered one of the premier networking and showcase events for Latin music in the U.S. This year’s annual edition is set to take place from July 28 to Aug. 1 in New York.