Bucks Music Group signs Will Gregory of Goldfrapp

Will Gregory, known primarily as one half of the electronic music duo Goldfrapp, has entered a new publishing arrangement with Bucks Music Group. This agreement centers on Gregory’s extensive body of work outside of the band, including compositions created for film, television, and live productions. The deal, announced in 2024, positions Bucks Music Group as the representative of Gregory’s scores and projects beyond his Goldfrapp releases.

Gregory’s credentials in the screen composing field include high-profile film scores such as the 2024 drama My Summer Of Love and the 2009 biopic Nowhere Boy, a film about John Lennon. Both scores were collaborative efforts with Alison Goldfrapp, his bandmate. Additionally, he and Goldfrapp have contributed music to stage productions, notably Carrie Cracknell’s National Theatre staging of Medea. Gregory’s innovative approach extends to classical music arenas as well, exemplified by his 2011 opera Piccard In Space, which dramatizes Auguste Piccard’s historic 1931 stratospheric balloon ascent.

Within the screen sector, Gregory’s portfolio is diverse, including collaborations with filmmaker John Downer on natural history documentaries such as Serengeti and Spy In The Wild, as well as scoring for television dramas like AMC’s Soulmates, Amazon’s Chloe, and Hulu’s Extraordinary. His work for theatre also includes commissions from the National Theatre of Scotland for the James III trilogy and the Royal Shakespeare Company for productions of King John and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Furthermore, Gregory has composed pieces performed with the BBC Concert Orchestra integrating Moog synthesizers.

This new publishing relationship with Bucks Music Group aligns with Gregory’s desire to partner with an entity that understands the full scope of his creative output. He reportedly values Bucks for its commitment to nurturing artists over the long term, as well as for its expertise in media and synchronization licensing, which are pivotal for composers working extensively in film and television.

Bucks Music Group itself boasts a catalog that includes works from a broad spectrum of artists across genres and eras. Their roster features legendary names such as David Bowie and The Rolling Stones alongside contemporary acts like Rudimental and Beyoncé. The company also maintains partnerships with independent labels such as Heavenly and Full Time Hobby, underscoring its breadth in the music publishing market.

Gregory’s association with Bucks is expected to facilitate wider exploitation of his screen-based compositions and newer collaborative projects, including those with his Moog Ensemble. This 10-piece orchestra, consisting solely of monophonic synthesizers, released its debut album Heat Ray: The Archimedes Project in 2024. The ensemble’s unique instrumentation and Gregory’s pioneering compositional style could benefit from Bucks’ media-focused licensing capabilities.

While Gregory’s work with Goldfrapp has garnered critical acclaim, including multiple Ivor Novello Awards, nominations for the Mercury Prize, Grammys, and BRIT Awards, this publishing deal notably shifts emphasis onto his solo and collaborative scoring ventures. Bucks’ involvement may help expand the reach and commercial potential of these projects, a move consistent with current industry trends where composers diversify income streams by leveraging sync opportunities.

The context of this agreement highlights an increasing recognition of composers who straddle multiple mediums—blurring boundaries between pop music, classical composition, and screen scoring. Gregory’s career trajectory exemplifies this hybridity, and the partnership with Bucks Music Group could serve as a model for other artists seeking to manage complex, multifaceted catalogs.

What remains to be seen is how Bucks will integrate Gregory’s existing works with future commissions and collaborations in their catalog and how this will influence his output's visibility and licensing success. No public details have been provided about the financial terms or the full duration of the agreement.

From an industry perspective, this alliance may reinforce Bucks Music Group’s position in the competitive publishing landscape, particularly in screen music—a sector that continues to grow in importance as streaming services and international productions increase demand for original scores. For Gregory, the deal presents an opportunity to consolidate his varied projects under one supportive publishing roof, potentially enhancing synchronization placements and expanding his audience across different media formats.

In summary, Will Gregory’s signing with Bucks Music Group marks a strategic development likely to enhance the management and exploitation of his diverse portfolio beyond Goldfrapp. It reflects broader shifts within music publishing toward flexibility and specialization, particularly for artists engaged in cross-genre and multimedia work.