Dynamite Songs says it has acquired the music catalog of Terry Kirkman, co-founder and principal songwriter of The Association.
The deal, announced on Thursday (July 9), adds 71 compositions to the specialist UK-headquartered publisher’s portfolio, including Cherish, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.
BMI subsequently ranked Cherish among the most-played songs on American radio and television of the twentieth century.
The catalog also includes Everything That Touches You, Six Man Band, and Requiem for the Masses.
Dynamite has acquired 100% of the US publishing copyrights of key works recorded by The Association in the 1960s, according to the company.
The transaction also covers worldwide non-PRO songwriter royalties and the writer’s share of public performance income for all compositions, plus artist royalties attributable to Kirkman‘s performances on the group’s recordings, as well as neighboring rights income.
The purchase takes Dynamite‘s catalog to more than 1,700 works spanning six decades, from the 1960s to the 2010s 2010s across genres
including pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, dance, garage, EDM, country, Americana, and screen composition.
“Terry Kirkman wrote songs that have been in the air for sixty years and show no sign of leaving,” said Alan Wallis, CEO of Dynamite Songs.
“Cherish is one of those songs that people across the world think they’ve always known, and that’s no accident.”
“A writer capable of both has a rare gift, and it’s no wonder his songs have stood the test of time.”
ALAN Wallis, Dynamite Songs
“Yet Terry’s talents went far beyond that – a song like Requiem for the Masses existed side by side with Cherish, also written by Terry and recorded by the same group, within the same creative period.”
“One is among the most tender love songs of the decade. The other is effectively a choral anti-war lament shaped by the shadow of Vietnam.”
“A writer capable of both has a rare gift, and it’s no wonder his songs have stood the test of time,” said Wallis.
“Heidi’s decision to entrust Terry’s legacy to us is not something we take lightly, and we are committed to caring for his music and ensuring that it continues to reach the audiences it deserves. Looking after great songwriting with true cultural worth, whatever its age or genre, is what Dynamite was built to do, and being fully funded and able to move rapidly means we never have to leave songs as good as these without a home.” Wallis added.
The acquisition is the latest by Dynamite Songs, which launched in May 2025.
The publisher was founded by the team behind Mojo Music & Media, including valuation expert Alan Wallis, and is backed by investment manager Crestline Investors.
Its portfolio includes works performed by Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Avicii, The Black Eyed Peas, Joan Osborne and Tinie Tempah.
In September, Dynamite acquired the catalog of Grammy-winning producer Keith Harris, adding more than 200 songs.
In November, it acquired around 150 tracks via deals with Eric Turner, John ‘$K’ McGee, TIEKS and Dan Harkna.
The company has also expanded its team, appointing Claudia Namukasa as Catalogue Manager and Charlotte Hancock as Rights Acquisition Manager.
Heidi Kirkman, widow of Terry Kirkman, said the catalog was passing to a buyer who understood the band’s place in music history.
“It is clear that Terry’s catalogue is heading into the hands of an aficionado who can parse between psychedelic rock and folk rock, between sunshine pop and bubble gum music, and knows exactly where The Association falls in this spectrum.”
The Kirkman estate was represented by Music Rights Group and Miles Feinberg.Music Business Worldwide
