Having recently announced six new hires to its senior team, Pophouse, the company behind the groundbreaking virtual reality concert experience ABBA Voyage, is on a mission to “redefine entertainment”.
LicensingSource.net catches up with Jon Spalding to talk about his new role as commercial director, Pophouse’s growing stable of brands and where AI might take us next.
For those who aren’t familiar with the company, can you sum up what Pophouse does?
Pophouse acquires and develops brands within entertainment, specialising in music catalogue and immersive live entertainment. We were founded in Stockholm, where we’re headquartered, by EQT founder Conni Jonsson and pop music icon Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA) in 2014.
Our stable of brands includes Avicii and Swedish House Mafia, and we’ve recently acquired the majority share of Cyndi Lauper’s master recording revenue and publishing.
Unlike traditional entertainment IP investors, Pophouse adds value through artist-centric development. A great example of this is ABBA Voyage, which has sold over 2 million tickets since its launch in May 2022.
Pophouse has a proven track record of successful ventures, and continues to redefine entertainment by pushing boundaries, embracing technology, and creating unforgettable experiences for fans worldwide. These include immersive live experiences Mamma Mia! The Party, Abba The Museum and The Avicii Experience.
What does your new role involve? Can you tell us about your day to day responsibilities?
I will be working closely with the creative, brand and artist teams to build world-class programmes – from movies, TV shows and consumer products to immersive live experiences and gaming – activating our commercial objectives. Every day is different and it’s a fantastic to work at the company.
Licensing is such a fantastic community, and starting at Pophouse and seeing what is in store has made me incredibly excited to connect with friends and colleagues to explore opportunities ahead.
Your degree was in music, and you’ve worked across some huge entertainment brands… Is this something of a dream job for you?
My first love in life was music; I enjoyed performing in bands as well as attending gigs, and I’ve been fortunate enough to work for some of the greatest entertainment brands including The Walt Disney Company, Universal and Mattel. It’s very inspiring to work at Pophouse and it’s very surreal working with the calibre of artist that I do day in, day out.
Territory-wise, where will you be concentrating your efforts?
We are looking at a true global approach for our artists. We are incredibly lucky to have such a broad fanbase for our audiences. For example, ABBA enjoys significant demand across the globe, from Australia to Japan to North America, whilst Avicii has as many monthly listeners on streaming services as Michael Jackson and The Beatles. As more artists join the Pophouse family we will be rolling out significant global programmes. Plenty of news is on the way!
Looking ahead, do you see any other untapped categories where music brands might flourish?
Pophouse is building for the future and always looking at technology’s role in entertainment. At the same time, storytelling and the music will remain a constant at the core of our projects – this is what has made ABBA Voyage so innovative and successful.
Our team is world class, with diverse backgrounds, from Disney and Warner Bros. to theatre and immersive experiences and brand-building companies, which means we are looking at our artists through a unique lens.
Recently, I was lucky enough to attend the premiere of Mamma Mia! The Party in Stockholm. Although the storyline was in Swedish, I was blown away by the power of the music and the audience interaction – it transcended language.
Technology-wise, is there anything you’re excited about that might be coming down the line?
I think all companies are very much looking at AI and what it might bring. To be able to create a truly immersive experience or product with audience interaction and storytelling using technology… I can only imagine what will be possible in five years.
