MORE ON MERCK'S MILLIONS

Merck Mercuriadis and his Hipgnosis/The Family (Music) Limited machine keep on trucking, raising £51.1m worth of shares (at a price of 105.5 pence per share). The total shares sold, representing 12.4% of the companies “enlarged issued Ordinary Share capital,” per a release, were snapped up on the London Stock Exchange in just seven hours.

“We are delighted to continue giving our shareholders exposure to music royalties via new acquisitions of some of the most iconic songs of all time,” declared Mercuriadis from a Dom Perignon-filled hot tub in an undisclosed location. “I’m very grateful for the constant enthusiasm and support that the finest institutional investors in the world have given us to establish songs as an asset class. This is not only great for the investors but the songwriting and artistic community as well.”