Francisco Partners exits Muse Group (Audacity, Hal Leonard, MuseScore)

Francisco Partners, the private equity firm, is now exiting Muse Group amid 2026’s financial maneuvers. Muse Group is the Cyprus-based conglomerate that owns the publishing giant Hal Leonard, audio editor Audacity, notation software MuseScore and StaffPad, and the online platform Ultimate Guitar.

Muse Group to “partner” with music publishing giant Hal Leonard

Music consolidation continues – even beyond what we might have imagined. Hal Leonard is “joining” software maker Muse Group in a “partnership” (read: merger, but with separate operations, they say). Private equity giant Francisco Partners, the same company behind the NI – Plugin Alliance – iZotope conglomerate, is providing the investment.

Peter Kirn - December 4, 2023

Audacity makers clarify data usage – and there’s not reason to dump the editor yet

In a cycle echoing a controversy earlier this year, Audacity’s new parent again released new legal terms which were then seized upon by social media users. Muse Group have clarified those issues publicly and to CDM.

Peter Kirn - July 5, 2021