Just 18 months after the Jim Peterik deal closed with Primary Wave, Survivor’s legendary hit “Eye of the Tiger” has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.
The song is a global phenomenon and has inspired millions since its release in 1982. Help driving the fame and commissioned by Sylvester Stallone himself, “Eye of the Tiger” served as the theme song for his film, ‘Rocky III.’ “Eye of the Tiger” spent six weeks at the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and would become the defining anthem of Survivor.
The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards, winning one for “best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group” in 1982. The song was also nominated for an Academy Award the same year for “Best Original Song.”
Primary Wave acquired a majority stake in the publishing catalog of songwriter and producer Jim Peterik back in December 2021. In a deal reported to be worth $20 million, the deal encompasses ‘other rights’ to works in Peterik’s decades long career.
He was a founding member of Survivor and wrote or co-wrote all of the tracks on the band’s first seven albums. He also co-penned tracks for .38 Special (“Caught Up In You” and “Hold On Loosely”), Sammy Hagar (“Heavy Metal”), and The Beach Boys (“That’s WHy God Made the Radio”).
“We met Jim almost four years ago where he invited us back to his home studio after a lovely lunch,” Primary Wave Chief Brand Officer Jeff Straughn said about the deal at the time. “It was love at first sight and we knew then that it would only be a matter of time to have Jim join the Primary Wave family. We are ecstatic to be working with such a legend.”
“I’m thrilled to be with a company who is as passionate about music as I am,” Jim Peterik said of the deal. “Primary Wave’s roster speaks for itself. It seems that many of my musical heroes feel the same way!”