Reservoir Media has acquired the catalog of Los Angeles independent label Nacional Records and the catalog of its publishing arm, Canciones Nacionales, home to releases by Ana Tijoux and Bomba Estéreo, announced on July 16, 2026. The two companies are also forming a joint venture. Financial terms were not disclosed.
What changes hands
Reservoir takes ownership of both the recorded music catalog and the publishing catalog built by Nacional, which Tomas Cookman founded in Los Angeles in 2005. Alongside the purchase, Reservoir and Nacional will jointly sign and develop new recording artists and songwriters, so the relationship continues beyond the catalog sale. Reservoir says the move strengthens both its recorded music and publishing divisions and deepens its investment in the next generation of Latin talent.
The catalog
- Oye (Aterciopelados): the album that gave the label its first Latin Grammy, for Best Alternative Album in 2007.
- Ana Tijoux, Bomba Estéreo and Nortec Collective: key names in the Latin alternative scene.
- El Mató a un Policía Motorizado, La Vida Boheme and Cheo: further roster acts.
- Manu Chao, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Jarabe de Palo and Los Amigos Invisibles: releases issued through the label.
- Across its history the catalog has collected more than 100 Grammy and Latin Grammy wins and nominations.
Why it matters
Latin music is one of the fastest-growing segments of the US market, generating more than $1 billion in wholesale recorded music revenue in 2025, and Reservoir is building a position in it step by step. It formed a joint venture with TU Publishing in June 2026 and bought the Rudy Perez catalog in 2023.
The structure is worth noting for independent label founders. Pairing a catalog sale with a joint venture lets the seller cash in on past work while keeping an active role, and access to capital, for future signings. For buyers, the joint venture creates a pipeline of new repertoire that can feed the catalog over time.