Yet, it also got us thinking about the role brands play and will play in this evolving space. Sure, Starbucks has it's label and few tours happen without some corporate underwriting, but a recent article suggests that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Will we be seeing more partnerships like that between UK chart-toppers Groove Armada and Bacardi?
Or are we going to see something even more unprecedented. Some folks are pursuing new integrated deals in which investors advance money to artists through partnerships with management, taking a stake in 270 degrees of their output (everything but publishing), thus avoiding conflicts of interest and promoting higher rates of return for both artists and management on physical and digital releases, licensing, sync placements, touring and merchandising. Radiohead sort of set the tone for this by doing deals in various territories and selling In Rainbows online as well, but expect much more to come from the likes of This Is Music, who have just sold a share to ie:music, best known for their integrated deal on behalf of Robbie Williams a couple years ago.
Posted by James Friedman
hey james, guess these are new times for record labels and, consequently, for artists. money talks, yeah right, but maybe one may even have more artistic liberty relating themselves with a brand then with a record label. i think this process will consolidate itself positively, as a sound alternative for getting music published and distributed. Who knows?! Cheers! B.