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Business News Labels & Publishers
Warner UK launches new label services division
By CMU Editorial | Published on Friday 15 June 2012
Warner Music UK has announced the launch of a new artist and label services division to be called, well, Warner Music Artist & Label Services. Keep it simple, as they say. The new business will offer a wide range of services to independent artists and labels, including distribution, marketing and PR, media buying, and brand partnership and sync representation.
Of course in recent years a number of bigger record companies around the world have opened up their in-house services to external parties, often by expanding their distribution divisions, which have always traditionally worked with other artists and labels. And indeed, Warner’s new label services unit will be headed up by Dan Chalmers, who also oversees the major’s independent distribution business ADA.
For the bigger record companies, expanding into label services enables them to maintain or increase size and scale without having to take on the risks that come with signing new artists. For the independent artists and labels, it means getting access to bigger networks, especially on a global level, without having to formally ally with a major label or similar.
Confirming the new venture, Warner Music UK CEO Christian Tattersfield told CMU: “Our priority is to cultivate an environment that allows artists to achieve their full potential. We are opening the door for Warner Music UK to create deeper relationships and new commercial partnerships with successful independent acts. As MD of both Rhino and ADA, Dan has extensive experience in working with the big-name artists that we will continue to attract to this new service”.
The first artists to work with Warner’s new division will be Orbital and Johnny Marr. Says Chalmers: “The creative diversity of these [two] artists demonstrates the full range of marketing and distribution expertise Warner Music Artist & Label Services can provide. I look forward to working with Christian and the rest of the team to bring in even more exciting acts”.
