Business Frame Weekly – Sub Pop Records launches first-ever UK & EU online shop / Blackstar Agency to sponsor Women In Music Awards 2023

Sub Pop Records launches first-ever UK & EU online shop

Blackstar Agency to sponsor Women In Music Awards 2023

Defected Records sign Groove Armada for long-term single and EP deal

In this newsletter:

• Ged Doherty talks teaming with Sony Music on the first Luther Vandross documentary
• Sub Pop Records launches first-ever UK & EU online shop
• Ostereo restructures to focus on recordings and publishing, "steps back" from management
• Blackstar Agency to sponsor Women In Music Awards 2023
• Defected Records sign Groove Armada for long-term single and EP deal

August 29, 2023

Ged Doherty talks teaming with Sony Music on the first Luther Vandross documentary

Raindog Films' Ged Doherty has spoken to Music Week about the recently announced first ever feature-length documentary on the life and career of legendary American singer Luther Vandross. In partnership with Trilogy Films, the Estate of Luther Vandross and estate partner Primary Wave Music, the film aims to capture the Grammy-winning artist's passion for music, global rise, and personal struggles. Raindog, the film company Doherty founded in 2012 with actor Colin Firth, is teaming with Sony Music Entertainment’s (SME) Premium Content Division, Sony Music Publishing and Jamie Foxx's Foxxhole Productions on the documentary from awar New York City-born Vandross, who died aged 54 in July 2005 after a stroke, sold more than 40 million records worldwide and was nominated for 33 Grammy Awards, winning eight. Ex-Sony Music UK CEO and BPI chair Doherty, who is serving as a producer on the film alongside Raindog partner Trish D Chetty, said the project was a long time coming.

Sub Pop Records launches first-ever UK & EU online shop

Legendary label Sub Pop has announced the opening of its first-ever UK & EU online shop. Christened Mega Mart 2 – the sibling to its original US-based Mega Mart – Sub Pop have, with characteristic wit, confirmed it is “almost entirely functional” and ready to serve its customers across the pond who have “long been suffering from outrageous (though totally real) shipping charges”. Mega Mart 2 will be warehoused in the UK. To bolster the news, Sub Pop is also announcing a 20th Anniversary remastered reissue of The Shins' classic 2003 album Chutes Too Narrow, featuring new, custom die cut artwork. Speaking of the reissue, The Shins’ James Mercer said: “I was very aware at the time that I had struck gold with the first record, and it was unlikely to happen again. 'Sophomore slump' and all that. The pressure to prove myself as a viable writer had never been so pronounced. Midway through the mixing process, I realized one of the songs would not work, so I stayed up after everyone went to bed and wrote ‘Young Pilgrims.’ And with Ek’s help, it worked! Such a stressful but beautiful experience!”

Ostereo restructures to focus on recordings and publishing, "steps back" from management

Ostereo has announced it is restructuring to focus its investment and infrastructure on master and publishing rights, in turn revealing that its management division will be “rolled up”. In October 2019, Ostereo launched its fledgling management division, having acquired a roster of 14 artists, writers and producers. The “step back from activity as a management company” by Ostereo, they say, will allow them to place more investment into its artist projects signed to its record label, as well as allowing more opportunities to sign new talent. The move comes as Ostereo claim they are seeing “significant growth from its artists and partners in developing music markets worldwide” and are preparing for a string of original release campaigns.

Blackstar Agency to sponsor Women In Music Awards 2023

Music Week is delighted to announce that Blackstar Agency have come onboard as a sponsor for the Women In Music Awards 2023. The highly-anticipated Women In Music Awards will return on Friday, November 10, 2023 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London. Women In Music, which is staged in association with AIM and UK Music, will be marking its 10th instalment this year. And the Women In Music Awards holds special meaning for the Blackstar team. At the 2021 ceremony, its founder & MD Olivia Hobbs triumphed in the Entrepreneur category. A leading music marketing agency, Blackstar specialises in building campaigns for artists including campaign management, digital marketing, social management & creative direction. Speaking about the sponsorship, Olivia Hobbs said: "This sponsorship is a full circle moment for Blackstar. To be honoured with the Entrepreneur award in 2021 and be able to follow up as a sponsor in 2023 is testament to the incredible platform Music Week and the Women in Music Awards give to our industry.”

Defected Records sign Groove Armada for long-term single and EP deal

Defected Records has announced the signing of UK dance stars Groove Armada in a long-term single/EP deal. An official press release stated that, following a run of club and festival appearances for Defected and Glitterbox, Groove Armada will “continue to headline Defected’s international roster of events”, while releasing new music that “spans house and disco”. Groove Armada – comprised of Andy Cato and Tom Findlay – have released nine studio albums, the best-selling of which is 1999’s Vertigo which has sold 333,920 copies according to Official Charts Company data. Speaking on the signing, their management Nathan Thrusting and Mike Cridland said: “The relationship with Defected is a perfect fit at a perfect time with Tom and Andy back djing across the globe, celebrating the culture and heritage of their sound. After celebrating 25 years of the live band on the road last year and eight studio albums behind them, it’s exciting to be going back to the roots of the bands inception, making records for the dancefloor with one of the world’s leading house music labels, and one they have always loved. The relationship is a perfect fit at a perfect time with Tom and Andy back DJing across the globe, celebrating the culture and heritage of their sound.”

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