Deutsche Bank Values Universal Music Group at $33.3 Billion — Higher Than Its Parent Vivendi

It’s the perfect time to sell — a 50% stake, that is. Universal Music Group woke up a lot more valuable this morning, at least in the eyes of Deutsch Bank.  On Monday morning, the Frankfurt-based investment banking and financial services conglomerate s…

Worldwide Independent Network CEO Alison Wenham Is Stepping Down

Longtime indie label champion Alison Wenham is stepping down as CEO of the Worldwide Independent Music Industry Network (WIN). The departure marks the end of a 12-year reign at WIN, and a lot of positive improvements for the indie music space.  The exi…

Insomniac Launches a Label Services Group — Introducing Insomniac Music Group

EDM festival promoter Insomniac has announced a new in-house record label services expansion called Insomniac Music Group. The new group will serve as an umbrella for Insomniac’s internal labels while also providing administrative services for other ED…

Warner Music and Sesame Workshop Are Relaunching Sesame Street Records

Over the last 50 years, Sesame Street has racked up quite a collection of musical talent. Icons like Stevie Wonder, Patti Labelle, Ray Charles, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, and more have appeared alongside the puppets. Now that archive of music will be re-e…

Universal Music Group’s Revenues Jump 13.5% as Sales Chatter Intensifies

Thanks to the massive success of UMG ahead of its upcoming sale, Vivendi’s own bottom line rose 5.5% in Q3 2018. Last summer, after discarding the idea of a $40 billion IPO for its major record label, Vivendi unveiled a new idea.  The French media cong…

Glassnote Officially Leaves the Major Label Farm With a Kobalt/AWAL Deal

Glassnote Music, one of largest and most celebrated indie labels, has just inked a distribution partnership with Kobalt’s AWAL. For years, Glassnote Music has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with mega-label Universal Music Group.  Now, that deal is over…

Label Group IFPI Says It Can’t Account for Half of YouTube’s Claimed $1.8 Billion In Royalty Payments

Google recently published an anti-piracy report claiming that YouTube has paid more than $1.8 billion in ad revenue to the music industry in 2017. However, the IFPI is challenging Google’s claim, saying that it can’t verify the information provided in …

RCA Records Unveils District 18, a Joint Venture Label with Brooklyn Johnny

Brooklyn Johnny, the man responsible for bringing Cardi B to Atlantic, has just unveiled a new joint venture with RCA Records. Entering into an exclusive partnership with Brooklyn Johnny, RCA Records has launched a new label.  Johnny will serve as the …

Keith Richards the Soloist Inks a Worldwide Deal With BMG

BMG has inked a new deal with Keith Richards that will bring his entire solo catalog to the diversified music company. Even Mick Jagger couldn’t pull off a solo career.  But Keith Richards attempts are now part of a brand-new deal with BMG. Richards’ s…

Iggy Azalea Breaks from Island/UMG: ‘Woke up happy as f— today’

Iggy Azalea is celebrating the completion of her contract with Island Records, a division of Universal Music Group. Many artists would die for a major label contract.  Iggy Azalea was apparently dying to get out of hers for a long time. Now, that momen…