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20.07.12MusicWeek 5


CASH-RAISING D2F PLATFORM BEGINS WOOING RECORD LABELS WITH NEW SOLUTION


INgrooves partners with Pledge for new retail platform


DISTRIBUTION  BY TOM PAKINKIS


I


ndependent music distributor INgrooves


Fontana has


entered into a partnership with PledgeMusic which it says will transform the direct-to-fan service into a retail and marketing platform that could ‘fundamentally redefine labels’ revenue model’. Beginning this month,


INgrooves Fontana clients will have access to the PledgeMusic platform directly from their Client Console, enabling labels and artists to expand the life of a project by giving fans access to purchase experiences and products even before recording begins on an album. This is the first time


PledgeMusic has partnered directly with a music distributor


and INgrooves Fontana’s senior vice president of Label and Artist Services Bryan Mead believes it could represent the next stage in PledgeMusic’s evolution. “[INgrooves Fontana and


PledgeMusic] talked about phase 2.0 of what Pledge could be in terms of moving it from a crowd-funding model to a pure fan engagement and marketing model for any sized act,” he told Music Week. “Pledge will continue to exist


as a crowd-funding model for artists coming in off the street,” he added. “Our goal is to position campaigns differently and say ‘Come and be a part of the record making process with us,’ rather than ‘Come and help me make a record.’” “The potential of the ideas


within the Pledge platform are really limitless. We can start them up to a year outside of the


“Our goal is to say, ‘Come and be a part of the record- making process with


us,’ rather than ‘come and help me make a record” BRYAN MEAD, INGROOVES


street date. I wouldn’t say street date becomes irrelevant, but it becomes another point on the release campaign. “In a way, if we do this right it


fundamentally redefines what product management does at a label level along with the revenue model because we could potentially be paying labels revenue well before street date.” Managing director and senior


vice president of INgrooves International Alex Branson


added: “Some of our labels have already been using Pledge so I think it would be interesting to see how full integration really benefits them.” PledgeMusic CEO


Benji Rogers commented: “Traditionally, labels’ customers have always been retailers. As that space changes, the things that labels do with their bands is much more fascinating than going to a shop to buy a CD. “Labels have all these band


“Labels have all these band assets on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites and none of those were monetisable” BENJI ROGERS, PLEDGEMUSIC


assets on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites and none of those are monetisable,” he added. “Labels also traditionally


focused on a very narrow window of time in which to promote a record. “But If you roll that clock


back, the process of choosing a


single, verifying what artwork should be used and discussing touring plans can all be done in conjunction with fans.” Said Mead: “I would love to


see 90% of our projects running this in a year. “Not every project is going to


be perfect for a Pledge model but I think we have the opportunity here in our group and as an industry to create a new music destination for the music fan community.”


COLIN LESTER PROMOTES FISHER


Twenty First Artists has promoted Alex Fisher to senior artist manager. Fisher joined


Olympics covered? Absolutely


Absolute Radio’s broadcasts of the Olympics’ opening and closing concerts in their entirety will mark its biggest commitment yet to live music. The commercial station has


put out countless hours of live events over the four years since it was rebranded from Virgin Radio, but its COO Clive Dickens said it would enter into new territory when it airs the two concerts taking place on Friday, July 27 and Sunday, August 12. The first concert will feature


Duran Duran, Paolo Nutini, Snow Patrol and Stereophonics, representing one act from each British nation, while the concert around the Olympics closing ceremony will feature what Damon Albarn has billed as Blur’s last-ever performance as well as appearances by New Order and The Specials. “All of those acts are pretty


much core acts for us,” said Dickens. “We will be broadcasting full sets of the headliners and the supports of


Absolutely British: Concerts covered include performances by Duran Duran, Stereophonics, Paolo Nutini, Snow Patrol, Blur and New Order


the company when it merged with CLM Entertainment in 2010 but has worked for Twenty First Artists CEO Colin Lester since interning for him in 2007. He will report to Lester in his new role. As well as continuing in his own


those two events, meaning that is by far the most amount of live music we’ve ever done. “We’ve obviously done the


full set of Elbow at the Isle of Wight, the full set of Noel Gallagher. Last year we did Arcade Fire and Kings of Leon and we’ve done Bon Jovi, but it has always been one or two headliners and selected songs. This is effectively a near complete live transmission of the two big celebration concerts at Hyde Park.”


Absolute was previously announced alongside Bauer as one of the official broadcaster partners of the series of BT London Live events being staged in London around the Olympics and Paralympics. This will include the station


broadcasting each day from Hyde Park between July 28 and August 11, while Magic is the events’ official London radio station and fellow Bauer station Kiss is also involved.


role as an artist manager, Fisher will assume responsibility for training and overseeing all of the company’s assistant managers in their day-to-day management roles, appointing assistant managers to specific projects and exploring new avenues of revenue for the company and its artists. Colin Lester said: “Alex has


been with me for five years and in that time has proven himself to be a natural artist manager with the ability to lead others. This promotion recognises


his exceptional talent and is well deserved.”


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