Distribution, publishing, creative marketing and finance company Downtown Music Services (DMS) has inked a global music publishing with French band AIR.
The admin and services deal with AIR covers the band’s full back catalogue, including the debut album Moon Safari and songs such as Sexy Boy, Playground Love, La Femme d’Argent, Cherry Blossom Girl and All I Need.
Downtown Music Services says it will be working closely with the band to maximize new opportunities for their music, and introduce new generations to their catalogue.
AIR were formed in the mid-1990s by Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, and are known for albums such as 2004’s Talkie Walkie, 2007’s Pocket Symphony, 2009’s Love 2.
The band were recently named among the Top 200 Most Important Artists of the last 25 years by Pitchfork.
DMS was launched in April as a subsidiary of Downtown Music Holdings, following a shift to focus exclusively on music services after Concord acquired the New York-based firm’s entire owned music rights catalog for $400 million.
In November, the company announced a raft of senior US promotions.
Kasey Fries was promoted to the role of Vice President of Operations, whilst Geoff Halliday took on the role of Vice President of Marketing.
Bryan Mooney was also promoted to the role of Vice President of A&R (Pop/Alternative).
“I’ll never forget hearing AIR for the first time.”
Mike Smith, Downtown Music Services
Mike Smith, Global President of Downtown Music Services, said: “I’ll never forget hearing AIR for the first time, in a world of guitar anthems and breakbeat heroes, their Premiers Symptômes EP in 1997 arrived fully formed from another planet and totally floored me.
“Moon Safari is a masterpiece and yet Nicolas and Jean-Benoit always pushed forward, reinventing themselves through soundtracks and albums both commercial and experimental.
“Their catalogue represents some of the most timeless music ever made. It is a great honour to be given the opportunity to work with this remarkable music and bring its genius to a new generation.”
“AIR’s music is one of a kind.”
AIR Management
AIR’s management team, said: “AIR’s music is one of a kind and became a benchmark for the sound of the new century. Their mixture of analogue sounds, ethereal vocals and true songwriting originality deserves to meet a new audience, which we aim to achieve with this association. We are delighted to start this collaboration with such a great team & organization.”
“This partnership is about being creative with a legacy.”
Laura Bedikian, Downtown Music Services
Laura Bedikian, Senior A&R Manager at Downtown Music Services, said: “As a creative, growing up on AIR’s music and later working with writers and artists influenced by AIR, it is a true honour to represent their catalogue today.
“This partnership is about being creative with a legacy and finding new and exciting ways to reach the newest generation, a generation whose ears came across their music without them even realizing it.
“This new mission has brought huge excitement throughout all Downtown’s offices, and this is why we do what we do and as a French person, I couldn’t’t be more proud to have our musical history part of Downtown now.
“I’m equally excited to start this new journey with some of the most respected and historic managers of our territory and beyond.”
“it feels good to be Downtown now!”
AIR
AIR, added: “We started in the suburbs, it feels good to be Downtown now!”Music Business Worldwide
