Sony Music is consolidating its independent distribution operation under The Orchard brand worldwide.
In the US market, that means the end of Sony RED as a distribution company.
All current RED distribution label managers and account executives are becoming part of The Orchard team and will relocate to The Orchard’s headquarters in New York.
The news of a worldwide merge follows last week’s news that Sony’s Red Essential was being folded into The Orchard in the UK market.
The Orchard’s newly-expanded global team will continue to be managed by company CEO Brad Navin (pictured) under the ownership of Sony.
Stated Navin, “Our newly merged company is unique in structure, scale and reach. Coming together as one company that is both truly global and locally-focused will allow us to take the service we provide to our artist and label partners to the next level.
“The Orchard is the only global comprehensive digital and physical distribution platform with its own delivery, sales, distribution and reporting systems built specifically for independent clients.”
Brad Navin, The Orchard
“The Orchard is the only global comprehensive digital and physical distribution platform with its own delivery, sales, distribution and reporting systems built specifically for independent clients. With a single deal clients have the ability to deliver their music to every leading global and local digital and physical retailer and reach music fans around the world.”
The move won’t mean the end of Sony RED in the US market entirely, however.
That business now becomes RED MUSIC as a dedicated full-service marketing agency and label services company, led by President Bob Morelli.
It will provide ongoing marketing, promotion, product management and label services support to its existing U.S. label client base – now distributed through The Orchard – in addition to indies with different distribution partners.
RED MUSIC will consist of an indie marketing and promotion group (formerly ‘Stache Media) as well as a frontline label services group (formerly RAL), which provides Sony Music-backed labels and joint venture imprints with release planning, marketing and radio promotion.
“For our label and artist partners in the U.S., we are significantly multiplying the levels of quality service we provide with these exciting new changes.”
Bob Morelli, RED MUSIC
Stated Morelli, “For our label and artist partners in the U.S., we are significantly multiplying the levels of quality service we provide with these exciting new changes.
“Not only will distribution clients now enjoy unmatched global reach as part of The Orchard under Brad Navin, but also our marketing and label services clients in the U.S. will now receive dedicated attention from the new RED MUSIC to make sure their releases are receiving highly customized solutions for the best possible profile in the marketplace. Taken all together we think this is a win-win for clients.”
The Orchard works with artists such as Joey BadA$$, Slayer, Daya, Kelsea Ballerini, Flume, Skepta, Diet Cig, OMD, J Alvarez, Negramaro, Jorge & Mateus and Allman Brown, and labels including Thirty Tigers, Metal Blade, Som Livre, Red Bull Records, Mom and Pop, Nuclear Blast, Frontiers Music Srl, Cosmos Music, Frenchkiss Records, Relapse Records, Sugar Music, Gerencia 360, Tropisounds, and Premium Latin.Music Business Worldwide
