Glassnote president/founder Daniel Glass has told Music Week that he expects to see more labels follow them by teaming up with AWAL on distribution.
Glassnote moved from Universal Music (Caroline International in the UK) to the Kobalt recordings operation earlier this year. At the time, it was hailed by Kobalt as an "important new chapter in the history of the music industry".
Speaking in the latest issue, Glass said: “This is going to be a very wonderful and challenging moment, in that we’re certainly a dominant label in the AWAL worldwide system. This is a chance for them to show really how good they are.”
Jade Bird is the first UK artist to benefit from Glassnote’s new strategic alliance with AWAL. Following a run of singles, the singer-songwriter’s self-titled debut is out this week (April 19).
“It’s been amazing,” said Glassnote’s UK MD Liz Goodwin. “We’re really enjoying working with them and as soon as our partnership started rolling out they absolutely got straight on Jade.”
It’s completely disrupting things out there and I’m proud to be part of it
Daniel Glass
Jade Bird is signed to Glassnote internationally, while the label also represents UK acts including Mumford & Sons and Two Door Cinema Club in the US.
Glass said AWAL are doing a "very good job with her [Bird] on the streaming side particularly". He predicted that other labels would join the AWAL system.
“I think it will lead to other labels joining the fray,” he told Music Week. “We have always been trailblazers as a company.
“Right now, most of AWAL is artists and managers plugging in records, not labels. I think you will see more of that. I’m sure Willard’s [Ahdritz, CEO/founder, Kobalt] big dream is what he did with publishing. It’s completely disrupting things out there and I’m proud to be part of it.”
To read the full interview pick up the latest issue – or subscribers can click here.
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Click here to read more about the AWAL expansion.
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