Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s leading music company, and Glassnote Entertainment Group, the renowned independent music company founded by music industry veteran Daniel Glass, announced that they have signed an agreement under which UMG will become the exclusive worldwide distributor of Glassnote’s recordings (excluding Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), effective March 1, 2014. The multi-year agreement will enable Glassnote’s extraordinary roster of talent � including Childish Gambino, CHVRCHES, Mumford& Sons, Two Door Cinema Club and Phoenix, among others � to leverage UMG’s industry-leading global resources and expertise in physical and digital distribution. Specifically, in the U.S., Glassnote will be distributed by UMG’s distribution unit (UMGD), and outside the U.S. (excluding Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), Glassnote will be distributed by Caroline, UMG’s independent distribution arm.
Glassnote will continue its pre-existing relationship with UMG in Canada. International releases for Mumford& Sons and CHVRCHES will continue to be handled by UMG’s Island Records UK and Virgin EMI UK, respectively, to which the artist are signed directly. Glassnote also announced the launch of its affiliate company Resolved.
Resolved is a multi-faceted company designed to offer individualized support and services to entertainment entrepreneurs, emerging producers and independent labels. Resolved, which will also be distributed by UMG, will provide resources, both financial and creative, marketing and operational support, mentorship and strategic guidance to these entrepreneurs with the goal of helping them grow their businesses creatively and commercially. Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of UMG, said, “As a company that places entrepreneurs at the center of our business, we are particularly pleased to welcome Glassnote and Resolved to the Universal Music family.
Daniel Glass is, quite simply, one of the most successful label entrepreneurs of the last decade. He represents the kind of innovation and creativity that defines who we are and who we aspire to be as an organization, and we’re looking forward to many years of collaboration and growth together.”Daniel Glass, President and Founder of Glassnote Entertainment Group, states, “We are honored and excited to embark on this new journey with Universal. Lucian understood our vision from the start and his embrace of passionate, creative, entrepreneurs makes Universal the perfect home for our companies.”This agreement builds upon the existing relationship between Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and Insieme Music Publishing, Glassnote’s affiliate publishing company, under which UMPG serves as the exclusive administrator of Insieme’s songs from Cara Salimando, Robert DeLong, Deap Vally, GIVERS, Oberhofer, Half Moon Run, HOLYCHILD and Jeremy Messersmith, among others.
UMPG also has direct publishing agreements with a number of Glassnote’s artists including Mumford& Sons, CHVRCHES, Childish Gambino and Daughter.