One small step for EMI, a giant step for EDM.
Article From Billboard
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"EMI Music is looking to capitalize on the electronic dance music explosion by launching its own international A&R and marketing network solely dedicated to dance artists and records.
Launching today (March 27), the EMI Dance Network brings together a number of EDM specialists and experts from around the world to find, develop and market dance and electronic artists, according to a press release from EMI. The company claims that the globally-focused initiative makes EMI the first major to set up a global organization specializing exclusively in electronic dance music.
The network will be overseen by Bart Cools, EMI Music's executive VP for marketing in Europe and the Rest of the World. EDM artists promoted under the EMI Dance Network banner will continue to receive A&R support from their existing label relationships to complement this new global delivery structure, says the label.
Dance artists, producers and DJs currently signed to EMI Music include deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia and Empire Of The Sun and David Guetta, who is currently at No.7 in the Hot 100 with "Turn Me On" featuring Nicki Minaj. Guetta also recently partnered with EMI Music on My Product Placement, a branding placement initiative set up by European agency My Love Affair, which was co-founded last year by Guetta, his wife Cathy Guetta and former ad executive Raphael Alfalo.
In addition to providing A&R and marketing services to its already established EDM roster, the newly-formed network will be charged with breaking emerging EMI artists, including Eric Prydz (U.K.), Nervo (U.S.), Goldfish (the Netherlands), Sebjak (Sweden) and Wally Lopez (Spain). The EMI Dance Network will also incorporate releases from the U.K.-based
Positiva label, which was first launched by EMI in 1993 to capitalize on what was then a predominantly European-only dance scene. Artists signed to Positiva, which was set up by former XL Recordings co-founder Nick Halkes, have included Erick Morillo, David Guetta, Axwell and Paul van Dyk.
"EMI has long been home to some of the most innovative and successful artists in dance music and given our incredibly strong dance roster and our global rights approach we've been looking at how we can best serve our electronic music artists going forward," said Bart Cools in a statement.
"By taking our existing expertise in dance music and creating a new global structure we can ensure that our artists are working with people who are the experts in the genre, who have an unrivalled track record of success, and know how to take full advantage of the ever growing opportunities for dance music around the world," Cools went on to say.
