All of the Clay Nation has been celebrating the announcement that Clay Aiken has signed with Universal Music’s Decca Recordings. According to their site, the Universal Music Group is the world’s leading music company and has operations in 77 countries throughout the world. This is where Clay Aiken belongs.
If you are interested in reading an overview of the company or learn more about its history, you can read at the Home page for Universal Music Group or visit Clay, the Man. I am more interested in the future and what Decca will do to help Clay Aiken.
One of the biggest problems for all the major Music groups has to do with digital music distribution. In the past few years, the sale of CD’s has dropped significantly because people are downloading songs from the internet. Some still go to illegal sites to download for free, but most visit sites like I-Tunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, and Wal Mart to download their favorite songs. This practice has eaten into the profits of the music labels and they have been struggling to find a solution.
Universal Music Group Distribution is the sales and marketing division of Universal Music Group. On July 9th, 2009, they entered into a strategic alliance with TuneCore, a leading digital music distribution company.
As part of this agreement, TuneCore will provide and host distribution sites for UMG’s labels as well as partner labels and artists. TuneCore allows artists to sell their music directly to fans through major on-line stores.
Jim Urie is the President and CEO of Universal Music Group Distribution. In July, he said the following about this new alliance:
“Our agreement with TuneCore highlights UMGD’s commitment to a strong sales philosophy and long-term artist development. UMGD is uniquely positioned to provide the most flexible and comprehensive digital and physical distribution, sales and marketing services in the industry, all of which results in more profitable opportunities for both our labels and our artists.”
“Honestly, Universal is one of the most forward thinking record labels on the planet,” commented Mr. Price who is the founder and CEO of TuneCore. “With this deal UMGD has truly changed the rules and the major label model by providing true choice for a musician.”
The following two paragraphs are from the Universal Music Group Website under news. Their explanation of the two companies is precise and easy to understand.
About Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is the world’s leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry’s leading global music publishing operation.
Universal Music Group\’s record labels include Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino, Universal Records South, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world\’s most popular artists and their recordings. UMG\’s catalog is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division; and Helter Skelter, its live music agency.
Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.
About TuneCore
TuneCore is a low, flat fee service that distributes music to iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody and many other major download and streaming sites while taking no rights and no revenue from the sale of the music. Artists are building careers, selling significant volumes of music and generating revenue through TuneCore. Since its launch in 2006, TuneCore has distributed tens of thousands of albums and millions of songs to iTunes and other digital stores by Grammy winners and unsigned artists alike. TuneCore artists include Drake, Beck, Jay-Z, Aretha Franklin, Keith Richards, Public Enemy, Nine Inch Nails, Ricky Skaggs, Paul Westerberg, MGM Studios, Warren G, Bjork, Moby, High School Musical cast members, Ali Lohan, Cirque Du Soleil, Starbucks and tens of thousands more. TuneCore currently distributes between 150 – 250 release a day (more music is released in one day via TuneCore than any major record label over a year) and recently expanded its offering to distribute full-length films, TV shows, live concerts, documentaries etc to iTunes and more.
Deals like this show that UMG is looking to the future and ready to support their artists in many ways. That sounds like the kind of company that is a good fit for Clay Aiken.
We'd love to work with you, Clay, as we have for more than half a million songs already in iTunes. You've got the fame and worked really hard to get it, take the next step!
Thanks very much for the mention. Our new relationship with Universal is just the beginning. We want the world to have the same chance you did, to get heard, and go as far as their talent and hard work will take them, without anyone claiming a cut or taking ownership of their music.
Thanks again. If you or any of your readers have any questions, feel free to write me!
–Peter
peter@tunecore.com
This is so exciting, and it really does sound like a great fit for Clay.
Thanks Musicfan for all the information on Universal/Decca…this sounds so much more hopeful than the last label….. It feels right!!!!!
I’m pumped!!!!! and more than anything..I am happy that Clay got to tell his fans first before anyone stole that from him.
Hugs,
Judy
Musicfan, thank you for the clear info on UMGD. Universal Music looks like a winner, a perfect match for Clay Aiken!
Thank you too, for having a link to Clay the Man in your article, that is some cool 🙂
I’m still on a high from the news yesterday, what am I going to be like when a tour is announced!
A happy day to everyone!
Ashes
You know, I really do think you are right and Decca is a good fit for Clay Aiken. I am so excited for, as I saw it coined by a fan somewhere else, “the Decca years”. Perfect.
At last!!!
Universal/Decca seems to be the perfect fit for Clay. They have some of the most diverse artists listed on their site. People who have class…just like Clay.
I am still so pumped from the news yesterday..I feel like I drank 2 pots of coffee this morning. Come to think of it, I think I did drink l pot of coffee. LOL!!!! Can’t wait to get that CD in my hot little hands…and a Tour…O.M.G. Can you tell I am excited?
Thanks for all the information about UMG!! I do believe Clay Aiken has found a good home – they seem to care about the artist (gosh, what a novel concept)
You go Clay!!! Can’t WAIT to hear what you have in store for us next!!!
Go Go Clay!! New Music ……. WoW!! With that voice, it can only be an amazing and wonderful album … we are waiting….
The fit is right—-that is so true. This is the perfect label for CLay. He is just what international fans want to hear and they are HUGE overseas. Way to go Clay. Maybe he will even tour internationally. That would be so awesome.
Wow good news. I cannot wait to be 2010. This is just the beggining for our great voice “Clay Aiken” Thank you.
Finally, a label that seems to be the one! Thanks for the info.
Wonderful news for Clay and his fans!
Love this blogsite – thank you!!
Clay Aiken + New Label + New CD in 2010 = Happy Fans!!!
That is a very informative read! Thanks so much for the detailed research that you did. I also believe that this is going to be a great fit for Clay Aiken!!!
This is great news for Clay and his
fans; he has an amazing range vocally
and has taken upon himself to give
the time and money for not only his
charity but UNICEF as well as many
other endeavors which I support.
Excellent news, he will fit perfectly
into the Decca/Universal stable – I
will him all the success he deserves.
Very informative blog. We are all learning a lot about Universal, Clay Aiken’s new home.
Thanks for the great Clay Aiken blog!
So happy for us and Clay! Can’t wait for new music.
Lots of good info on DECCA. Hope it is truly a match made in heaven. Can’t wait for kick ass new music!!
At last! A new label that will hopefully promote and support Clay Aiken the way he was meant to be. Decca sounds like a perfect match for him and his musical prowess.
I can hardly wait for this new CD. And, my goodness, can a tour be far behind?! I’m so hoping for one – this guy absolutely kills in concert!
I love that Peter Wells of TuneScore commented. Nice to have him in your readership, no?
Musicfan, we’re movin’ on up! Great article and even greater responses. I think we are in for the ride of our lives. 🙂
Great article Musicfan. I learn so much here. I am just soooooooo pumped for new Clay Aiken music I can’t wait. He had better get his touring pants ready!!
Decca certainly does sound like a good fit for Clay. I am looking forward to what is to come for us and Clay Aiken.
I can’t wait for Clay’s next cd !!!
Musicfan- Thanks so much for the informative blog. I too think this is a great label for Clay to be with. They have such varied artists and I think the opportunities will be far greater for Clay here. I am very pleased and I hope Clay is too-I hope he got all he asked for and more.
Best news–such a smart move for Clay. Not surprised–he is a smart and talented man.
YAY! This is the best news ever. Your international fans are all still here….patiently waiting for a break through! Pray that Decca will promote your new CD extensively across the globe because your beautiful voice really needs to be heard by more people.
Our prayers for an international tour may come true too 🙂
Thanks so much for a really informative article. Decca/Universal and TuneCore sound like such a great match for the Clay. Really excited about the future!
Im really glad for Clay, but I think the real test will be if Decca can get his music heard. All of his fans will buy his CD, but its getting ‘non-fan’s to hear it which will make the difference. I hope we get to hear some Clay on the radio this time around.
Thank you, Musicfan! Wow, what great news this is! I’m so glad it’s Decca, and that Universal is the parent co. With its worldwide market, out-of-the-box thinking (thanks for info on that, too), joint venture with Google, etc., Universal looks so exciting and so right for our guy!! And yes, even though it’s all downloads, internet, and iPod/MP3 players now, rather than disks and radioplay, I do hope that his CD sales go international, and his tours too, his faithful overseas fans deserve that.
I agree..if Clay is promoted by radio and sings a kick-ass song..something upbeat..people will get to know the real. talent of Clay.RCA didn’t even promote his last CD.OMWH was a really good CD but unless the public(besides his fans )know about it how are people going to know what a great voice he has. I went to Clay’s JBT and I couldn’t beleive how well he could sing anything..from Elvis, Jerry lee Lewis,James Taylor…Clay is not a one trick pony.Not only has he’s got the chops but he is also very entertaining. I think Clay should be reintroduced to the public. RCA put him in a box..the next Manilow…Clay is too talented to be a niche singer. Hopefully Decca will know how to promote Clay’s talent.