Cover MW28.09.12_v1_cover template 25/09/2012 09:28 Page 1 39 9776669776136 THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC www.musicweek.com 28.09.12 £5.15 IML_v1_Layout 1 23/09/2012 20:36 Page 1 CoverV4_cover template 25/09/2012 17:10 Page 1 39 9776669776136 THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC www.musicweek.com 28.09.12 £5.15 NEWS BIGINTERVIEW FEATURE 02 10 19 All the nominees Music Week looks back revealed for the Guy Moot on the future on 20 years of Later AIM Awards 2012 of Sony/ATV/EMI With Jools Holland MERGERS GRAINGE DELIGHTED DESPITE LOSING COLDPLAY, BOWIE purchase EMI cast-offs – so I BY TIM INGHAM long as they backed the merger. AND PINK FLOYD • ‘INDIES WILL RUE IMPALA REJECTION’ Despite more than 50% of ne of the most iconic IMPALA’s board members labels in history has On board: Grainge (right) voting in favour of discussions now manages Robbie O slipped through his Williams’ catalogue - with Grainge, the trade body grasp – but Lucian Grainge says as well as the star’s rejected his approach. current contract he’s over the moon with “Whatever statements you Universal’s final haul as the EMI see from any of the groups that takeover saga comes to a close. opposed this deal, I have worked UMG’s £1.2bn acquisition of tirelessly with many of them to EMI was finally approved by actually find solutions for the European and US regulators last industry,” he said. week, but not without hefty “There’s been an enormous divestments. The EC ordered amount of the entrepreneurial Universal to sell the Parlophone independent community that label as well as EMI’s Pink Floyd have wanted to work with us and David Bowie catalogues – and felt very positive about plus EMI’s 50% stake in the this – they’re the people we’re in Now! compilation series. contact with and that we hope However, UMG held on to to continue to work with. golden assets including The “The IMPALA offer] was a Beatles, Beach Boys and Robbie proposal that was put to their Williams catalogues, as well as trade bodies at that time. I think the Virgin and Capitol labels. that they will regret that we Other new additions to the weren’t able to come together. UMG fold include Abbey Road History will show that [offer] Studios in the UK, which was a moment that existed and Grainge has pledged to keep that passed.” open, and the famous Capitol Grainge indicated that he Records Tower in Hollywood. No regrets would make no attempt to avoid Universal Music CEO and selling assets to great rivals Sony chairman Grainge claimed that how much UMG would have to He added: “We can rebuild of EMI, to rebuild it and to or Warner Music. He said: “As the sold-off assets would amount shed, Grainge told Music Week: “I Capitol Records in Hollywood bring back Capitol and Virgin far as I’m concerned, I hope that to just 10% of UMG/EMI’s would do this all over again, time into the powerhouse that it was with investment, new people [Parlophone] goes to a company combined revenues. He added and time again every year. We’ve in a previous era. When you talk and excitement.” that will manage it well and do that a £100m cost savings plan acquired two-thirds of EMI and about the two or three iconic Earlier this year, Grainge good things for its artists, while will still go ahead after wholly-owned businesses in three label brands in the United wrote to European indie label at the same time satisfying our divestments have been sold. of the top markets: America, States, Capitol is one of them. group IMPALA offering needs on a financial criteria.” When asked if he would bid Japan and Germany. They’re “This has given Universal the members first dibs on assets – I The independent label for EMI again now he knew completely intact.” opportunity to halt the decline and a potential fund to help community reacts: Page 3 Lucian in the sky as Beatles’ value revealed The Beatles’ worth to Universal The business logic of that the Official Charts Company – millennium No.1 in the US. has been spelt out by new Music stand is today underlined by a despite the band not having Universal’s takeover of The Week research naming the Music Week study of The Beatles’ recorded together as an active Beatles’ catalogue comes just group as one of the biggest- recorded music sales since 2000, unit for 43 years. ahead of the 50th anniversary of selling acts this century. which reveals they are this The continuing commercial the release of the band’s first Universal made a point of century’s sixth most successful might of The Beatles is also felt single Love Me Do in the UK on extracting The Beatles as a albums act in the UK. overseas with their compilation October 5. I band and as solo acts from its In this period they have sold 1 the century’s biggest-selling See Music Week’s Beatles EMI concessions last week. 8.2 million albums, according to album globally. It is also the post- analysis on pages 14 and 15 02-03 NEWSV5_News and Playlists 25/09/2012 18:39 Page 2 2 Music Week 06.08.11 www.musicweek.com NEWS BAND UP FOR THREE GONGS - ALABAMA SHAKES, EDITORIAL FRANK TURNER AND MADNESS IN FOR TWO EACH Meet Lucian Grainge: Enter Shikari rule AIM the 2012 music industry’s official rep Awards nominations Lucian Grainge’s professional history does not paint a portrait of a AWARDS one but three awards. Even if ceremony will be hosted by BBC man who ever wanted to be sweating over billion pound buyouts. I BY TIM INGHAM we end up walking away Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and Grainge didn’t learn his business acumen on an MBA. He didn’t with no actual awards, it was BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq. get his break thanks to a buddy at the UKTI. And he didn’t - to IM has nice that the independent CEO of AIM Alison quote Doug Morris’s beautifully sardonic compliment - become “a announced world thought of us enough Wenham said of the awards: “We killer shark behind little glasses” under the tutelage of sharp- A the full category to nominate us. Bring it on.” have doubled capacity for this suited City boys. shortlists for the second AIM Madness said “Just when we year’s ‘Most Difficult Second Grainge was a Clash fan who believed he loved music enough Independent Music Awards. thought we couldn’t top the AIM Awards’ and the to become a stellar A&R exec. When he decided to call every Enter Shikari lead the pack Jubilee and The Olympics along nominations are once again record company in the industry to badger for a job in the late with a total of three nominations come two nominations from outstanding. These awards will Seventies, it was Music Week, not Forbes, to which he turned. for Best Live Act, Hardest AIM to knock our socks off.” recognise another great year for As it transpired, he was - to use language every bit as Working Band and Independent The Awards also feature independents’ creativity and dramatically downplayed as that of breakaway indies currently Album of the Year for their third nominations for some of the ingenuity, with Ninja Tune and salivating over divestments - not bad at his job. Those taking pot album A Flash Flood of Colour. scene’s less well-known and Xtra Mile leading the shots at Lucian The Cold-Blooded Suit this week would do well to Alabama Shakes are nominated newer artists including Django nominations list. The companies remember that his commitment brought Amy Winehouse to a for Independent Breakthrough Django, Alt-J, Grimes, Poliça, and artists are all so special they wide audience. His first signing? Hold tight, indie detractors, this Of The Year and Independent First Aid Kit, Skinny Lister, should all get a medal, but a one may sting: the achingly hip Psychedelic Furs. Album Of The Year for their Rustie, Liars, Future of the Left, decent three course meal and an album, Boys & Girls. The Invisible and Amon Tobin. evening spent amongst friends is “Can Grainge prove to a scrutinous Vivendi that a Frank Turner picks up two Eleven of the Awards’ a prize in itself.” nominations for Best Live Act categories are voted for by an With Edwyn Collins and numerically short but culturally bumper list of and Hardest Working Act, whilst expert panel of judges from Mute’s Daniel Miller already assets was worth the princely sum of £1.2bn?” Madness clock up nominations across the music industry and a announced as recipients of the for PPL Award For Most Played further three categories are voted Outstanding Contribution To But with success comes higher expectations, and mutating Independent Act and the Special for by the public. Music Award and the Pioneer business responsibility. Just as Grainge has alchemised the Catalogue Release Of The Year. Taking place on October 29 Award respectively, the rest of the superstar dream into reality for the artists he venerates (even by Enter Shikari said: “It’s an 2012 at The Brewery in winners will be unveiled striking industry-leading deals with Apple, Spotify etc.), he has honour to be nominated for not Clerkenwell, London, the exclusively at the ceremony. increasingly become the personification of Vivendi’s corporate ambition in music. He has shown himself to be ruthless and visionary; no longer judged on the acts he signs, but by the harsh AIM INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES 2012 metric of the stock exchange.