Central Station Records enters the label services game after ARIA #1 [exclusive]

Everything’s coming up roses for one of Australia’s longest-running indie labels.

Central Station Records (CSR) has announced a new label services division and a number of internal promotions and new hires, TMN can exclusively reveal.

With feet on the ground in Australia, Europe and North America, CSR says its new venture will help local talent to “break globally and get paid”.

Specialising in electronic, pop and hip hop, CSR is taking a full-service approach to the services business, with distribution, marketing, promo, accounting, royalty collection and music licensing.

Under the leadership of Jamie Raeburn, CSR has been on an uninterrupted winning streak of late, working records for major labels Universal and Sony and its direct-signed roster.

With a #1 hit on the ARIA Singles Chart this week (Imanbek remix of SAINt JHN’s ‘Roses’), the indie outfit is ready to hit replay on that success for local artists.

“The last time we had a single with such a speedy accession to the top was nearly a decade back (Qwote with Lucenzo ‘Throw your Hands Up’),” Raeburn told TMN.

“A good friend called Wolfgang (B1/Sony UK) played me the track in a busy bar at ADE, Amsterdam, and while it was damn instant and we picked it up on the spot, I’d be lying if I thought we’d be #1 six months later.”

‘Roses’ has skyrocketed up all the charts that count following an extensive radio and TV campaign led by the newly-promoted head of PR, Amanda Jenkins, and is now certified-Platinum.

“Great execution from the CSR team to get it across the line. Really can’t thank Apple & Spotify enough for taking a gamble on a track that doesn’t instantly shout pop playlists,” added Raeburn.

The Brooklyn rapper has simultaneously hit #1 on the Spotify Top 200, #1 on the Apple Music Top 100, #1 on Shazam and #15 on last week’s TMN Hot 100 airplay chart.

“It is so exciting for the whole CSR team to have achieved this result,” Jenkins told TMN, “not something that happens every day for an indie, so definitely quite special.

“Really can’t go past the phenomenal support of our radio partners across Nova, Hit, The Edge, Grant, ACE Networks for getting onto it so quickly.

“Although we are unable to celebrate together just yet, I know it will be a big one when we can!”

German producer Topic is also #6 on the global Shazam chart this week with new single ‘Breaking Me’, which also jumped 100+ spots on the global Spotify chart last week.

Jenkins and the CSR team are also working ‘Arms Around Me’, the latest single from homegrown Starley, with radio additions from Hit, Nova, Grant, Capital and ACE networks in recent weeks.

With offices in both Sydney and Melbourne, the label has also expanded. Former Sony and Onelove staffer Matt Nugent has joined CSR as general manager.

Nugent started his career at a Central record store, followed by management roles at labels Sony and Onelove, and coming full circle to lead the new-look CSR team.

Saskia Wass has taken on the role of promotions & publicity Manager, Olivia Abbott joins the team as label coordinator, Ryan Harper joins Archies Magliulo’s A&R team, while Michael McCaskill will lead marketing and digital after five years at Ministry of Sound with head designer, Peter Combes.