Sony Music Australia picks up Rostrum Records

Sony Music Australia has picked up distribution for high flying US indie label and management company Rostrum Records.

Based in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Rostrum has sold 9 million singles and almost a million albums through signings as Wiz Khalifa, rapper Mac Miller (who left the label last year) and hip hop-rock fusion act Mod Sun (pictured).

It was set up in 2003 by Benjy Grinberg, its President, who began in the biz as assistant to Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid. It had early success when Khalifa’s debut Rolling Papers went to #2 in the US and Miller’s Blue Slide Park became the first independent since 1995 to top the Billboard 200.

Denis Handlin AM, Chairman & CEO Australia & New Zealand and President Asia, Sony Music Entertainment said of the signing, “We are delighted to have Rostrum Records as part of the Sony Music family.

“Under the excellent leadership of Benjy Grinberg, they have built up a brilliant roster of artists since starting over a decade ago with Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller and Mod Sun. We are truly excited to team up with a label that has tremendous vision and we look forward to building a great partnership together”.

Grinberg added, “Rostrum is very excited to partner with Sony in Australia, New Zealand, SE Asia and China. We are passionate about our artists and want them to have the best support possible. The dedication and drive of the Sony team is exactly what we were looking for to help us further our artists' careers in that region.

“We are also looking forward to working closely with Denis Handlin, whose guidance and expertise will help us grow and allow our artists to flourish internationally.”

The first Australian release through the deal is Look Up, the debut album from LA based Mod Sun which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart.

The Minnesota native began touring in bands in his mid-teens including Four Letter Lie. His “hippy-hop” and positive vibes approach (“You’ll never be lonely if you love the person you’re alone with”) built up through six mixtapes, three EPs and collaborations with ScHoolboy Q, Nipsey Hussle, and G-Eazy.

Other acts on Rostrum include LA indie pop duo the bird and the bee, mysterious Chicago MC / group Goodbye Tomorrow, New York City urban pop Vali, beat maker Boaz, indie rock trio Donora and alt-pop duo TeamMate.