Two local indies team-up to boost US presence
Image: MGM act The Jezabels
A team-up between two of Australia’s largest indie labels will see a greater presence of Aussie acts in North America.
Sydney-based global powerhouse MGM (Metropolitan Groove Merchants) will be distributing ABC Music acts through its two-year old office in Nashville.
Since 2014, MGM has released into the world’s largest music market, on physical and digital formats, acts including Twelve Foot Ninja, Gurrumul, The Church, The Drones, Citizen Kay, Closure in Moscow, Henry Wagons, The Vines, San Cisco, The Jezabels, Sticky Fingers and C.W. Stoneking.
MGM CEO Sebastian Chase, who founded the company to provide greater creative independence and DIY-inspired money making for Australian acts, said: “I am very pleased, proud and inspired by ABC Music having the courage and the foresight to support the initiative of an Australian independent distribution platform by partnering with us for North America and thus forming a symbiotic relationship that enables ABC Music to maintain direct access and control over their releases within that market, releasing what the label wants, when it wants, how it wants and as is required to best serve the career development and market strategy plan of each individual artist.”
Michael Chase, who runs the Nashville operations, commented, “We are very excited to be working with the team at ABC Music with a shared and passionate ambition for furthering Australian culture and innovation throughout the world.”
ABC Music’s Natalie Waller, said of the team-up, “I am thrilled with this new partnership which feels like the perfect home for our ABC Music artists in North America. MGM is a team that I have respected for many years and have watched them create great opportunities for Australian artists. I look forward to working together.”
The first of the ABC Music acts will be rolled out through the US and Canada over the next few months.
The announcement will be followed in coming months with news of upcoming ABC Music artist releases as projects and campaigns roll out across North America.