SONY MUSIC AND ALBERTS RE-SIGN LONG TERM LABEL DEAL

Sony Music Entertainment Australia has renewed its label deal with iconic Australian music rights management company Alberts.  Sony Music will continue to work with Alberts on the release of its label artists in a long term deal for Australia and New Zealand.

 

Alberts manages the music publishing rights of established and developing creatives including the works of AC/DC, Vanda & Young, Wally DeBacker (Gotye), Megan Washington, writer/producer Lee Groves, plus up-and-comers Hungry Kids of Hungary and San Cisco.  Aside from publishing, the company’s record label has been at the forefront of the Australian music industry since the 1960s, recording and releasing a string of artists including AC/DC, The Easybeats, John Paul Young, Ted Mulry Gang, Rose Tattoo and the Angels.  Over the years, Alberts’ writers and artists have been recognised with numerous local (APRA and ARIA) and international awards.

 

Since the label deal was initially signed in 2006, Sony Music and Alberts have achieved approximately 2 million units in Australia and New Zealand. Alberts’ partnership with Sony Music delivered one of the biggest Australian artist albums of the decade with AC/DC‘s BLACK ICE, which topped the chart immediately in October 2008 and went on to achieve seven times platinum sales in Australia alone.

 

The re-signing of the deal occurred on the release date of AC/DC’s LIVE AT RIVER PLATE album – the band’s first live album release in 20 years. Three days later, AC/DC made another massive announcement with the news that the band’s entire catalogue was made available digitally for the first time exclusively on the iTunes Store.  From their 1976 international debut HIGH VOLTAGE to the seminal classic BACK IN BLACK, every one of AC/DC’s 16 international studio albums, along with four live albums, including LIVE AT RIVER PLATE and three compilation albums, are now exclusively available and Mastered for iTunes for the very first time.

 

Denis Handlin AM, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Australia & New Zealand and President, Asia, Sony Music Entertainment on the re-signing, said “Alberts’ contribution to the Australian music industry cannot be overstated.  They really are pioneers of the industry and we are delighted that the new deal coincides with the release of Live At River Plate and the launch of AC/DC’s catalogue on iTunes.

All of us at Sony Music are incredibly excited to continue our outstanding partnership with David and his team and taking it to new levels of success”.

 

David Albert, Managing Director, Alberts, said “At such a landmark time for AC/DC, it makes perfect sense for us at Alberts to extend our longstanding relationship with Denis and the Sony team.  The digital opportunities are huge and Sony is strategically well placed to help us make the most of them

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