BMG integrates frontline and catalog recordings businesses

BMG announced that they are fully integrating the new publishing and cataloging businesses.

In doing so, the company claims to have become the first global music company to abandon what it calls the “old-fashioned distinction in the industry” between new, ‘frontline’ and new records. write older i.e. ‘category’.

Historically, the industry has defined ‘frontline’ as any release under 18 months old, while ‘catalog’ counts as any track older than 18 months.

BMG says that the move reflects “the new reality of the streaming market, where older catalog recordings account for three-quarters of revenue.”

With immediate effect, BMG says its recorded catalog will now report locally by country of origin and then globally through EVP Global Repertoire Fred Casimir for all outside sales. ownership territory. This is the same structure the company uses for new records aka ‘frontline’.

BMG’s recording portfolio includes recordings by artists including Black Sabbath, The Kinks, Motörhead, Rick Astley, Mötley Crüe, Kylie Minogue, Chris Rea and Nick Cave among others.

“Music is music regardless of age. Great artists and great music have no shelf life and we believe it’s time for the music industry to reflect that.”

Hartwig Masuch

According to BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch, “music fans demonstrate every day that they reject the music industry’s old-fashioned privilege of new music over old music”.

He added: “Music is ageless music. Great artists and great music have no shelf life and we believe it’s time for the music industry to reflect that.”

This change means that Casimir will now lead a team of around 90 people responsible for marketing the records around the world.

“There is no big secret to BMG’s success. It’s about meeting the needs of artists and adapting to the realities of the streaming world.”

Fred Casimir, BMG

Casimir first joined the new BMG in 2009 as CEO of BMG Germany from his sister Bertelsmann company FremantleMedia, where he is responsible for all music-related businesses throughout Europe.

He became EVP Continental Europe in 2012, EVP Global Recordings and President of Continental Europe in 2018, before taking on his current role as EVP Global Repertoire in 2019.

International success stories under Casimir’s leadership include projects by Louis Tomlinson, 5SOS, Lenny Kravitz, Katie Melua, Conkarah, Bryan Adams, Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue and LP, as well as business growth BMG’s films include David Bowie’s documentary Moonage Daydream and the acclaimed Lewis Capaldi documentary Lewis Capaldi: How I Feel Now, currently streaming on Netflix.

Fred Casimir said: “There is no great secret to success for BMG. It’s about meeting the artist’s needs and adapting to the realities of the streaming world.

“Successful music catalogs deserve the same effort, commitment, and passion as newer records. I am delighted to accept the responsibility of marketing BMG’s recorded portfolio.”

Announcing the news in a note to BMG employees, CEO Hartwig Masuch wrote: “BMG was the first music company to realize that in the streaming environment, old music will be relatively more important than it is. before. This is evidenced by market statistics that show a new release front-line business down to 30% or less in streaming consumption.

“That’s why we’ve invested so much in the classic repertoire and why the majority of our top new releases are by established and proven artists.

“But so far, we have always followed the industry practice of having a separate global reporting line for portfolio records rather than the front line.

“This has now changed. With immediate effect, the recorded catalog is now reported locally by its country of origin and then globally through EVP Global Repertoire Fred Casimir for all sales outside of its territory. possess.

Masuch added: “This marks a significant expansion of Fred’s responsibilities and reflects the success of the global frontline marketing team he founded in 2018. Additionally, he now has will be responsible for the global and global catalog marketing team based in London. licensing center.

“It also means that on a local level, our repertoire leaders – Thomas Scherer of LA, Alistair Norbury in London, etc – will be the only player in the music industry to oversee music publishing as well as catalog and frontline recordings in their local territory.

“This helps with our long-term plan to create the world’s first fully integrated music company, which empowers local leaders, shortens reporting times and helping us respond faster to our artist and musician customers.”

“Congratulations to Fred and all of our repertoire and marketing teams who continue to do such great work.”Global Music Business