UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP AND GLASSNOTE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP ANNOUNCE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

SANTA MONICA, Calif. and NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group (UMG), the world's leading music company, and Glassnote Entertainment Group, the renowned independent music company founded by music industry veteran Daniel Glass, today announced that they have signed an agreement under which UMG will become the exclusive worldwide distributor of Glassnote's recordings (excluding Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), effective March 1, 2014.  The multi-year agreement will enable Glassnote's extraordinary roster of talent – including Childish Gambino, CHVRCHES, Mumford & Sons, Two Door Cinema Club and Phoenix, among others – to leverage UMG's industry-leading global resources and expertise in physical and digital distribution. Specifically, in the U.S., Glassnote will be distributed by UMG's distribution unit (UMGD), and outside the U.S. (excluding Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), Glassnote will be distributed by Caroline, UMG's independent distribution arm.  Glassnote will continue its pre-existing relationship with UMG in Canada. International releases for Mumford & Sons and CHVRCHES will continue to be handled by UMG's Island Records UK and Virgin EMI UK, respectively, to which the artist are signed directly.

Glassnote also announced the launch of its affiliate company Resolved.  Resolved is a multi-faceted company designed to offer individualized support and services to entertainment entrepreneurs, emerging producers and independent labels.  Resolved, which will also be distributed by UMG, will provide resources, both financial and creative, marketing and operational support, mentorship and strategic guidance to these entrepreneurs with the goal of helping them grow their businesses creatively and commercially. 

Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of UMG, said, "As a company that places entrepreneurs at the center of our business, we are particularly pleased to welcome Glassnote and Resolved to the Universal Music family.  Daniel Glass is, quite simply, one of the most successful label entrepreneurs of the last decade.  He represents the kind of innovation and creativity that defines who we are and who we aspire to be as an organization, and we're looking forward to many years of collaboration and growth together."

Daniel Glass, President and Founder of Glassnote Entertainment Group, states, "We are honored and excited to embark on this new journey with Universal. Lucian understood our vision from the start and his embrace of passionate, creative, entrepreneurs makes Universal the perfect home for our companies."

This agreement builds upon the existing relationship between Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and Insieme Music Publishing, Glassnote's affiliate publishing company, under which UMPG serves as the exclusive administrator of Insieme's songs from Cara Salimando, Robert DeLong, Deap Vally, GIVERS, Oberhofer, Half Moon Run, HOLYCHILD and Jeremy Messersmith, among others.   UMPG also has direct publishing agreements with a number of Glassnote's artists including Mumford & Sons, CHVRCHES, Childish Gambino and Daughter.

About Glassnote Entertainment Group

Glassnote Entertainment Group is a full service Artist-centric independent music company based in New York City founded in 2007 by Daniel Glass. With its communal spirit, exquisite mix of Artists and musically driven management team, Glassnote is proud that its commitment to true Artist development is proving successful. Glassnote is home to Grammy Award winning Phoenix, Grammy Award winning and multi-platinum selling Mumford & Sons, The Temper Trap, Two Door Cinema Club, GIVERS, Childish Gambino, Oberhofer, Daughter, Robert DeLong, Little Green Cars, CHVRCHES, Jeremy Messersmith, Foy Vance, Half Moon Run, Justin Nozuka, Flight Facilities, Panama Wedding, HOLYCHILD and Flo Morrissey.

In 2011, Rolling Stone magazine named Glassnote "Best Indie Label," and Glassnote Records won the 'Label of the Year' A2IM Libby Award in 2013. Glassnote Artists have been nominated for numerous awards including GRAMMYs, MTV VMAs, The BET Awards, The mtvU Woodies, The Americana Music Awards, A2IM Libera Awards, NME Awards, Meteor Choice Music Prize, Northern Ireland Music Prize, Le Victoires de La Musique, and the American Music Awards.  www.glassnotemusic.com

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the global music leader, with wholly owned operations in 60 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's premier music publishing operations worldwide. 

Universal Music Group's labels include A&M Records, Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note Records, Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol Records, Capitol Records Nashville, Caroline, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, EMI Records Nashville, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Harvest, Interscope Records, Island Records, Machete Music, Manhattan, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Polydor Records, Republic Records, Universal Music Latino, Verve Music Group, Virgin Records, Virgin EMI Records, as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes Global Digital Business, its new media and technologies division and Bravado, its merchandising company.

Universal Music Group is a fully owned subsidiary of Vivendi.

SOURCE Universal Music Group