interscope records
At the midyear point of 2023, Republic Records had put up a 12.46% current market share — defined as albums released in the past 18 months — which was a remarkable figure, and more than 4.5% higher than the second-largest label. Now, as 2023 has come to a close, Republic finished the year even higher, reaching an eye-popping 13.47% current market share for the year. That’s the highest full-year mark since at least 2015, when streaming began to lift the industry out of its post-CD doldrums, and more than 3% higher than its current share in 2022, which was a then-industry-leading 10.38%.
Republic’s high-water mark stems from a combination of both enduring releases dating back to the end of 2022 and massive albums from two of the biggest stars on the planet this year: Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen. For full-year 2023, Swift and Wallen (signed through Republic’s deal with Big Loud, which on its own commanded a 2.33% current share) combined for seven of the top 10 albums in U.S. consumption units, according to Luminate, including four of the top five. With Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains ranking at No. 10, Republic had an astonishing eight of the 10 biggest albums in the United States in 2023. And Republic’s fourth quarter was even more dominant: In the final three months of the year, the label’s current market share ballooned to 16.79%, buoyed by new albums from Drake, Nicki Minaj and Stray Kids. That’s higher than the current share of the entire Warner Music Group across that three-month period, which stood at 15.50%.
Following Republic — which includes Island, Big Loud, Mercury Records, Cash Money and indie distributor Imperial in its market share — Interscope Geffen A&M (IGA) came in second in current share, at 8.80%, up from the 8.72% it tallied in 2022. The label — which also encompasses Verve Label Group — scored another big success with Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album GUTS. It also saw critical acclaim for Verve’s Jon Batiste, once again a Grammy darling, and continued its extremely strong recent track record of breaking new artists, with Gracie Abrams up for best new artist at this year’s Grammys — a category the label has won in three of the past four years.
The success of Republic and IGA helped parent company Universal Music Group roar back to a 35.84% current market share for 2023, jumping two points year over year from 2022’s 33.57%. In second, Sony Music Entertainment also grew year over year, up to 27.08% from 2022’s 26.99%, while Warner Music Group dipped to 16.95%, down from last year’s 18.30%. The indies, by distribution ownership, accounted for 20.13% current market share, down from 21.14% in 2022.
In third and fourth place in current share among frontline labels are a pair of Warner Music Group labels, Atlantic Records (6.83%, down from 9.15% in 2022) and Warner Records (5.96%, up from 4.86% in 2022). Atlantic (encompassing 300 Elektra Entertainment), which dipped from second to third place year over year, scored a big win with the Barbie soundtrack as well as No. 1s from Lil Uzi Vert and Jack Harlow, despite a two-plus point percentage drop in current share. Meanwhile, Warner Records — which includes Warner Latin, catalog label Rhino and parts of Warner Nashville in its share — surged from sixth place last year to fourth place this year with a more than 1% boost. Zach Bryan’s self-titled album and No. 1 Hot 100 single “I Remember Everything” led the way, with Bryan landing at No. 4 on Billboard’s year-end Artist 100 ranking and his “Something in the Orange” being the third-most-streamed song of 2023.
In fifth, Capitol Music Group also saw a big year-over-year boost in current share, from 4.97% in 2022 to 5.90% in 2023. The label — which remains in fifth place despite the jump in share and encompasses Motown/Quality Control, Blue Note, Astralwerks, Capitol Christian and indie distributor Virgin Music — enjoyed the breakout success of Ice Spice (signed in conjunction with 10K Projects) in the past year as well as a top 10 Hot 100 single from Toosii.
Sixth place in current share belongs to RCA Records at 4.70%, a one-spot jump over last year when it came in with 4.65%. The label, whose market share does not include any other labels or distributors, benefited from the enduring success of SZA’s multi-Grammy nominated S.O.S. album, the third-biggest project of 2023, as well as huge hits from Doja Cat, Tate McCrae and Ateez, the latter of which landed a No. 1 album in the fourth quarter. Dropping into seventh is Columbia at 4.67% of current share, down from fourth in 2022 when it had a 6.67% share. Columbia, which includes some labels from indie distributor RED in its market share, still racked up a big hit with Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” which spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 this year on its way to becoming the fourth-most-streamed song of 2023 and the most-heard song on radio in the United States, according to Luminate.
In eighth, Sony Nashville jumped a half percentage point year over year to 2.32% from 1.89% last year, with a big Luke Combs album helping it rise one spot from last year’s ranking. Meanwhile, Sony’s Epic Records slipped to ninth year over year, despite boosting its current share from 2.23% in 2022 to 2.30% in 2023 and scoring a pair of big projects from Travis Scott — whose Utopia album was the seventh-biggest of 2023, according to Luminate — and Tyla with “Water,” which roared into the Hot 100’s top 10 late in the year. Rounding out the top 10 is yet another Sony label, Sony Latin, which also had a huge year, upping its current share from 1.24% in 2022 to an impressive 1.95% in 2023.
In overall market share, Republic’s dominance with newer releases lifted it to the No. 1 slot over IGA, 9.83% to 9.65%, despite the latter’s industry-leading 9.93% share of the catalog market. Atlantic, at 8.09%, sits comfortably in third, while Warner Records and Capitol Music Group are neck-and-neck in fourth and fifth, with 6.68% and 6.66% overall share, respectively, with their catalog shares tied at 6.92%. Columbia’s 6.65% catalog share is enough to lift it into sixth in overall share, ahead of RCA, with the two separated at 6.14% and 5.16%, respectively, in overall share. Epic (2.61%), Sony Nashville (2.05%) and Def Jam (1.84%) round out the overall top 10 rankings.
Among the label groups, the weight of catalog once again lifts all ships, with UMG jumping to an industry-leading 38.46% overall market share, up from 37.54% in 2022. Sony also saw an increase year over year, ending 2023 at 27.18%, up from 2022’s 26.87%, while Warner dipped slightly year over year, to 18.62% in overall share in 2023 compared to 19.05% in 2022. The indies by distribution ownership also fell, to 15.74% from 16.54% in 2022.
Afterlife, the house and techno label from longstanding Italian electronic duo Tale Of Us, has entered a partnership with Interscope Records.
Per the terms of the deal, Interscope will distribute all Afterlife releases, including all past and future recordings. This includes the duo’s 2017 album, Endless, and singles dating back to 2011. The Afterlife catalog also includes releases from a fleet of house and techno artists including Argy, ANNA, CamelPhat, Cassian, Colyn, Kevin de Vries, Mathame, and Stephan Bodzin.
The first new release encompassed by the partnership is a collaborative track by Anyma — the solo project from the duo’s Matteo Milleri — and Grimes. This darkly spatial melodic house track, “Welcome To The Opera,” is out today (June 8.) Listen to it below.
As melodic house and techno has risen in popularity in the dance world over the past several years, so too has Tale Of Us’ profile risen into increasingly visible realms. The pair’s Afterlife show has been a huge draw in Ibiza since 2016, with the Afterlife residency launching again at the island’s mega-club Hï this month. Afterlife shows have happened in London, Berlin, Tulum and beyond, with three shows happening at The Brooklyn Mirage this September selling out in 30 minutes. The pair — Milleri and Carmine Conte — have been making music together since 2008 and are now based in Berlin. They signed with CAA last year.
“Interscope Records is a natural partner to help continue our vision and journey,” Milleri says in a statement.
“Over their tremendous careers as artists and label owners, Carmine and Matteo have helped shape dance music culture for an entire generation,” adds John Janick, chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M. “We are excited to collaborate with them to bring their music to an even larger global audience.”
“Carmine and Matteo have made their distinctive mark in music both as artists and as label owners,” says A&R executive Ryan Roy, who helped bring the duo to Interscope. “Working with them on all of their future recordings as well as with the amazing artists on Afterlife is a massive honor for us.”
Interscope is also home to fellow electronic artists including Zedd, DJ Snake, Prospa and Louis The Child. Upcoming Tale Of Us dates include the Hï residency, Italy’s Kappa Future Festival, Tomorrowland in Belgium and ARC Music Festival in Chicago.
After what sources describe as a lengthy negotiation, superstar Karol G has signed a record deal with Interscope Records, the Universal Music Group-owned label announced today (June 6). The new deal will see her leave her longtime home at Universal Music Latino, the label that signed her as a new artist nearly a decade ago and developed her into an international powerhouse, but will have her remain within the Universal family.
The Colombian star, who is managed by Noah Assad (Bad Bunny), was signed by Universal Music Latin Entertainment in 2016, and under them, she released her history-making set Mañana Será Bonito earlier this year. The 17-track set debuted atop the Billboard 200 becoming Karol’s first No. 1 on the tally and the chart’s first No. 1 all-Spanish-language album by a woman.
“Our partnership with Karol and her team dates back to the beginning of her career, and it has been a thrilling journey filled with incredible music,” said Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Group, in a statement. “She is simply one of the most exciting artists in popular music today and we’re honored she has chosen to deepen her partnership with UMG for many more years to come.”
“Karol G is without a doubt one of the most powerful, creative and dynamic artists in the world,” said John Janick, Chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records. “We are thrilled to welcome her into the IGA family.”
Interscope Executive Vice President Nir Seroussi who oversees the company’s Miami operation added: “Karol is one of the most talented, driven and astute artists with whom I’ve ever worked. She brings with her a world-class team in Noah Assad, Jessica Giraldo and Raymond Acosta, and we look forward to working with them to build upon Karol’s global legacy as an artist.”
Karol G’s move, from Latin label to mainstream label, is not all that common in the music world. While many stars who are signed to major labels release their music jointly between Latin and mainstream labels according to language –Shakira long released her English albums on Epic and her Spanish language albums on via Sony Music Latin, for example, and Enrique Iglesias released both on Interscope and Universal Music Latin– Karol G will fall entirely under Interscope’s purview.
“John, Nir and the entire team at Interscope have built the only platform of its kind which will enable Karol to serve her current fanbase while continuing to grow her audience around the world,” said Assad about Karol G’s new deal. “We’re excited to get started with everyone at Interscope.”
Karol G’s tenure at Universal Music Latino was successful and steadily ascending. There, the “Tusa” singer became a force to be reckoned with and a leading lady in the male-dominated genre of reggaeton. To date, Karol G is one of only two women (the other being Selena Gomez) who’ve had No. 1 releases on the Top Latin Albums chart between 2020 and 2023 thanks to KG0516 (2021) and Mañana Será Bonito (2023). In March, Karol G jumped to No. 1 on Billboard‘s Latin Songwriters chart, becoming just the second woman — after Yahritza Martinez (Yahritza Y Su Esencia) — to rule the ranking.
Most recently, Karol G announced her very first-ever stadium trek in the United States. The Mañana Será Bonito Tour — produced by Live Nation — is set to kick off on Aug. 11 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium and will visit Pasadena, Miami, Houston and Dallas, among other cities.
Last year, her arena $trip Love Tour became the highest grossing U.S. tour by a Latin woman in history. It grossed $69.9 million across 33 shows in North America — according to numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore — surpassing Jennifer Lopez’s $50 million grossing It’s My Party World Tour in 2019 and Shakira’s El Dorado World Tour, which grossed $28.2 million in 2018.
Before hitting the road for her stadium tour, Karol will become the first Spanish-language female artist to ever headline Lollapalooza in Chicago on Aug. 3.
“Mañana será bonito marked a new era for me that came with many unforgettable milestones,” said Karol G in a statement. “I’m continuously amazed at the support my fans give me, which motivates me to deliver the best of me, and I’m certain that this partnership with Interscope and their incredible team will help us continue building and making history. I’m thrilled to see what’s to come.”
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One of Kendrick Lamar’s most revered works is about to get a special release. Interscope Records is selling a limited edition vinyl of To Pimp A Butterfly.
As spotted on Digital Music News, the Compton, California MC’s third studio album is being brought to life like never before. Kendrick Lamar’s record label is releasing the project as a collectible. This week, Interscope unveiled the To Pimp A Butterfly by Lauren Halsey Gallery Vinyl. This version features a 11.5 x 11.5 inch gallery quality giclée printed cover by Lauren Halsey, fixed to a tan custom dyed linen wrapped vinyl jacket.
And to up the ante, the packaging is designed by Gucci and bears the iconic logo from the Italian luxury fashion house. The To Pimp A Butterfly by Lauren Halsey Gallery Vinyl release is limited to only 100 pieces and sells for $2,500 a piece.
This co-branded effort is part of Interscope Records’ ongoing limited-edition vinyl series “Interscope Reimagined” via NTWRK. Both entities will donate all the proceeds to the Iovine and Young Foundation in South Los Angeles, which is founded by record executive Jimmy Lovine and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young.
Earlier this year, it was confirmed that his most recent The Big Steppers Tour is now the highest earning concert series ever headlined by a rapper. The 73 show run sold 929,056 tickets and generated a whopping $110.9 million dollars.
You can shop Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly and more here.
Dr. Dre’s solo debut album, The Chronic, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a special re-release on Interscope Records and a return to streaming services after nearly a year away. “I am thrilled to bring The Chronic home to its original distribution partner, Interscope Records,” says Dre in a press release, adding that working with the label “to re-release the album and make it available to fans all over the world is a full circle moment for me.”
Steve Berman, vice chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M, expressed similar excitement, saying: “Dr. Dre is without a doubt one of the most iconic and groundbreaking artists in the modern era. He has also used his platform to fuel some very impactful philanthropic efforts that will ensure his legacy is felt for generations to come. Dre’s solo career all started with the The Chronic, one of the most celebrated recordings of all time. To have this album at Interscope once again where we work with Dre and his amazing team at Aftermath day in and day out is incredibly gratifying for me personally and all of us at Interscope.”
Earlier this month, Billboard reported that Dre sold his music assets to Universal Music and Shamrock Holdings for a deal estimated to be $200 million. According to sources, the assets include mainly passive income streams, such as artist royalties from two of his solo albums and his share of N.W.A. artist royalties; his producer royalties; and more. The Chronic had long been available on streaming services but was pulled, along with several other Death Row classics, after Snoop Dogg purchased the label early last year.
Considered one of the most storied albums in hip-hop, The Chronic had a splashy debut on the Billboard 200, entering the charts at No. 3. Released in 1992 on Death Row Records / Interscope, Dre’s magnum opus earned three Hot 100 top 40 hits, “most notably “Nothin’ But a “G” Thang,” which peaked at No. 2.
John Janick, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M, said: “From my first day at Interscope the significance of Dr. Dre as a foundational artist at this label was incredibly important to me. We take our responsibility to Dre and his amazing body of work very seriously and we are honored to work closely with him on this re-release of one of the most important albums of all time.”
Interscope Records has announced a partnership with RB Music, the regional Mexican indie label that’s home to Grupo Marca Registrada.
According to both companies, the alliance is an effort to “power” both the catalog and new music of the norteño-sierreño group that hails from Sinaloa. The first release under the venture is Marca’s new single “Puro Campeón,” a collab with corridos singer-songwriter Luis R. Conríquez that released on Friday (Oct. 14).
“From afar, I’ve admired what Ricardo Bobadilla and the entire RB Music team have done over the past few years,” says Nir Seroussi, executive vp at Interscope Records. “Their impact with Grupo Marca Registrada is game-changing. They catalyzed the group’s evolution from a local favorite to an international contender. Together, we have the collective and combined platform to launch Grupo Marca Registrada into the stratosphere.”
With more than 8 million monthly listeners on Spotify, three entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart this year (“Si Fuera Facil,” “Solo Me Dejaste” and “El Rescate” with Junior H), Grupo Marca Registrada has carved a lane for itself in regional Mexican collaborating with artists such as Grupo Firme and Gerardo Ortiz.
RB Music CEO/founder Ricardo Bobadilla added, “Music to me is a family business. When we were introduced to Nir and his team there was an instant family-like connection with their knowledge of our business and focus on quality, artistic creativity, and integrity. At RB Music, we have always done things our own way and on our own terms. But I knew I wanted to partner with Nir, as he approaches music with an independent spirit that we at RB Music identify with. In the end, I believe Interscope understands where we want to go and is willing to invest significant time and resources to get us there.”
The partnership between Interscope and RB is the latest example of major labels teaming up with indie regional Mexican labels companies. Most recently, Sony Music Latin teamed up with Rancho Humilde to support Fuerza Régida. Meanwhile, Warner Music Latina signed DannyLux via a partnership with the indie VPS Music.
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