EMI & Welk Partner

Videos by American Songwriter

As of June 30th, two of the world’s most innovative music groups – EMI and Welk Music Group – have officially agreed to work together non-exclusively in a you-scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch-yours sort of arrangement. EMI will help Welk Music artists sell records globally, and Welk Music will allow EMI complete access to its artists catalogue from the Vanguard, Sugar Hill and Ranwood Labels.

What exactly does this little agreement mean for these two companies? Well, through gaining access to an extensive catalogue of Welk Music Group’s artists, EMI will profit from having its name attached to these Welk artists. In return, EMI will be helping these prestigious Welk artists reach a broader – more global–audience. Welk Music is benefitting from EMI’s decision to aide in the distribution of their music, be it digitally or physically.

The agreement also allows Welk Music Group’s artists to use EMI’s vast array of services described by president Kevin Welk as a “unique, seamless, global reach” which translates to something along the lines of “more press, more publicity, more distribution” for Welk’s impressive line-up of artists. Ronn Werre, EMI’s Music President, said in an interview that “EMI Music’s aim is to provide world class services to artists and to bring great music to fans. Kevin Welk and his team have built an illustrious catalog and active artist roster, and we are thrilled to offer EMI’s global capabilities to them.”

Prior to this new development, EMI’s artists already included The Beatles, Coldplay, Hot Chip, and Pink Floyd and its branches included Astralwerks, Blue Note, Capitol, Mute and Virgin. Now, EMI will be joined by the artists of Vanguard Records, Sugar Hill Records and Ranwood Records which are all currently under the Welk Music Group. So you may soon be seeing artists like Joan Baez, Nickel Creek and The Watson Twins brandish a Welk Music Group flag in one hand and an EMI flag in the other. Mmmm, back scratches are nice.