Sony Music Entertainment Australia launches new distribution deal with Unified Music Group

Pictured - L-R: Denis Handlin AO, Chairman & CEO, Australia & New Zealand and President, Asia, Sony Music Entertainment; Rob Stringer, CEO, Sony Music Entertainment; Jaddan Comerford, CEO & Founder, UNIFIED Music Group

Sony Music Entertainment Australia this morning announced a new global distribution deal with UNIFIED Music Group.

The deal sees Sony Music Entertainment, along with its distribution arm The Orchard, provide UNIFIED’s seven year old Recorded Music division with initiatives to expand its growth across the globe.  

Denis Handlin AO, chairman & CEO, Australia & New Zealand and president, Asia, comments: “I am thrilled to announce the launch of this very special global distribution deal with UNIFIED.

“I have tremendous respect for Jaddan and the team at UNIFIED, and we have already celebrated some incredible achievements together.

“We look forward to furthering our partnership under this deal to a new level of success and growth by working with UNIFIED’s brilliant roster of artists and taking them to the next level in Australia and the world”

Jaddan Comerford, CEO & founder, UNIFIED Music Group, adds: “UNIFIED could not be happier to be embarking on this new relationship with Denis Handlin, Rob Stringer, Brad Navin and the entire Sony Music and Orchard team worldwide.

“We’ve been desperate for a global solution so we can continue to scale and provide opportunities to our artists in the ever-changing landscape that is recorded music.”

Brad Navin, CEO of The Orchard, said: “The Orchard is excited to be the global solution that UNIFIED deserves.

“The company’s progressive outlook, innovative offering and ambitious curation aligns well with The Orchard’s mission, and our team is eager to bring UNIFIED's artists the services they need to grow and adapt with the ever-changing industry."

UNIFIED Recorded Music division consists of six record labels.

These are the heavy rock UNFD, the hip-hop ONETWO, progressive clubland NLV Records, electronic pop Exist. Recordings, the next generation sourcingTHAA Records, and alt-rock DOMESTIC LA LA.

33% of UNIFIED’s revenue last year came from outside Australia.

The company will continue to add recorded music staff in its Los Angeles and London offices in 2018.

Since its launch in 2011, UNIFIED’s Recorded Music catalogue has collectively sold over 800,000 albums worldwide.

In 2017, UNIFIED Recorded Music artists were streamed 120 million times – a 74% increase on 2016 – while retaining strong physical sales, particularly in the vinyl space where the group pressed 20,000 units across 25 titles.

Sony and UNIFIED already had a relationship through managing Sony-signed acts Amy Shark and Tash Sultana (in conjunction with Lemon Tree Music).