This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Business News Labels & Publishers
Warner revamps its partnership with the Artist Partner Group
By Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 19 November 2020
Warner Music in the US has revamped its partnership with Mike Caren’s Artist Partner Group. Under the new deal, artists currently signed to APG via its partnership with Warner’s Atlantic Records will formally become part of the Atlantic US roster. Caren’s company will continue to sign new artists and maintain a Warner connection by working with its label services division ADA, though will seemingly not be obliged to distribute its future releases with the major.
Warner has been involved in APG – a sister company to Caren’s older Artist Publishing Group – since its launch in 2012, with Caren also having an A&R role at the major. The revamp of the partnership provides a boost to Atlantic’s roster, which will now directly release music from the likes of YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Kevin Gates and Charlie Puth. Meanwhile, APG will presumably have more flexibility in terms of distribution partners, while still have an ongoing tie-up with Warner via ADA.
Announcing all that, Caren says: “This is an exciting new chapter for Artist Partner Group and the amazing roster of artists we have worked with over the last eight years. I am thankful to the entire APG and Atlantic teams and all of the incredible talent that continually inspire us. I look forward to the ongoing growth and success of all of our partners and to continuing to build Artist Partner as a home to artists in the evolving market landscape”.
Meanwhile, Warner’s recorded music chief Max Lousada adds: “This move evolves and updates a hugely successful partnership. Artist Partner’s existing roster of diverse, original voices will now be backed by the full power of Atlantic Records’ creative expertise and worldwide reach, while Artist Partner and its new signings will have access to our global network and comprehensive menu of artist services”.
