BMG combines 3 labels to form RCA Music Group
Jamieson, Rovner to o'see merged tune entity
Announced by BMG Entertainment chair Michael Dornemann and prexy-CEO Strauss Zelnick, the consolidation is designed to create a global repertoire center that stretches across the three labels, encompassing everything from rock, pop, world music and jazz to traditional and nontraditional classical, Broadway and soundtracks. Move will combine support functions on a worldwide basis as well.
The newly created RCA Music Group will be headed by RCA Records prexy Robert Jamieson and exec veep-G.M. Jack Rovner.
“Under the leadership of BMG Classics’ David Eyer and Windham Hill’s Steve Vining, both labels are solid performers that have become synonymous with quality and artistic integrity,” Zelnick said.
While BMG’s classical A&R will continue to maintain a worldwide presence, marketing and sales efforts will remain at the local level. The artist roster will be built upon developing crossover classical artists as well as continuing to develop traditional classical artists.
“We’re confident that these changes will not only preserve the legacy of traditional classical music that is deeply rooted in our culture, but also create and reach a broader audience,” Dornemann said.
Windham Hill will continue to focus on developing artists that appeal to the adult demographic. Increasing the tightness of its relationship with RCA will allow for greater cross-pollination of the two labels’ artist rosters and widen their potential fan base.
