About Us
The Melodic label was founded in 1999 and sister music PR company In House Press the following year. After several years we realised we had something unique in our office in Manchester. The means to release, distribute and market a record in Europe and also to fully promote it to the media.
The question was, how can we use this unique scenario to create something else, something special?
It’s briefly explained in the Carpark records blurb, but our idea has always been to offer labels outside of the EU a service that we wish we could have ourselves in other territories.
Melodic European Labels distributes and promotes overseas label’s releases throughout Europe with the care and attention as if we’d released them ourselves.
All the labels we’ve worked with so far we’ve searched out thanks to their very special releases. We treat all our labels as if they’re our own and pride ourselves on regular and transparent monthly accounts and having an email alias for that label, so we work directly for you.
The main difference we feel we have to other label management services is in how we account to you so that there are no upfront costs on your part except making your CD & vinyl stock available. Go straight to Costs for a full explanation.
Click on the following boxes for an in-depth breakdown of how we do this.
Promotion
Our deal with sister company www.inhousepress.com means that everything gets a top end print, online and radio campaign for a nominal fee. In House press works with some of the top indie labels in the world including Stones Throw, Matador, World Circuit, Sacred Bones, Light In The Attic, ATP, DFA, Domino, Mexican Summer, Mute, Memphis Industries, Full Time Hobby, Sub Pop, Daptone and many more. They service top magazines and newspapers like Mojo, Q, Uncut, NME, Guardian, Independent to smaller magazines like Upset, Crack, Loud and Quiet, The Skinny.
Similarly online they’re regularly getting premiers, features and reviews with the likes of Pitchfork, FACT, Resident Advisor, I.D, Dazed, NME, 405, The Line Of Best Fit and so on.
The UK radio arm’s main focus is at the BBC – Networks 1, 2, 3, and 4 and even Radio 1. On BBC 6 music we’re regularly getting playlists, album of the day spots, and sessions with the likes of Lauren Laverne and Marc Riley. We focus on getting the right music to the correct show/ producer. We’re in touch with the Jools Holland team, one of the only UK TV shows that features live music.
Marketing
As well as traditional promotion via print, online and radio mediums, we are also able to execute marketing campaigns when necessary. This is especially useful with larger more established artists where additional spends can be justified.
Marketing campaigns could consist of anything from print adverts in monthly music magazines and papers, radio adverts, online advertisements, store racking and even posters on the London underground.
Click the link below to view some of our recent marketing highlights including Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings posters on the London tube.
Sync Placements
We deal with a large network of TV supervisors and send them all our music directly. Tracks are being used often on BBC, Sky TV, Channel 4, ITV and more.
We also deal with different European sync agencies (any % fees from the agencies would be made clear with you first).
The sync landscape here is a little different compared with the US, many of our TV shows are covered by the PPL blanket agreement. This means that any tracks registered with the PPL are pre-cleared for network TV, labels receive a fee (dependent upon factors such as how often the progamme airs, it’s reach and so on).
Physical Distribution
We have a strong physical network throughout the whole of Europe, with all stock being shipped from our central UK warehouse.
We push for albums of the week, listening posts and front of store promo in independent stores by keeping in touch directly with the shop owners. With chains like Fopp, HMV, FNAC etc we aim for racking, often alongside quote cards and advertising tie-ins with magazines.
We can work through our existing network (see below) or set up an account with any particular European distributer that might be your preference to work with.
Our list of European partners is below.
UK – SRD (Southern Distribution)
Austria – Hoanzl
Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) – Konkurrent
Czech Republic – Day After
Denmark – Border
Finland – Supersounds
France – La baleine
Germany – Morr Music
Israel – Kamea Music
Italy – Goodfellas
Macedonia/Serbia – Zoran Music
Norway – Border
Poland – Championship Vinyl / Rockers
Portugal – Flur
Slovenia/Croatia – Space 1999
Spain – Popstock / Everlasting Records
Sweden – Border
Switzerland – Godbrain
We can also help to plug gaps beyond Europe in territories like Japan, Australia and Israel if required.
Digital Distribution
We have a direct deal with iTunes /Apple Music and receive payments and statements directly from them. The main benefits of this are the speed in which we can get content up on the store within a few hours and the fact no other aggregator is taking a cut. There are also editorial benefits in that we are able to pitch directly for coverage on the store fronts.
We’re regularly landing front page spots such as showcases, bricks, and pre-order coverage. We’ve had recent success on Apple Music with front page genre coverage, hot tracks, and the ‘A List’ apple curated playlists that get amazing coverage and streaming numbers, this in turn also helps with Beats radio play.
We’re covered on all other major digital service providers by Believe Digital, again we have a close relationship with them and are getting some great coverage on the likes of Spotify, Amazon, Google Play and Deezer amongst others.
Costs
We cover all costs upfront at our end, these might include shipping, nominal press fees, promo production/ manufacturing through to marketing buy-ins. We discuss and clear all costs with you before committing to them.
The labels we work with never have to pay for anything upfront or out of their own pockets, we simply deduct any expenditure from the monthly statements/ payments we send over.
Our percentage for all of the above services is roughly on a par with the cut a standard distributor would charge. This percentage is taken from your income once in profit, again on a monthly basis.
Mail Order
We are able to fulfill any mail orders you might receive on your web shop to customers in the UK and Europe. Meaning you can pass the post savings to customers, we know it’s very expensive to ship to UK/EU from the USA and beyond.
PPL / Neighboring Rights Management
Much of the music used on UK TV is covered by the PPL blanket agreement, meaning that rather than receiving a lump sump for track use, the label instead receives royalties via PPL for use of their track on the master side. Therefore PPL is very important in the UK.
It’s a must to get all tracks registered with them so that royalties can be received from blanket TV licences, radio, and play in shops on the high street.
We make sure all content is registered with the PPL, and pass on payments as they come in. The PPL make payments around four times a year, this can add up to fairly substantial amounts especially if the label has a large back catalogue and is getting a lot of radio / TV play.
Accounting
We send payments to our labels each month along with detailed accounting and a complete breakdown of physical and digital sales, other income, any outgoings and of course any PPL / sync income. A sample statement can be sent upon request.
Shipping
We let you know the amount of stock we need, you get it boxed up at your distributor or office and we arrange pick up and shipment. We pay for all this upfront and charge back via your earnings later on. You are charged no VAT or customs tax as we absorb that.
Artists & Touring
The above boxes are the main aspects of Melodic European Labels, but of course the idea is that we’ll help with anything needed throughout Europe. The ultimate aim is to help overseas labels grow over here.
Other roles that we help with might include:
Securing booking agents, tour promo, negotiating / signing licensing contracts, remix procurement and organising tour stock shipments are all regular tasks for us.
Basically anything you do in the US, we’re happy to help do throughout Europe, using our contacts and experience.