Sturgill Simpson, Brandi Carlile & Others Part of New Elektra Records Label
When it was announced that independent country artist Sturgill Simpson had signed to Atlantic Records in early 2015, it was seen as a big victory for the effort to have more attention flow to worthy independent-minded country artists, while still allowing for them to retain creative control of their music. It was this relationship with Atlantic that saw Sturgill release his 2016 record A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, and ultimately put the muscle behind it to win Best Country Album and be considered for Album of the Year at the 2017 Grammy Awards. Atlantic gave Sturgill the strength of a major label, but the latitude of an independently-signed star since it wasn’t part of a conventional country-style Music Row imprint.
Now Sturgill Simpson is no longer a Atlantic Records signee. Instead, and by no choice of his own, he is now part of a new Elektra Records Group directly under the control of Warner Bros. Records. The same goes for all the artists signed to producer Dave Cobb’s Low Country Sound imprint—including Brent Cobb, Brandi Carlile, and Anderson East. Zac Brown Band is also part of the new label, as well as a bevy of acts from other genres such as Paramore, who is the primary act on the independently-minded Fueled By Ramen, and artists on other independent-minded imprints Roadrunner and Black Cement Records, like Twenty One Pilots, and Panic! at the Disco.
Whether there’s any need for panic among fans and artists who are part of the new reshuffle remains to be seen, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on. Often these label reshuffles are enacted with the best of intentions, and the devil is ultimately is in the details as certain artists get shifted into consideration to be dropped, while others find themselves starved for resources and competing with other acts. Still others might thrive in the new environment as the dedicated resources of a major label imprint is exactly what they need to succeed. We’ll just have to see come October 1st when the new label officially takes effect.
As is always the case with these reshuffles, everyone is saying the right things ahead of the Elektra Records launch. The label will be run by co-presidents Mike Easterlin and Gregg Nadel. Mike Easterlin has been president of FBR and Roadrunner Records since January of 2016. Gregg Nadel as been President of Elektra Records since January of 2017, and served as the label’s General Manager since 2015 when it was a smaller subset of Warner.
“Elektra Music Group will be 100% dedicated to developing the careers of authentic artists and helping them realize their visions,” said Easterlin and Nadel in a statement. “The company will embody the same independent spirit that is at the root of each of our core labels. Elektra, Fueled By Ramen, Roadrunner, Low Country Sound, and Black Cement were all founded by entrepreneurs who did it for the love of the music and a belief in their artists, and that philosophy will remain the driving force behind everything we do. We’re going to have an extraordinary roster, backed by the most ambitious, innovative team in the business. To have the opportunity to run our own stand-alone company is a dream come true, and we want to thank Julie and Craig for having such great faith in us. We can’t wait to get started.”
The new Elektra Music Group will include a 60-plus member team that will handle all key music company functions, including A&R, Artist Development, Business & Legal Affairs, International, Marketing, Promotion, Publicity, Sales & Streaming, and Video. The departments will be led and staffed by current members of the Atlantic, Elektra, FBR, and Roadrunner teams, as well as new hires the company is currently making.
“Our whole approach is to create environments that give artists and entrepreneurs the freedom and support to pioneer the future of music,” said Max Lousada, CEO, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group. “From the outset, Elektra Music Group will be a dynamic community of credible artists and distinctive label cultures. Gregg and Mike are a dream leadership team, able to combine adventurous A&R, bespoke artist development, and full-force global marketing. It feels great to be bringing back the iconic Elektra brand as a major, stand-alone company for the first time in 15 years.”
What the implications for your little music world from all of this remain to be seen. But as artists get new records ready to release, the impact of the new Elektra Music Group will certainly be felt in one capacity or another. With Sturgill Simpson now over 2 years removed from his last release, he may be one of the first to test just how effective the relaunch of Elektra Records as a standalone label will be.
June 21, 2018 @ 11:03 am
As you say Trigger they are saying the right things which is to be expected and actions of course speak louder than words but I console myself with the fact that my favourite album of 2017 was by Steve Earle on the WB label
June 21, 2018 @ 11:08 am
Speaking of Paramore, they *should* be the biggest pop band going, but their label just doesn’t put any muscle into promoting them much. After Laughter was such a great album.
And if you didn’t know, Paramore covered Loretta Lynn. Hayley knocks the vocals out of the park. https://youtu.be/eWGGj4duzIo?t=47s
June 21, 2018 @ 5:32 pm
that band is tight
June 21, 2018 @ 11:14 am
That’s a pretty independent group of artists. I think the label will know enough to stay out of the way.
June 21, 2018 @ 11:39 am
I thought Sturgill had more record under contract with Atlantic. interesting news either way.
June 21, 2018 @ 11:42 am
He does. But his contract got shifted to Elektra. This is the kind of shell game that happens at major labels all the time.
June 21, 2018 @ 11:57 am
I know it does but it wasn’t super clear from the article.
June 21, 2018 @ 12:16 pm
There is really not a story here. Re shoveling happens all the time. I think Simpson and Carlile will be find sense they are loved by the critics, the others Trigger you are right. Mind you Warner has always been great to artist. Ry Cooder and Randy Newman have been on a warner imprint since the 60’s, although different imprints from warner itself to nonsuch. I think this a great move for Simpson sense mainstream country have not embraced his brand of music and i think never will
June 21, 2018 @ 1:13 pm
Trigger, you really have a ton of mistakes here. It’s really not a well-done piece. Simple fact-checking my friend.
June 21, 2018 @ 3:02 pm
Okay?
June 21, 2018 @ 4:19 pm
Bobby Bones used to do this same thing every single time I wrote an article about him. Six times he told me there were inaccuracies posted in my articles about him. All six times when pressed to give details, he never responded. Not once. If something is wrong in the article, please by all means, pipe up so we can get it right. I don’t want to report anything wrongly. Otherwise, you’re just leaving an open end to create doubt.
A “ton” is a lot of mistakes.
June 21, 2018 @ 3:13 pm
I like how you hypen
June 21, 2018 @ 4:34 pm
Not a good com-ment.
June 21, 2018 @ 8:27 pm
That’s a weird comment without offering any examples. I don’t pay attention to labels for this genre but didn’t see anything that looked controversial or anything. Can you enlighten us on any of these tons of mistakes? It seems like Trig would be happy to hear as well so he can address.
June 21, 2018 @ 1:44 pm
If it gets people further from Dave Cobb, thats good.
June 21, 2018 @ 2:51 pm
What’s wrong with Dave Cobb? He’s produced a lot of fine albums.
June 21, 2018 @ 4:05 pm
Fine albums for great artists, but for many who need a producer to give them a direction we get boring drivel.
Even the new Old Crow album is flatter than normal, everything is musically playing it safe.
Not to mention Corb Lund and Mary chapin carpenter. Especially since Mary’s next album without Dave is absolutely heaven.
June 21, 2018 @ 3:53 pm
Anderson east was always signed to elektra, as were some others in this group. Low country sounds was always associated with it as well, and it was an imprint under Warner.
June 21, 2018 @ 4:16 pm
The Elektra label that Anderson East, Brent Cobb, and Brandi Carlile were signed to under the imprint “Low Country Sounds” no longer exists, or at least it won’t come October 1st. The old Elektra was a label. The new Elektra is a label group, with Low Country Sounds as one of its imprints. The reason I didn’t go into the details of this is because it’s very confusing, and arguably irrelevant, but that doesn’t make anything I reported inaccurate or misleading. The point is there’s been a restructuring.
June 21, 2018 @ 7:09 pm
Nice! Can’t wait to hear what kind of ridiculous prog-rock crap he shits out for his new label!
June 21, 2018 @ 10:59 pm
It seems the ship has sailed for Sturgill making country music. We should still be grateful to him though for paving the way earlier this decade for so many great artists that have come after him. We should especially be grateful for his work with Tyler Childers and helping Purgatory to finally reach the public after many previous unsuccessful attempts to make it. He made 2 of the best country albums of the decade and produced another that may end up being an all-time great. If he really is done with country, his contributions are still potentially historically monumental.
June 22, 2018 @ 7:09 am
I still listen to High Top Mountain several times a week…sometimes several times a day…
June 24, 2018 @ 2:46 pm
Well now Sturgill has to cover Metallica on his next album. My vote is “Mama Said.”
June 25, 2018 @ 1:20 pm
One of the 2 guys put in charge of the new Elektra is the one who signed Sturgill to Atlantic, so my guess is he’ll have plenty of support in the new structure.