NEW YORK, NY (RCA
Music Group) - The RCA
Music Group announced today an ambitious new dance music series presenting both reissues of out-of-print classics and previously unreleased remixes of contemporary hits from artists on RCA, Arista and J Records. The first offerings in the new series will arrive March 21, released as downloads through iTunes exclusively for thirty days. The series will then be made available through additional subscription services such as RealNetworks' Rhapsody and Sony Connect. The artists range from such current stars as
Kelly Clarkson and
Heather Headley to Seventies and Eighties hit makers like Machine and Odyssey.
The RCA Music Group is the first major label to make its classic mixes available for download to the mass-market consumer. With its rich history in dance music, the label will present out of print and never-before-released mixes of the greatest dance tracks of all time by the biggest names in music - Aretha, Whitney and Kelly Clarkson among others, as well as music from the disco era including classics like There For The Grace of God and Disco Nights to the 80's classics from Evelyn Champagne King, Rick Astley & The Eurythmics.
"We created this series so these classic songs and remixes could be enjoyed by music fans worldwide. Offering digital access to this treasure trove of repertoire allows us the opportunity to serve an ever-expanding audience," explains Charles Goldstuck, President & COO BMG U.S. Label Group.
Spearheading this project from the creative side is RCA Music Group Vice President of A&R Hosh Gureli. Gureli realized that there was a need to invigorate the dance community "who has always been the first to adopt digital technology," he explains. "It's our mission to present out of print and unreleased mixes to the core dance audience for them to enjoy now and forever. Before now, these tracks were only available to club djs and producers."
Among the highlights from the first group of titles:
Kelly Clarkson: "Walk Away" -
The new series will feature five versions of this track from Kelly's RCA album Breakaway (winner of the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album), including mixes by Chris Cox, Craig J, and Ralphi Rosario.
Heather Headley: "In My Mind" -
Ten versions of the title track from Heather's hit-bound RCA album In My Mind will be released, including multiple mixes by the Freemasons (Russell Small and James Wiltshire) and Dave Hernandez.
Icicle Works: "Whisper To A Scream" - One of the classic alternative 80's songs of all time.
Odyssey: "Native New Yorker" -
Original 12-inch copies of this 1977 disco classic, produced by Sandy Linzer & Charlie Calello, command top prices among DJs and collectors; now, all three versions (Extended, Long Edit, and Radio Hit) will be reissued.
Machine: "There But For The Grace Of God Go I" -
Produced by August Darnell, Machine's 1979 debut single was an incisive piece of urban social commentary with an irresistible beat, released in Extended and Edited versions.
