New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "Even the savviest music fans can be surprised at how many of their favorite artists are independent. Independents' month is an opportunity to highlight these artists and their labels." - Richard
James Burgess, CEO of A2IM
Independent artists and their record labels shake up the music world by pushing boundaries, redefining musical styles, and sparking trends that catch fire and ignite the mainstream. A2IM is proud to recognize these artists, record labels, and musical enterprises during their inaugural Independents' Month.
Running June 5 through July 5, Independents' Month provides an opportunity for supporters of independent music - from retailers and distributors to media outlets - to shine a spotlight on the labels and artists who blaze trails beyond the roads built by the gatekeepers of the music industry.
"There is a powerful individuality in the entrepreneurs that start and run independent labels, which matches the profound artistic rebellion in the artists they sign," said Richard
James Burgess, CEO of A2IM, "Even the savviest music fans can be surprised at how many of their favorite artists are independent. Independents' month is an opportunity to highlight these artists and their labels."
Streaming music companies - one of the essential platforms through which independent artists reach their audience - will play a big part in this year's celebration. Among the exciting events planned is a feature room in Apple
Music and the iTunes
Music store. The feature will spotlight Libera Award Nominees and influential independent labels. It will also include independent-focused playlists and essential albums across a wide variety of genres, from Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B, Electronic, and Dance to Metal, Latin, Roots, and World Music.
iHeartRadio and
Pandora will also highlight independent artists by featuring Libera Awards stations and playlists featuring nominees and honoring the winners.
"We were excited to collaborate with A2IM to launch Independents Month
Radio and to help emerging Indie artists reach new listeners," said Darren Davis, President of iHeartRadio and iHeartMedia Networks Group. "Introducing fans to new music and new artists is core to our business, and we look forward to celebrating the Best of Indie 2017 Libera Awards nominees and winners all month long on iHeartRadio."
In addition to support from the streaming music community, AIMS (Association of Independent
Music Stores) will offer discounts on select independent records throughout the entire month of June.
Independent artists and labels account for more than a third of the U.S. music industry's market share. A2IM invites anyone involved in creating or supporting independent music to take part in Independents' Month through discounts or by curating independent-themed programming.
To check out what #IndieMonth sounds like, visit these streaming partner stations:
The Apple
Music Room - https://www.applemusic.com/indiemonth
iTunes
Music Room - https://www.iTunes.com/indiemonth
iHeartRadio - https://www.iheart.com/live/independents-month-radio-7377/
Pandora - https://pdora.co/A2IMLiberaAwardsMixtape
For more information on supporting the independent music movement through Independents' Month, visit https://www.a2im.org and follow the #IndieMonth hashtag on social media.
About A2IM:
A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of over 450 Independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America's creative class that represents America's diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine, using Nielsen SoundScan data, identified the Independent music label sector as 35.1 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded music sales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector.
The organization's board of directors consists of the following: ATO Vice President
Stephanie Alexa, Razor & Tie COO
Craig Balsam, Redeye Co-Owner
Glenn Dicker, INgrooves EVP & General Manager Amy Dietz, Epitaph/Anti General Manager Dave Hansen, Big Machine COO Andrew Kautz, Beggars Group Founder/CEO
Martin Mills, Hopeless Records Owner Louis Posen, Dualtone CEO/Co-Founder Scott Robinson, Tommy Boy Owner & CEO
Thomas Silverman, and Secretly Label Group Co-Owner
Darius Van Arman. A2IM's Advisory Committee includes: Randy Chin, Alisa Coleman Amit Nerurkar.
