Rolling Stones expand partnership with Universal Music Group

LOS ANGELES: The Rolling Stones and Universal Music Group have announced a worldwide deal that covers the band’s recorded music and audio-visual catalogues, archival support, global merchandising and brand management.

The legendary rock group and UMG have already been in partnership for a decade, and this deal expands upon that. As part of the agreement, UMG will continue to distribute the band’s catalogue globally with future projects and reissues to be released through UMG’s labels and networks around the world.

Bravado, UMG’s brandmanagement and merchandise company, will handle global merchandising rights, retail licensing, brand management and e- commerce on behalf of the band, including their iconic tongue logo.

Bravado also will continue working closely with the band and management to identify new opportunities for collaboration within areas such as art, fashion, retail, sport, lifestyle and touring merchandise. Recent programmes and collections include partnerships with Paris Saint Germain FC, Selfridges, Colette and Zara and newly designed merchandise for their No Filter European Tour.

Eagle Rock, the UMG- owned producer and distributor of music programming for broadcast, DVD, Blu- Ray, TV and digital media, also has expanded its global distribution rights to the band’s extensive long-form audiovisual catalogue. As part of the agreement, Eagle Rock will also reissue several classic concert films from its archives, including Atlanta (1989), Steel Wheels (1989- 90), Voodoo Lounge (1994), Bridges to Babylon (1997-98), Four Flicks ( 2002) and A Bigger Bang (2005- 06).

In addition, UMG will provide The Rolling Stones with archival support and dedicated space for the band’s physical media assets, musical instruments and equipment across the company’s ecosystem of vaults positioned around the world.

Universal Music Group has been home to the Stones since 2008.

In making the announcement, UMG chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge said: “After a decade of working in partnership together, we are thrilled to expand and extend our relationship with The Rolling Stones. We look forward to bringing our expertise and passion to bear as we put our global organisation to work on behalf of this iconic band who continue to create music and inf luence culture around the world.”

Added David Joseph, chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK: “The Rolling Stones continue to define rock and roll, they are loved the world over and they are the band who never let up. It’s a privilege to work with them and Joyce Smyth, their exceptional manager.”

Added Smyth: “For many years now we’ve had a wonderful partnership with Universal Music and look forward to an even more successful future together.” — AFP