Major Distributor goes bust
A major UK distributor of vinyl for record labels such as 2020 Vision, Dubsided and Freerange has filed for liquidation
A major distributor of vinyl for record labels such as 2020 Vision, Dubsided and Freerange has filed for liquidation. UK based Amato Distribution will close its doors next week, with their 50 or so employees unfortunately losing their jobs.
Some will argue that this could signify the final death of vinyl, given exactly how many major labels were represented by Amato. In fact, we noticed a large number of the labels on their list don't actually release on anything but vinyl, like Dubsided, Counterfeet and Rekids.
However, there are also many that give digital releases, so it may actually signal a more disturbing trend; that not only is releasing dance music on vinyl unprofitable, but all forms of dance music sales. Given that huge names like Kompakt, Innervisions, Buzzin’ Fly, Freerange, Bpitch, Border Community and Playhouse were on Amatos roster, it would seem that there isn’t a lot of money being made from even the most popular stuff.
Of course, the truth is probably much more complex than that, perhaps the distributors aren’t necessarily responsible for all the sales by labels, perhaps their digital distribution model was flawed, after all, it somehow still takes longer for Freerange tracks to appear for download than it does for the vinyl to appear. Indeed, maybe people just aren’t buying music anymore, and piracy really is killing music (distributors).
To look on the bright side, we have to imagine that the few labels connected with Amato who still refuse to part with vinyl might take this opportunity to make the move into the digital world, or the ones who already do might be convinced to speed up their distribution methods.
What do think of this latest twist in the vinyl saga? Why do you think Amato went under? Let us know in the comments.
i dunno i cant see anything positive in this at all. Amato were a quality music distributor and for alot of great labels so this isnt good. it shows that the market for that kinda of quality music is dipping significantly
i know personally im downloading and therefore buying more tracks than ever and know alot of people like me would say the same. yet Jay Haze was saying in his interview , losses in sales of vinyl havent been made up by gains in download sales . its a worrying state of affairs for sure
I don't think there is anything positive to come from it either, s'pose just pointing out that some of these labels could still be making (more) money through their other distributors/for these distributors.
yeah they are for sure . german labels always seem to have been more savy in this regard than other countries . like you say Kompakt have their own network plus others, I think Sonar Kollectiv are the same are they not ? i know from talking to booka shade guys they were very savy with their distribution and how they went about it
if your just with one distributor you essentially putting all your eggs in one basket. if they go down , you go down with them . definitely in the vinyl game anyway . so out of the labels with Amato who will suffer the most , well i'd imagine the german labels would be safer than most !
IMO they probably were carrying losses from other labels on there roster and the difference could not be offset by the more popular labels they carried. I think the only way for vinyl to go is to be self distributed by the label themselves, either through websites or through record shops direct.
Look at Hardwax & Clone, in my eyes these are the model the others have to follow, multiple labels under one umbrella, heavy internet prescene, every shop physical/non physical clamouring for there releases, releases available digitally from multiple sources, and the most important aspect quality releases that transcends trends in music that new generations coming through want. IMO vinyl will survive to many people are anal about it to the extent that they will not consider any other format and mabye it will be the distributors that go out of business first as labels adapt to survive, take out the distributor and there is more profit for the label/artist themselves.
nobody would be using amato for kompakt etc...
nobody used amato for anything except border community as far as I can tell, nothing good anyway. 20/20 Vision came through someone else even for us in Carbon. didn't get rekids through amato either, nor did innervisions, kill the dj, etc etc etc. none of the big labels on that list were exclusive to amato as far as my experience in carbon goes.
does anyone know what labels on that list they exclusively distributed?
if not perhaps there's the reason they've gone bust.
It must have been that full page colour ad they took out in this months Mixmag that ran them into the ground!
who's behind Hardwax and Clone ? never heard of them
Hardwax is Basic Channels shop/on-line store. Surprised you havent heard of it. One of the most famous techno stores in the world..
Clone is run by Dj Serge in the Hague. Clone gang includes Viewlexx/murder capital/bunker/creme organization etc. A major distibutor for electro and techno.
Clone have some excellent stuff from Alden Tyrell, Putsch 79 and similar. Having them available for download was brilliant.
This is an interesting read...
http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/commentary/listeningpost/2007/10/listeningpost_1029
i thought you meant 'Hardwax & Clone' was a label for some reason . makes sense now aii
where is the clone stuff available digitally Matthew?
you can get it on beatport no ? i've downloaded a few alden tyrell, P79 numbers from there
Bleep, Warp's digital site carries most of the Clone roster of labels.
cheers guys .... i refuse to use Beatport though, hate it !!
Juno Download has all the Clone stuff. Its great :D
interstellar_fugitive
I dunno bout all the labels, but Kompakt have their own distribution company that deals with some of those labels mentioned, with others like Innervisions running off Word and Sound too. And I know for example one store in this country that used them and not Atamos to get any labels that went through these different distributors. So maybe it isn't a full reflection of the situation.
And at this stage if you don't run off digital as well as vinyl you are obviously taking a risk. Labels should be up to speed at this stage if they are interested, and if they aren't well thats their choice