IDOL has agreed a label services partnership with Fire Records, home to acts including Jane Weaver (pictured), Black Lips, The Lemonheads and Vanishing Twin.
IDOL will handle the digital distribution of Fire Records’ repertoire to its global network of DSPs (excluding South Korea). Fire Records will work closely with the digital distributor’s international audience development team on marketing and release strategy for frontline releases, with a dedicated specialist working on its back catalogue.
First founded in London in 1984, Fire Records made its name representing acts such as The Blue Aeroplanes, Pulp, Television Personalities and Spacemen 3 throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
The label was reborn in 2002 under managing director James Nicholls, with locations in London and New York, as well as new ventures including a publishing and creative sync arm and an independent film company.
The partnership with IDOL will help support Fire Records’ continued growth and the execution of its 2023 release programme. This will include 20-plus new releases from the likes of RVG, Vanishing Twin, Death And Vanilla, Decisive Pink (Kate NV and Deradoordian) and Jane Weaver, as well as major catalogue reissue programmes across both Fire Records and its Earth Recordings imprint.
James Nicholls, Fire Records MD, said: “IDOL’s music-first approach, independent spirit, and attention to detail fits perfectly with our own ethos at Fire Records. I feel strongly that they're the right partner for this exciting new chapter and to help manage the unstoppable growth of the label group.”
IDOL’s music-first approach, independent spirit, and attention to detail fits perfectly with our own ethos at Fire Records
James Nicholls
IDOL UK general manager Roo Currier added: “IDOL are extremely happy to welcome Fire Records to our growing roster. Their ethos of quality before all else sits particularly well with us, so we’re excited to work with their excellent team in this new era for the label.”
The Fire deal follows other significant signings for IDOL’s UK team, including Soundway Records and Gondwana Records.
IDOL’s label roster also includes Erased Tapes, Glitterbeat, Kitsune, AIM Awards 2022 winners Local ActionSRD, Ubisoft and Bandai Namco, while it also works directly with artists including La Femme, Ibrahim Maalouf and Lomepal.
IDOL operates its own digital distribution platform, Labelcamp, which offers supply chain management tools and analytics dashboards to its partners. Labelcamp is also available as a SaaS product for third-party labels and distributors, and is used by PIAS, Because, Concord and Ditto.
The company has offices in Paris, London, Berlin and Johannesburg, and a presence in New York, LA and Nashville.
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