Townsend Music is expanding its offering by launching a new service under the banner of D2C Plus.
The direct to consumer specialist is signing select artists, labels and other rights-holders to bring a range of products from conception to market, including studio and live albums, merchandise and books.
A number of artists having recently signed to D2C Plus, including Sea Power, Feeder, Kyle Falconer, Zuzu (pictured), The Byson Family, The Sherlocks and John Bramwell, alongside labels Hacienda Records and Alan McGee’s It’s Creation Baby.
“This is a natural evolution for our company," said Townsend Music sales director Bruce McKenzie. "During lockdown, many of our D2C clients approached us for help with releasing new products to generate revenue when touring was off the table. We successfully took a number of live albums from conception to market and then found other clients were looking for extra levels of support such as management and business strategy.
“I’ve always seen Townsend as an A&R driven business. With the recent arrival of Paul Barton and Ben James, alongside our business development manager Lucas Barr and head of digital Barney, we’re able to help our D2C clients with more aspects of their careers or sign developing artists to launch their initial releases bringing in appropriate labels, distributors, managers and publishers along the way.”
Our aim with D2C Plus is to give artists a new and exciting way to bring products to market
Paul Barton, Townsend Music
The company has also recently published its first ever coffee table book, So Young: Suede 1991 – 1993, which saw Townsend Music take the original concept and manage the entire design, manufacturing and marketing process, alongside D2C.
Townsend Music’s D2C Plus deals see acts retain their rights under a flexible, non-restrictive agreement.
“Our aim with D2C Plus is to give artists a new and exciting way to bring products to market," said D2C Plus manager Paul Barton. "That product could be a studio album, live album, catalogue release, merch line or even a book. Our expertise stretches across all of these product types and the various components needed to release them successfully. Combine that with our vast knowledge of D2C and music fan buying habits and we feel we have a strong and helpful offer to artists.
“Our moto is quality over quantity. There’s every chance we’ll release more books than studio albums, more live albums than merch and vice versa– it will all depend on the quality of the project and whether we can bring value on a case-by-case basis.”
Townsend Music released a series of exclusive vinyl deluxe edition live albums during lockdown for clients including Shed Seven, James, Bryan Ferry, Embrace and Supergrass.
