E1 Entertainment (Formerly Koch Records) has acquired the assets of IndieBlu Music Holdings. The acquisition, which includes the rights to over 25,000 master recordings as well as a publishing company, is part of E1's larger strategy to expand its U.S. music business both as a content owner and distributor across all platforms and sales channels, including digital.
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IndieBlu's extensive holdings encompass the music catalogs of Artemis, V2 (North America), Light Records, Compendia Music Group, IndieBlu Records, Vanguard Classics, Spitfire, Tone Cool, Triloka and Ropeadope, covering a wide variety of music genres including alternative rock, gospel, smooth jazz, adult rock, country and classical. The vast library includes recordings by Bishop Paul Morton, Shirley Caesar, Andrae Crouch, Moby, Warren Zevon, Steve Earle, Susan Tedeschi, The Beach Boys, George Clinton, Peter Cetera, Alice Cooper, Twisted Sister, Kirshna Das, Alfred Brendel, Leon Fleischer, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, among many other artists.
The deal closed today and expands E1 Music's operations in Nashville. Eight former IndieBlu staffers will join E1 Entertainment's existing Nashville team of six at the E1/IndieBlu Nashville office. Michael Olsen will stay on as President of IndieBlu and will report to Michael Koch, CEO of E1 Entertainment U.S.
Michael Koch says, "This acquisition significantly strengthens E1's music operations and further enhances our leadership position among independents. It is a natural extension of our long and excellent working relationship with Michael Olsen and IndieBlu and allows us to expand our operations in Nashville. Over the last several years, we have quietly built E1 Entertainment into the leading independent Christian music purveyor and, with the addition of Light Records, we can now take our burgeoning Christian music division to the next level. I look forward to working with Mike as we reinvigorate and strengthen Light Records' gospel artist roster while also expanding our Christian music signings."
Michel Olsen, President of IndieBlu Music, adds, "Over the past ten years, Michael Koch and E1 have been strong business allies for IndieBlu, Sheridan Square, Artemis and Compendia Music Group. When we decided to sell, E1 was the first company we called as we firmly believed they were the best home for the catalog and will be instrumental in continuing to build the Light Records label."
IndieBlu was formed in April 2009 when it acquired all the assets of Sheridan Square Entertainment and its affiliates in a UCC foreclosure auction. The IndieBlu catalog was assembled over a period of 20 years by Sheridan Square Entertainment and Platinum Entertainment who acquired over a dozen record labels and catalogs in a variety of genres to form a catalog of more than 2,500 albums with over 25,000 master recordings.
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