Music distribution

A music distributor or distribution label is a company for the distribution of sound carriers . This is organized either as an organizational sub-area of ​​one of the leading major labels ( major sales ) or as an independent, i.e. independent sales department ( independent sales ). In addition to the distribution of physical sound and data carriers such as CDs , records and DVDs , digital music distribution is becoming increasingly important.

Physical distribution

A classical music distributor takes care of the logistical handling of physical sound carriers. While the core business of the record industry primarily relates to artist and repertoire , the production and marketing of music, the distribution company ensures that the new releases are included in the catalogs and stocks of record stores , department stores and mail order companies. The music sales department is also responsible for the storage , picking and transport of the sound carriers.

Major sales

Classically, all major record companies (called majors ) have in-house sales departments. Since, in addition to the distribution of their own contract artists, artists from smaller, independent labels were increasingly integrated into the sales channels, the sales departments, in their function as service providers, assumed an increasingly independent role. Above all, indie labels with comparatively high production and sales figures were able to benefit from the sales structure of the established record companies that had grown over the years. In contrast, indie labels with low expected record sales usually work with independent distributors.

All three currently largest major record companies have their own sales divisions, under whose umbrella label both all releases of the in-house sub-labels as well as third-party releases are sold:

• Universal Music Group : Universal Music Distribution
• Warner Music Group : WEA Distribution (own publications), Alternative Distribution Alliance (third-party publications )
• Sony Music Entertainment : Sony Music

Independent sales

In order to offer the mostly financially weaker labels with smaller editions professional logistics apart from the music industry dominated by the majors, the first independent music distributors emerged from the early 1980s. In this way, the labels were able to concentrate on the artist support and marketing of their publications, while the indie distributors were able to achieve higher quantities overall thanks to the growing number of smaller labels and thus to build up an independent distribution network . Many of the indie distributors developed out of scene - mail orders or local record stores.

Major independent distributors

Independent distribution	More active Period	Labels in sales (Selection)	Catalog / website
Alive	unknown	Blu noise Redfield Records XNO Records	Label list on alive-ag.de
Broken Silence	from 2004	Audiolith Nasty vinyl Nix-Gut Records Impact Records Plastic bomb	Label list on brokensilence.de
Cargo Records	from 1992	Alternative tentacles Grover Records Hyperdub Nuclear Blast Roadrunner Records Rookie Records Sounds of Subterrania	Catalog on cargo-records.de
EFA	1982 to 2004	Glitterhouse Mille plateaux Force Inc. Multi-tone	EFA on discogs
Groove attack	1990	aggro Berlin All or nothing Rec. Masculine Music Group Tontraeger Records	Label list on grooveattack.com
indigo	from 1993	Glitterhouse Grand Hotel van Cleef Wallpaper records Weird system Weser label ZickZack Records	Catalog on indigo.de
Rough Trade Distribution	from 1982	Black Hole Cherry Red Drag City Netmusiczone Pias South Pole Records	Label list on roughtrade.de

Digital distribution

In the course of digitization , the record companies had to find new distribution channels and sources of income for the recorded music sector . In addition to traditional physical sales, this resulted in cooperation with digital distributors, internet companies, but also between the major labels themselves, some of which - concerned about their dwindling market power - joined together to form partner networks.

Furthermore, numerous digital distributors (e.g. Believe Digital , Finetunes ) were founded, which primarily as service providers ensure that the music publications are placed in the most relevant download and streaming services , e.g. B. on Apple Music , Musicload , Google Play , Amazon , Spotify or in the iTunes store .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ lucas firm | www.phonector.com: Phonector | Online music distribution | Digital sales music | CD distribution | Sell ​​music on the internet | Distribute music digitally | Music distribution. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on April 21, 2017 ; Retrieved April 20, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ Digital Music Report 2014: The digital music market is catching up with the physical one. Retrieved April 20, 2017 . 
3. ↑ RZ-recordingz music distribution. Retrieved April 20, 2017 . 
4. ↑ Thomas Winkler: EFA, EFA, everything is over . In: the daily newspaper . ( taz.de [accessed on April 27, 2017]).
5. ↑ Musikmarkt GmbH & Co. KG: Warner Music relocates digital sales to Sony DADC . In: music market . ( musikmarkt.de [accessed April 20, 2017]). Warner Music relocates digital distribution to Sony DADC ( Memento of the original of July 21, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
6. ↑ Music distribution: The 5 best aggregators in comparison. Retrieved April 27, 2017 .