Ingrooves

Ingrooves Music Group
Company typeMusic distribution, analytics, rights services, marketing and technology
Founded2002
FoundersRobb McDaniels, Adam Hiles, Matthew Burns
DefunctOctober 19, 2023 (2023-10-19)
FateFolded into Virgin Music Group
SuccessorVirgin Music Group
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California
ParentVirgin Music Group
Websiteingrooves.com

Ingrooves Music Group (sometimes shortened to Ingrooves, and formerly stylized as INgrooves) was a global independent music marketing service and distribution company which provided custom services for artists and independent record labels, owned by Universal Music Group. They used proprietary distribution systems and focused on analytics and reporting technologies,[1][2][3] as well as their own platform that artists and labels used to manage business.[4]

History

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Ingrooves was founded in San Francisco in 2002 by Robb McDaniels, Matt Burns and Adam Hiles.[5][6] As of 2015, the Ingrooves retail network included more than 600 services and storefronts.[7][8]

In 2008, Universal Music Group (UMG) selected Ingrooves's parent company, Isolation Network Inc., to digitally distribute all of its music in North America. Ingrooves and Mexican label DEL Records formed an online distribution agreement in 2010.[9] The investment firm Shamrock Capital purchased a majority stake in the company in 2010 for $20 million.[1][10] In 2012 Ingrooves took over Fontana Distribution, which was owned by Universal Music Group.[11] The deal added 200 labels to the Ingrooves roster, and expanded its services to include physical distribution of recordings.[6] The deal also allowed Ingrooves to use Universal’s local sales forces in selling products in retail stores.[11] Ingrooves, financed by Shamrock, paid Universal Music Group $10 million and gave Universal a 22 percent stake in Ingrooves.[10] Ingrooves subsequently expanded its services to include physical distribution.[3][12][11]

In 2012, the company launched an Artist Services division, INresidence, a project-based service for established artists and emerging artists releasing music independently.[13][14] They established a Rights Services division dedicated to music publishing, synch licensing and neighboring rights in 2013.[2]

As of 2022, Ingrooves was headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, India, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand.[15][16][17][18] Ingrooves expanded globally by partnering with independent labels and artists in countries worldwide, including Australia’s OneLove in 2017[19] and Latin America’s Talento Uno in 2018.[20]

In March 2018, Shamrock Capital began seeking offers for Ingrooves, around approximately $100 million to sell.[21] On February 12, 2019, Universal Music Group acquired the remaining shares of the company.[22]

Ingrooves signed Rich Music to a distribution deal in 2018[23] and Pitbull’s Mr. 305 Inc. to a worldwide distribution deal in 2019 for all of the label’s releases.[24] The same year Ingrooves renewed its distribution partnership with independent British record label Dirty Hit.[25] The company expanded into Brazil through a deal with Brazilian label GR6,[26] and formed deals with independent labels in Spain, Norway, Turkey, Japan,[27] South Korea, Denmark, and Sweden in 2020.[28]

Under a deal with parent company Universal Music Group, Ingrooves became the distributor for K-pop band BTS in 2021.[29] Ingrooves signed India’s Yo Yo Honey Singh and Himesh Reshammiya in 2021.[30] It acquired South African independent music distributor Electromode in 2021,[16] and the Philippines’ Curve Entertainment in 2022.[18]

In January 2022, Ingrooves acquired the Icelandic record label Alda Music, which owned the rights to nearly 80 percent of all music released in Iceland.[31]

In September 2022, Universal Music Group announced the launch of Virgin Music Group which consists of Ingrooves, Virgin Music Label & Artist Services (formerly Caroline Distribution), and mtheory Artist Partnerships.[32] On October 19, 2023, Virgin Music Group announced that Ingrooves was integrated with them.[33]

References

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  1. ^ a b Greenberg, Zack O' Malley (May 7, 2012). "Ingrooves: Proof You Can Make Money On Music, Even If You're Not Apple". Forbes. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b Christman, Ed (July 19, 2013). "INgrooves Launches Music Publishing Services Company, Olivier Chastan To Run (Exclusive)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  3. ^ a b Morris, Christopher (March 2, 2012). "INgrooves acquires Fontana Distribution". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  4. ^ Resnikoff, Paul. "After a Year On the Block, Universal Music Group Fully Acquires Ingrooves". Digital Music News. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  5. ^ Wilson, Sara (1 December 2007). "Spin City". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  6. ^ a b Staff (22 December 2014). "Ingrooves Founder Robb McDaniels Quits Company After 13 Years". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  7. ^ Wilson, Lizette (September 6, 2006). "Ingrooves: Virtual record label finds rhythm with indie artists". San Francisco Business Journal. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  8. ^ Pham, Alex (March 2, 2012). "INgrooves buys Fontana Distribution from Universal Music Group". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  9. ^ Ben-Yehuda, Ayala (14 August 2014). "Del, INgrooves ink distribution pact". Vol. 122, no. 32. Billboard.
  10. ^ a b Christman, Ed (21 March 2018). "INgrooves Up For Sale With $100M Price Tag: Sources". Billboard. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Sisario, Ben (March 2, 2012). "Digital Notes: Online Distributor Makes Deal With Universal for Physical Sales". New York Times. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  12. ^ Johnson, Greg (September 28, 2005). "Roy Disney Led Fund Buys Globetrotters". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  13. ^ Morris, Chris (November 19, 2012). "INgrooves Fontana launches marketing arm: Kate Nash to inaugurate indie distrib's new venture". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  14. ^ Pakinkas, Tom (November 19, 2012). "Ingrooves Fontana launches Artist Services division". Music Week. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  15. ^ Brandle, Lars (7 May 2020). "Ingrooves Expands In Australia and NZ". Billboard. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  16. ^ a b Myers Hansen, Gabriel (11 January 2021). "Ingrooves Music Group acquires SA-based Electromode". Music in Africa. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  17. ^ Needham, Jack (11 November 2021). "Ingrooves Expands Into India, Appoints Amit Sharma As Country Manager For The Market". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  18. ^ a b Aswad, Jem (13 January 2022). "Music Industry Moves: Tai Verdes Signs Global Publishing Deal With Kobalt (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Ingrooves partners with Onelove Music Group | Complete Music Update". Completemusicupdate.com. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
  20. ^ "Ingrooves signs distribution deal with Latin music startup Talento Uno - Music Business Worldwide". Music Business Worldwide. 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  21. ^ "INgrooves Up For Sale With $100M Price Tag: Sources". Billboard.
  22. ^ Christman, Ed. "Universal Music to Acquire Distributor Ingrooves in Move to Strengthen Commitment to Indie Labels'". Billboard. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  23. ^ Cobo, Leila (8 May 2018). "Rich Music LTD Signs Distribution Deal With INgrooves". Billboard. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  24. ^ Roiz, Jessica (18 April 2019). "Pitbull's Mr. 305 Record Label Signs Distribution Deal With Ingrooves: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  25. ^ Paine, Andre (10 Dec 2019). "'I'm excited about this new era': Dirty Hit renews global partnership with Ingrooves". Music Week. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  26. ^ Duffy, Thom (13 June 2020). "2020 Indie Power Players". Billboard. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  27. ^ Stassen, Murray (7 October 2020). "Ingrooves Expands Into Spain, Appoints Antón Suárez As Country Manager And Signs Record Label Mushroom Pillow To Global Deal". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  28. ^ Stassen, Murray (24 June 2020). "Ingrooves Music Group Expands Into Turkey, Names Haluk Cerahman As Country Manager For The Market". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  29. ^ Lau, Yvonne (22 October 2021). "Universal Music's new BTS distribution deal is only its latest K-pop coup". Fortune. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  30. ^ Online News Of India (24 November 2021). "Yo Yo Honey Singh And Himesh Reshammiya Are Now Official Artists Of Ingrooves Music Group !". Online News of India. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  31. ^ "Ingrooves expands into Iceland with acquisition of label and distributor Alda Music". Music Business Worldwide. 24 January 2022.
  32. ^ Aswad, Jem (2022-09-13). "Universal Launches Virgin Music Group, Including Virgin, Ingrooves and Newly Acquired Mtheory Artist Partnerships". Variety. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  33. ^ "New name, new handle, and exciting things ahead. Virgin Music & Ingrooves are now #VirginMusicGroup. Follow us @virginmusic ❤️‍🔥". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
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