🔵 R.I.PIAS

An epitaph for the indie stalwart as it becomes another piece in Universal's empire

Hi there -

Among anyone I know, the news that Universal has now taken full ownership of [PIAS] is not remotely surprising. As soon as the major acquired 49% of the business back in 2022, I think it was assumed (rightly, we now know) that complete ownership was inevitable.

Nonetheless, the news still feels bittersweet to me, not least because I used to work at [PIAS], starting in 2009 before eventually quitting in 2011 to form Motive Unknown and take on my first client, and then-unknown group called alt-J.

To me, [PIAS] was always an indie stalwart. In fact, I’d argue that is just objectively true, rather than just opinion. Its existence dates back to what we might term “the big bang” in independent music terms; that era when likes of Mute, Beggars, Blast First and co were all building power and standing, eventually leading to things like the Rough Trade distribution network, the Chain With No Name store collective, and ultimately even the formation of AIM, the world’s first independent label trade body.

Equally, my own time there is something I remember fondly, if a little hazily at points thanks to the kind of alcohol consumption normally reserved for touring rock bands. [PIAS] back then was run with zeal for the music and a serious sense that anything was possible. Under the leadership of the mighty Pete Thompson here in the UK, this was a company that worked hard all day, and then headed out most nights to gigs, usually clattering home after midnight (or later), only to start it all again the next day. It was brutal in some respects, but one thing could never be questioned: the passion for music. As many other labels got very professional and serious post-90s, [PIAS] ran with a kind of inherent understanding that music people are not corporate suits. Relationships were managed as much in pubs as in boardrooms, because that felt right in the context of the music we were working on.

It was a business that ran on pure gut feel. I suspect because of that, some bad deals were done, or weaker artists were signed that went nowhere. That’s life in recorded music though, and I think what I always loved was this mentality of “we love this, we back this, and we’re gonna DO this” which was most definitely infectious.

The company had a real eye for talent too, with many people moving on to bigger and more pivotal roles elsewhere. Perhaps that is one criticism I would have of the company: in hindsight, it could have done more to retain that talent and develop it. At points that has been to my own gain though; Charlie Biles, who was my assistant back in my tenure there, is now the Head of Growth here at Motive Unknown, and remains as brilliant now as he was then. Ian Dutt, now heading up The Orchard, was in charge of the Integral label services operation there during my time and was equally brilliant. It’s a long, long list of people; naming them all would take more time and character space than I have here.

Over the years, companies like Believe, that were almost irksome startups back when I was at the company, have now shot past [PIAS] to become the biggest players in the indie space. In that regard, it’s plausible to suggest that Believe stands as a testament to what [PIAS] might have been. Equally though, perhaps Believe was just more aggressive in certain senses, and whilst that might have made them better at business, they probably weren’t as much fun to be around. Many accusations might be levelled at [PIAS], but being boring cannot be one of them.

I do feel [PIAS]’s star has faded a little over time. It used to be quite central to all things independent, certainly when I worked there from around 2009-2011. Since then, companies like AWAL, The Orchard and Believe (the latter being the only one not now owned by a major) have all grown rapidly, swallowing up market share and really taking chunks out of [PIAS]’s business.

For that reason, it was never a shock to learn that Universal had first acquired 49% of the company, and now owns it outright. Kenny Gates might put on a brave face with the “fuck the haters” speech linked to above, but I feel the reality is simply that a company tends to sell up when it is on the back foot, and cannot find a path out that doesn’t involve consolidation with other businesses to ensure its survival.

It is absolutely plausible that [PIAS] will endure for some time yet, but I feel history tends to suggest a different path. With new owners comes a need to align to new objectives and values, and, at the end of the day, Universal is a major label, and a multi-billion dollar business. The “screw it, let’s do it” motif that Richard Branson coined, and which Gates admired, won’t work in the world of shareholders and suits to please. If [PIAS] cannot demonstrate value, it will get broken down, just as many, many other businesses have been that Universal has purchased before now.

Remember InGrooves, which Universal acquired back in 2019?

At the time, Bob Roback, then CEO, said “This acquisition by UMG represents the very best possible outcome for Ingrooves, our employees and our artist and label partners.”

And where is InGrooves now?

Gone; folded into Virgin, much like [PIAS]’s own label services operation.

Things tend to go out not with a bang, but a whimper, and I suspect this is just a first step in the slow dismantling of everything [PIAS] once was, though some might argue it has been on that path for some time now. In that sense, it is truly sad to see, but this is life in music: things always come and go.

Perhaps the greater question now is what line Universal has to cross before someone - ideally a monopolies commission - takes issue and investigates the business for market share and undue levels of influence.

To me that argument feels clear as day. None of these developments feel good for the health of the independent music business.

That being said, I do also feel that change is coming, and that as that change is ushered in, we might see a new, more positive age of independent music coming forth. Arguably the largest player in the indie space - Beggars Group - has presaged this through its investment into Cargo, moving its business away from [PIAS] - with canny timing - to ensure it is still overseen by legitimately independent businesses.

For me, that is a sign. Things are changing. Older stalwarts might ultimately perish, just as they always have, but new things will come to replace them, and that will be very exciting indeed.

For now though, I raise a glass to [PIAS]: it provided me with so many memorable moments; stories that are still shared amid great laughter and joy among both former colleagues and other friends, few of which could be printed here and none of which would make it past an editor if one were writing memoirs.

I am sad to see this turn of events, but I am grateful to have briefly been a part of it all.

Without [PIAS], Motive Unknown would not exist, nor would it have given me a chance to work with so many great people both during and after my time there. I also feel it is important to recognise the debt I owe all those people for what they’ve taught me along the way. For all of it, I am truly grateful.

Here’s to you all, you mad, wonderful, funny, brilliant people. And to [PIAS], to quote A Tribe Called Quest: “We got it from here - thank you for your service”.

D.

🎶 listening to “Disconnect” by KRM and KMRU. This is a dark, brooding semi-ambient collab between Kevin Martin AKA The Bug, and Joseph Kamaru, aka KMRU. The latter takes on vocal duties (of a kind), but the result is something incredibly immersive and spatial, which is what I love. Apparently the collab came about after Martin watched this documentary on KMRU’s ambient sampling and work process. It’s a terrific watch. I also highly recommend this interview with Martin, freshly up on The Quietus.

📺 watching The Ragga Twins doing “Spliffhead” on Dance Energy back in… I’m going to guess 1990/91 as that’s when this track dropped. What is noticeable - aside from the banging performance - is the comments on the video, noting how energetic the dancers are, and how these days we just have things like Boiler Room where standing around feels a more likely activity than just throwing down. A clear generation gap, for sure.

📖 reading Shea Serrano’s “Hip Hop (And Other Things)”. My god this book has made me laugh. In it, Serrano answers entirely daft questions over a few pages, with examples being “is Action Bronson a good travel partner?” or “which line on Illmatic is the most Nasian?”. Every chapter is priceless, and every home should have a copy if you’ve ever loved hip hop.

🔊 enjoying David Gilmour live at the Royal Albert Hall last Friday. I feel like Gilmour is one of those artists everyone should see live, so when the opportunity popped up, I had to do it, as I could watch the man play guitar all day. I certainly wasn’t expecting to wind up at the after party either, so that was a wonderful end to a wonderful night. Huge thanks to Nancy for that!

---

Stories worth reading from the Music Industry:

Kenny Gates on [PIAS] sale: We have an amazing future ahead… and f**k the haters.

Subsequent to the sale, [PIAS]’s label services arm, [Integral], will merge with Universal’s Virgin Music Group, significantly bolstering VMG’s reach, supply chain, and client base in the EU, the UK, and beyond. Gates will join VMG’s board. Meanwhile, [PIAS]’s owned and associated labels operation, the [PIAS] Label Group (PLG), will also become owned by UMG – but, importantly, it will be run as a “completely autonomous, standalone company”, led by Gates as its CEO.

👆🏻Hot take: see article above…

UK’s culture secretary talks streaming economy and AI music

“While it’s made music more freely available, it’s created shockwaves for songwriters, publishers, record labels and streaming platforms,” said Nandy. “The classical violinist Tamsin Little recently told Parliament that for more than 5 million Spotify streams from albums she recorded in the 1990s, she earned just £12.34. That is not OK.”

👆🏻Hot take: what I am really interested to see here is whether the new Labour government will do more to step in, both regarding streaming and AI, but also things like Universal’s market share as mentioned above. The previous Govt was too wrapped up in its own self-interest to do anything for the arts; here’s hoping the new left-wing Govt might be different - and more effective.

WIN joins criticism of TikTok’s decision to ditch Merlin deal

“TikTok’s decision to walk away from Merlin puts independent labels in an impossible place with their artists: it’s a choice between their music being available on the platform or ensuring fair licence terms,” said WIN chair Zena White. “TikTok’s decision poses risks to cultural diversity, market access, and fair payment for independents,” added CEO Noemí Planas, who pointed to a bigger picture. “We urge policymakers around the world to regulate the tech sector to ensure a truly competitive market where creators’ rights are protected from abusive and monopolistic behaviour.”

👆🏻Hot take: I basically agree with the sentiments here, but per the next article below, I think this might also shine a light on whether Merlin is even the best trade body to represent these matters now. It’s a highly complicated argument, however, with no clear solution that I can see.

On… TikTok, Merlin, and the awkward arranged marriage of music’s independent sector

To put that in simpler terms, Merlin’s represented membership, and the ‘non-major’ independent sector more generally, has become an awkward arranged marriage of parties with vastly different incentives. And, in some cases, vastly different ethics. Beggars boss Martin Mills — a principal architect of Merlin’s original formation — called out this exact issue in an interview on Merlin’s website earlier this year. “Lots of people turned up on our doorstep that we weren’t expecting, in addition to the premium indie labels that were our core,” said Mills of Merlin’s evolution. “Now our world is occupied not just by what you would traditionally call an independent label, but by artist services companies and people whose job is delivery rather than the creation of value, and who don’t necessarily have the same interests, or business philosophy.”

👆🏻Hot take: per comment on the article above, I think Martin Mills highlights that Merlin is a complicated beast now, and that in turn just leaves me wondering how that impacts its effectiveness. Any which way, to me it’s clear that TikTok should not be allowed to ‘de-fang’ trade bodies. Nothing good can come of that, surely.

Macron calls for fairer music streaming model after France imposes ‘music streaming tax’

The tax aims to fund the Centre national de la musique (CNM), a quasi-governmental organization supporting various French music initiatives. These include programs like the Fonds pour la création musicale (FCM), Centre National de la Chanson, des Variétés et du Jazz (CNV), CALIF, and the French Music Export Office. Senator Julien Bargeton, who proposed the tax in 2023, described it as a measure to protect French culture in an increasingly digitized and globally influenced music landscape.

👆🏻Hot take: I saw an interesting take on this the other day, with someone opining that whilst it is great have the French Govt control ensuring a certain proportion of music aired and promoted is of French origin, the down side is that it tends not to be particularly edgy, and therefore promotes just the safer end of what is actually great and exciting in French music.

---

Notable news from the world of tech:

Soccer star Harry Kane just launched an app to change athletes' relationship with fans

“The difference here is content is not being algorithmically controlled, and you do not see the thousands of comments which might fill other feeds,” says Kirkham. Cleats Club is meant to hark back to social media to a time before algorithms or click-bait posts. “This enhances that experience, but with you in charge,” says Kirkham.

👆🏻Hot take: I still feel selling Joe Public on these new apps is a massive uphill struggle. That being said, a move towards more of a one-way flow of updates feels like no bad thing amid the toxicity of social media in general. This could prove to be the canary in the coalmine for, well, Universal and the other majors with their aspirations in the superfan space, for one…

Westminster’s reliance on Elon Musk’s X is ‘totally wrong’, says Labour MP

Westminster needs to wean itself off X, a close ally of Keir Starmer has said, as he suggested that Elon Musk was deliberately manipulating its algorithm to boost his own political and personal interests. Josh Simons, the MP for Makerfield and former head of the Starmerite thinktank Labour Together, said he believed the British political class was dangerously addicted to the platform, formerly known as Twitter.

👆🏻Hot take: what’s interesting here is the wider sense that - certainly in the UK anyway - government and even things like police forces are all forming the view that X is simply not worth being on anymore. I still wish more artists would abandon ship. Let X die already.

Amazon's AI Generator Tool Can Now Create Audio Ads

Brands can now use generative AI to make audio ads—in addition to images and video—through Amazon Ads’ self-service tools. That was one of many advertising- and adtech-related developments that the commerce giant announced today at Amazon unBoxed, its annual advertising conference, as it vies to retain its dominance in digital advertising and retail media.

👆🏻Hot take: I think what I find puzzling about this is the notion that someone would be willing to spend thousands on advertising, and yet would elect to cut corners on the ad itself by deploying AI for a voiceover rather than pay a professional to do it. Another example of AI stepping into use cases that simply don’t stack up.

---

Looking for something else to read? Here you go:

Please Don’t Make Me Download Another App

Our phones are being overrun.

👆🏻Hot take: whilst I think we’d all superficially agree that we probably have too many apps, the real point of this article is how we’re increasingly being forced to use apps for things that, before now, simply had better, easier ways to function - parking being a great case in point.

Shocking revelations about teens in redacted TikTok documents

Kids as young as 15 were stripping on TikTok’s live feature fueled by adults who were paying for it.

👆🏻Hot take: a bleak read, so avoid if easily triggered, but this is certainly more grist to the mill that social media remains highly, highly toxic and that we need to be more questioning of the degree to which Big Tech is allowed to go unchecked. TikTok might fall foul of Govt interventions, but the irony is that this will be entirely because it is a Chinese-owned business, NOT because of revelations like these.

---