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Business News Labels & Publishers
Universal relaunches Priority as dance label
By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 23 July 2013
Priority Records, the American urban label that was bought by EMI in 1998, is being relaunched by Universal Music, which acquired the label brand when it bought the EMI record company last year.
The all-new Priority will be a joint venture between the relaunched Universal (and former EMI) division Capitol Records and artist management group Insurgency Music, with a focus on electronic and dance music, and the producer artist. It will be led by Insurgency Music co-founder Michael Cohen.
Confirming the joint venture, Capitol Music CEO Steve Barnett told reporters: “Priority has played an important role in the history of Capitol Records, and I wanted an executive on the cutting edge of music to helm and reinvigorate the label. Michael Cohen is an expert in electronic and progressive music, and is passionate about its artists and culture. I have no doubt that he and his team will make Priority a successful and important label within the Capitol Music Group”.
Meanwhile Cohen added: “With Priority Records, we are looking to re-establish a label that has meant so much to so many people over the years. We are looking to establish the new Priority as a home for producers. The emergence of the producer as an artist and brand within the global electronic music scene and beyond has heralded a paradigm shift in the way music is created, discovered and spread. We are firm believers in nurturing artists and scenes that develop in the underground, and we intend to infuse the label with the most progressive artists we can find, wherever they may be”.
Although the new Priority Records will look to sign US-based talent directly, Cohen also indicated that the new label might look to represent European dance producers in the American market.
