Independiente

Independiente was a British independent record label formed in 1997 by Andy Macdonald after he sold Go! Discs to PolyGram in 1996. The new label developed a roster spanning alternative rock, singer-songwriters, electronic music, soul, hip-hop and international artists. Its best-known commercial period came in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when releases by Travis and Embrace achieved substantial UK success and established Independiente as a visible force in the British independent-label sector. Travis became the label's most commercially significant act. The band's album The Man Who was cited as the 25th biggest-selling album in the United Kingdom, while its 2001 follow-up, The Invisible Band, extended the group's mainstream reach. Embrace also delivered major results: Out of Nothing, released in 2004, became a UK number-one comeback album, and This New Day subsequently debuted at number one, giving the band its third chart-topping album. The label's wider catalogue included records by Gomez, Paul Weller, John Martyn, Martina Topley-Bird, Tinariwen, Roddy Frame, Howling Bells, The Tears, Ulrich Schnauss, So Solid Crew and other artists. Independiente stopped releasing music by new artists in 2009. Rather than disappearing immediately, it shifted toward exploiting its existing catalogue, developing a synchronization business that sourced placements for its recordings in film, television, advertising and other audiovisual contexts. This change reflected a move from artist development and conventional new-release activity toward rights management and licensing. By December 2013, Embrace had signed with Cooking Vinyl, leaving Independiente without current artists on its roster. The label is now described as dormant and operates as a division of Concord Music, with its continuing relevance tied primarily to its recorded catalogue and synchronization activity rather than to an active artist roster.

Independiente emerged in 1997 from the British independent-label business built by Andy Macdonald. Macdonald had previously founded Go! Discs, which was sold to PolyGram in 1996. The formation of Independiente followed that transaction and created a new platform for developing and releasing music outside the major-label structure, although its later corporate association placed it within Concord Music. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Independiente built a catalogue that combined commercially accessible British rock with more eclectic and specialist projects. Its artists included Travis, Embrace, Gomez, Paul Weller, John Martyn, Martina Topley-Bird, Roddy Frame, Tinariwen, Howling Bells, The Tears, Ulrich Schnauss, So Solid Crew, Ooberman, The Shortwave Set and others. The range of the roster gave the label an identity broader than a single genre, while its strongest public profile came from successful alternative-rock releases. Travis supplied the label with its most prominent commercial achievements. The Man Who became a major UK success and was cited as the country's 25th biggest-selling album. The band followed it with The Invisible Band in 2001, reinforcing the label's position during a period when independent British acts were achieving substantial mainstream visibility. Embrace provided another important success story. Out of Nothing, released in September 2004, was the group's UK number-one comeback album, and This New Day later debuted at number one, becoming the band's third chart-topping album. The label's operating model changed in 2009, when it stopped releasing music by new artists. Independiente then focused on the commercial exploitation of its existing recordings, particularly through synchronization. In this model, catalogue tracks are licensed for use in films, advertising and other visual media. The change transformed Independiente from an active artist-signing label into a rights and licensing operation while preserving a route to revenue from its accumulated repertoire. A further sign of the reduced roster came in December 2013, when Embrace was confirmed to have signed with Cooking Vinyl. With no current artists remaining on Independiente's roster, the label's public role became primarily catalogue-based. It is now characterized as dormant and as a division of Concord Music. Its historical importance rests on the artists it released, the UK chart success achieved during its peak period and the later conversion of its catalogue into a synchronization-focused business.

• 2013

  Embrace leaves for Cooking Vinyl

  [1]Independiente (record label)en.wikipedia.org

  The band's move to Cooking Vinyl left Independiente without current artists on its roster.

• 2009

  New-artist releases end

  [1]Independiente (record label)en.wikipedia.org

  Independiente stopped releasing music by new artists and shifted its emphasis toward catalogue synchronization.

• 2004

  Embrace releases Out of Nothing

  [1]Independiente (record label)en.wikipedia.org

  The album became Embrace's UK number-one comeback record.

• 2001

  Travis releases The Invisible Band

  [1]Independiente (record label)en.wikipedia.org

  The release extended Travis's major commercial relationship with Independiente after the success of The Man Who.

• 1997

  Independiente is formed

  [1]Independiente (record label)en.wikipedia.org

  Andy Macdonald established Independiente as a new British independent record label.

• 1996

  Go! Discs is sold to PolyGram

  [1]Independiente (record label)en.wikipedia.org

  Andy Macdonald sold his earlier label, Go! Discs, to PolyGram, an event preceding the creation of Independiente.

A British independent label associated with artist-led alternative and rock music, later repositioned as a catalogue and synchronization business.

• Album

  The Man Who

  Travis's album was one of Independiente's defining commercial releases. It achieved major UK success and was cited as the 25th biggest-selling album in the United Kingdom, helping establish the label's profile during its late-1990s and early-2000s peak.

• Album · 2001

  The Invisible Band

  Travis's 2001 follow-up continued the band's successful relationship with Independiente and formed part of the label's strongest period of mainstream alternative-rock performance.

• Album · 2004

  Out of Nothing

  Embrace's 2004 comeback album became a UK number-one record and was one of Independiente's most prominent releases.

• Album

  This New Day

  The follow-up Embrace album debuted at number one in the UK, becoming the band's third chart-topping album and another important success associated with Independiente.

• Licensing service · 2009

  Independiente catalogue synchronization

  After the label stopped releasing new artists, it developed a profitable synchronization business around its catalogue, sourcing opportunities for recordings in film, advertising and related visual-media uses.

• 2009

  Shift from new releases to synchronizationStrategy

  Background

  Independiente had built a catalogue of commercially successful and stylistically diverse recordings, but the label stopped releasing music by new artists in 2009.

  Action taken

  The business redirected its focus toward licensing catalogue recordings for film, advertising and other synchronization uses.

  Aftermath

  Independiente became primarily a catalogue and synchronization operation rather than an active artist-development label.

  Source

1. 1Independiente (record label)en.wikipedia.org