THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC www.musicweek.com

BIG INTERVIEW

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XL founder and Music Week Awards Strat winner Richard Russell on a life in music

ANALYSIS

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EMI, Universal and Kobalt claim top spots in our annual publishing analysis

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27.04.12 £5.15

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FEATURE

How the UK distribution sector has adapted to the rise of digital music

MUSIC WEEK AWARDS 2012: XL WINS THREE AS FOUNDER RUSSELL COLLECTS STRAT • DICKINS NAMED BEST MANAGER • PIAS, SPOTIFY, 6 MUSIC AND ATLANTIC ALL VICTORIOUS

Industry salutes year of Adele

MUSIC WEEK AWARDS WINNERS 2012

The Strat AWARD Richard Russell, XL Recordings

AWARDS n BY TIM INGHAM

The UK industry’s most powerful players overwhelmingly voted Team Adele into the spotlight at the Music Week Awards 2012.

Hundreds of top-level execs from all sectors of the business cast their ballots across the categories of this year’s event – including luminaries from labels, publishers, digital, live, retail, media and distribution.

XL was the biggest winner of the evening, picking up gongs for A&R, Artist Marketing Campaign and best Record Company – whilst founder Richard Russell collected the prestigious Strat award.

Elsewhere, Purple PR’s Carl Fysh was rewarded for his work on Adele’s PR Campaign, as the singer’s manager Jonathan Dickins won the Manager Of The Year prize - voted for by a select group of his peers.

Other indie victors included publisher Kobalt, label Bella Union, retailer Sound It Out Records and PIAS’s sales team.

Meanwhile, a favourite of the indie sector, 6Music, was voted best Radio Station by all corners of the trade - as its presenter Steve Lamacq picked up the Best Radio Show award.

EMI and Universal shared the spoils in a duo of Publisher of the Year categories, based on the market share of both the singles and albums market in 2011.

In a hotly-contested vote, the 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire was elected the UK’s Live Music Venue of the year. But it wasn’t the only music hall to get a nod – The 100 Club’s tie-up with Converse was recognised as the best music and brand partnership of the year.

HMV and iTunes reigned in the two retail categories, as Spotify pipped the likes of VEVO and Deezer to the best Non-Retail Digital Music Service award.

Atlantic was voted best Promotions Team by radio and TV execs across the industry, as Later… with Jools Holland was named best TV Show, ahead of ITV’s The X-Factor and the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage.

Live Music Venue 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Music & Brand Partnership Converse & Cornerstone for Converse Gigs @ The 100 Club

A&R Award XL Recordings

Manager Of The Year Jonathan Dickins, September Management

Publisher of the Year – Singles EMI Music Publishing

Radio Station 6Music

Radio Show Steve Lamacq, 6Music

TV Show Featuring Music Later… with Jools Holland

Promotions Team Atlantic

Sales Team PIAS

Publisher of the Year – Albums Universal Music Publishing

Independent Publisher Kobalt

High Street Retail Brand HMV

Online Retail Brand iTunes

Independent Retailer Sound It Out Records

Distribution Team Proper Distribution

Catalogue Marketing Campaign Rhino for The Smiths Complete

Artist Marketing Campaign XL Recordings for 21 by Adele

PR Campaign Purple PR for 21 by Adele

Independent Record Company Bella Union

Non-Retail Digital Music Service Spotify

Record Company XL Recordings