Fatboy Slim
BMG has acquired UK dance label Loaded Records and its subsidiary Skint, including producer Fatboy Slim's entire recording catalog, among others.
The acquisition allows worldwide rights -- excluding North America -- to five Fatboy Slim albums, among which is 1998's "You've Come a Long Way Baby," featuring the unforgettable single "Praise You." Skint's roster also features UK chart-toppers like Xpress 2's "Lazy" (featuring David Byrne) and Freemasons' "Uninvited."
“Skint and Loaded are among the most influential and successful UK independent labels and we are delighted to add them to our growing international catalogue of recordings," commented BMG Chrystalis UK EVP Alexi Cory-Smith. "There is significant potential in particular in the peerless Fatboy Slim catalogue and we will ensure it gets the attention it deserves.”
Founded in 1990 by JC Reid and Tim Jeffrey, Loaded was one of the pioneers of the UK's burgeoning house scene. Damien Harris joined the company in 1995, founding Skint and leading the "Big Beat" scene, spearheaded by artists like Fatboy Slim and the Chemical Brothers. Together, the two labels have the rights to 2,500 tracks and have sold 10 million albums and 15 million singles.
In January 2013, BMG scored the master rights to US dance label Strictly Rhythm, including Reel 2 Real's classic "I Like to Move It." Earlier this year, BMG acquired Talpa Music, the Benelux-based music publisher with rights to songs by EDM all-stars like Afrojack and Laidback Luke.