Warner Music has acquired 679 Recordings, home to British urban acts The Streets and Kano plus alt-rock band Mystery Jets, for an undisclosed sum.
The label becomes a wholly-owned division of Atlantic Records U.K.; founder Nick Worthington remains as managing director, reporting to Warner Music Europe president John Reid and Atlantic Records U.K. president Max Lousada. The label’s staff will re-locate to Atlantic’s offices in Kensington, London.
The label is also changing its name to Sixsevenine, dropping the ‘Recordings’ tag in recognition of an increasing focus on activities beyond recorded music.
Warner Music U.K. previously had a stake in the label, which was launched in 2001. Other acts which have released material on 679 include the Futureheads, King Creosote, Death From Above 1979 and Plan B. The label has been an early proponent of forming new business models with artists, recently forging partnerships with Cut Off Your Hands and The Rifles across an expanded range of rights and revenue streams.
“I am very excited about Sixsevenine joining the Atlantic U.K. family,” said Worthington in a statement.
“Atlantic U.K. places the artist at the heart of everything it does,” added Worthington, taking a highly innovative approach to the development of its acts’ careers as well as the marketing and distribution of its content. As such, our goals are very much aligned.”
According to Lousada, “This strategic acquisition will further strengthen our U.K. repertoire, provide an injection of new A&R expertise and help us broaden our co-operation with our acts.”
Atlantic U.K.’s current roster includes James Blunt, Hard-Fi, Paolo Nutini, Hadouken!, Panic At The Disco and Funeral For A Friend.
