News | BMG | Berlin/New York/Portland, 05/18/2015

BMG Acquires Pioneering US Rock Label Rise Records

BMG is pleased to announce it has acquired pioneering US metal and hard rock label Rise Records.

Rise – home to artists including Of Mice & Men, Memphis May Fire, Crown The Empire and The Devil Wears Prada – was founded by Craig Ericson in 1991. Using digital media it has become the center of a growing underground community with its YouTube video channel boasting more than 1.4m subscribers, more than major labels many times its size.

Current releases include White Noise by PVRIS, currently embarking on a 50-date tour, including a performance at next month’s Download Festival in the UK.

Under the deal with BMG, Rise will continue to operate from its headquarters in Portland, Oregon under the leadership of Craig Ericson. BMG will handle back office functions and will offer Rise artists access to its international network. Rise currently generates around 95% of its revenue in the US.

The partnership builds on BMG’s existing strengths in the metal genre with historic recording catalogues from the likes of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Megadeth, Uriah Heep and Helloween and contemporary recordings from You Me At Six, Within Temptation and Bring Me The Horizon.

Sales of hard rock are proving more resilient than in many other genres. Sales of hard rock recordings in the US grew by 8% in the fourth quarter to 2014 at a time when the overall market declined by 3.5%.

Laurent Hubert, President Creative & Marketing at BMG Chrysalis US, said, “Rise Records is more than a record label. It is a cultural phenomenon which has harnessed digital media to create a genuine community. We are delighted to partner with Craig and his team to give Rise’s artists access to BMG’s world-class admin services and international network.”

Craig Ericson, President of Rise Records, said, “I’m thrilled to work with BMG and I know Rise Records and its bands will benefit greatly from this new partnership.”

BMG is a new kind of music company bringing together the traditionally separate activities of music publishing and recordings under one roof and operating off the same infrastructure. Just six-and-a-half years after its launch in 2008, it is already the world’s fourth largest music publisher. Its partnership with Rise forms part of its plan to further develop its strength in the contemporary recordings market. Last year it acquired two renowned alternative rock labels – Vagrant (US) and Infectious (UK).

BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “BMG continues to invest in the future of the music business. We believe music offers tremendous potential – provided you recognize the rules of the game have changed. An innovative company like Rise Records is an ideal match for BMG.”