Music management agency M.P.3 granted licences for trading in its music production to the popular internet portals of the world. Music released by agency M.P.3 can be now purchased in any country of the world just by visiting such portals as iTunes Music Store, Napster, eMusic, Amazon, Musicnet, Virgin Mega, Sony Connect and other.
Jurga's music on Napster |
M.P.3 became the first agency in Lithuania that licensed the music production of local performers in the popular foreign websites. Albums and songs “Aukso Pieva” by Jurga, “1210” by Lemon Joy, “We Are the Winners” by LT United and “Saldi. Juoda. Naktis” and “Tyla” by Andrius Mamontovas can be legally purchased and downloaded from the aforesaid websites.
“The fact that we now have the possibility to present Lithuanian music in the international networks inspires us to take further steps”, said the manager of agency M.P.3 Vaidas Stackevičius. “People in any country of the world have the opportunity to get acquainted with Lithuanian music at the major international networks of the world now rather than on the Lithuanian internet sites”.
Last June M.P.3 signed a cooperation agreement on distribution of its music on the internet portals all over the world with a US company Independent Online Distribution Alliance, Inc. based in San Francisco. With the help of this company, agreements were made with more than 100 portals. Processing of the documents and distribution of the music in the internet portals took several months and the first sales of Lithuanian music abroad started in August.
According to Vaidas Stackevičius, the sales volumes are not big in the beginning but they tend to grow and it can be expected that this way of promoting songs will gain momentum. “Up till now, the most popular of Lithuanian songs was the well-known “We Are the Winners” by LT United, but we are pleased to note that there is interest in other Lithuanian performers as well. We have recently received reports for October where the first sales of the songs by Jurga, Lemon Joy, Andrius Mamontovas are recorded”, said Vaidas Stackevičius.
According to the manager of M.P.3, the number of Lithuanian bands and performers who are ready to export their music abroad is gradually increasing. “The start is given. We believe that internet distribution in foreign portals is a strong step in promoting Lithuanian music abroad”, said Vaidas Stackevičius.
Music management agency M.P.3 is in charge of the careers of Jurga, Skamp, Lemon Joy, and The Hobos and it implements projects related with the concerts of foreign performers. The success of the company is based on the philosophy of working only with the music that we like and with original projects. “We are first of all fans of the groups we represent and only then their managers”, said Vaidas Stackevičius.
Although music publishing is not the primary activity of M.P.3, the agency independently releases the music of most of the artists under its supervision. Last year nine songs by Jurga, Lemon Joy and Andrius Mamontovas produced by agency M.P.3 made it to the Top 100 of the most popular songs of 2006 at the radio station M-1.
During last year the agency sold over 30,000 copies of records by the performers it represents. The most popular album of agency M.P.3 that is counting its fifth year is Aukso Pieva by Jurga released in 2005. The total of over 18,000 copies of the album was sold in one and a half year. The company is open to innovative solutions. Some years ago M.P.3 started working with Latvian group The Hobos and became the first music agency in our country providing its services to the musicians outside Lithuania.
Vaidas Stackevičius | M.P.3
Tel./fax: + 370 5 2120810
E-mail: vaidas@shownet.lt
www.shownet.lt
