Musicians aren’t the only members of the entertainment industry that are feeling the effects of the dwindling economy. Now, the Hollywood Reporter indicates that RCA Records has closed the doors on three of its leading subsidiary labels Jive, Arista and J.
RCA Records CEO Peter Edge recently confirmed the dissolution of the three labels earlier today. Edge says that the decision came about after RCA’s digital music sales experienced a major growth over the past weeks. He says that now, he’s looking to expand RCA’s scope of business and revamp its image by cutting ties with its less profitable imprints Jive, Arista and J.
“What we’re witnessing – finally, maybe – is the digital turnaround that’s long been discussed, where people feel comfortable buying music and building their collections digitally,” he explained. “The path we’ve taken is to refresh RCA, so we’re going to retire those brands. There may be a reason down the line to bring them back, but it’s a clean slate here…[t]he concept is that there is value in branding RCA and not having it confused or diluted by other labels. RCA is big now. We’ve doubled our market share, and we’re competing with the top label groups in the industry. I was at J when it started, Jive’s a wonderful moniker, and Arista speaks for itself. They’re all great, historic labels. But our goal is to refresh and rebrand RCA. And the artists have all been supportive. We didn’t make this move without consulting our artists, and we haven’t had any push-back. Frankly, they’re the brand. We’re defined by our artists.”
He added, “We’ve learned to work with less and hopefully accomplish the same or more. But by definition, the business has shrunk – the staffing has shrunk, our rosters are smaller. But we’re still profitable. Like any other business, you have to make money. But we’re an efficient machine.”
As of now, all the artists signed to the three labels have signed to RCA. In the 1990’s, Jive was home to some Hip Hop’s most revered acts, including A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One, E-40 and more.
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R.I.P. to some great labels, with great artists over the years.
So they consolidated all of the artists to RCA. With a smaller staff believe there will be layoffs.
I guess Alicia and Pitbull couldn’t save J Records.
What’s with all the fuss, who really cares? Only artists truly worth listening to on any of those labels are Outkast and Marsha Ambrosious.
And they aren’t shutting out the artists either, just adding them to RCA Records now.
Outkast is on Epic, dumbass!!!!
Pineapple Expressions is smoking that dirt weed. Don’t even reply to this comment.
Sign of the times, thank the internets, lol
Funny cause I was just drivin home from work and noticed the empty building where the first job I ever had, A Wherehouse Music, use to be
Technology is the devil, it wont be happy till it replaces every Job a person does with a computer…… They even shutting the video stores outta buisness for the Redbox machines now…… Pretty soon they’ll figure out a way to do it with resteraunts, Banks, and everything else till the only people with jobs are the ones who make the computers
“fuuuuuuuuck”! I was hopin they release the artist from those labels so ATCQ can finally get they shit together with no excuses to get their heads out of there ass to do an album but now its going to be the same bullshit if they just move their contract to RCA. once again “fuuuuuuuck”!
Maybe RCA will drop their contracts; I don’t think the new guys running the ship, will even consider ATCQ even acceptable to mainstream fans. So there is still hope
All those jobs lost…. They’re taking money out of peoples pocket
FUCK the world stick my dick in the dirt
RCA will absorb the contracts, but if the artists are smart, they will re-negotiate the terms because some will get more digital money than others. You guys don’t understand publishing so there’s no need to even start a conversation. But anyone stating that Tribe doesn’t have a win or who cares about people losing their jobs who are being the scenes of your favorite rapper winning are ignorant to the facts and it is blatant on these threads.
behind>being
Just as long as they give me a new Mystikal album, I’m good
I predict that maybe half the current artist roster will be dropped within a year. On a related note, Jive/Arista needs to put out better compilations of classic material from its catalog of artists who helped build the label.
Where’s the boxed set of Boogie Down Productions, Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince, Schoolly D, Steady B?
its 2011 dont nobody care about Boogie Down or none of that other shit… stop livin in the past… go find you some good shit… its out here just not on the radio
Truth is that there is NO good news in this move here. The jobs that will be lost plus I’m certain that there will be more pressure on the artists (now) signed to RCA to pump out numbers or else? At the end of the day Peter Edge is a GREAT PR person and business is always gonna be business. Like most of us suspect, this is the start of the ending (no pun intended). the freaking sign of the times, what a shame….
mystikal is sign to jive maybe thats why he havent drop nothing yet
PITBULL has over 500 Million Hits on You Tube Vevo and you dis Mr 305 without even a mention . Other than this HUGE ommission, the rest of the story was interesting & well written, so Thanks for that. 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/user/PitbullVEVO
The bad news is that more jobs have been lost and RCA is forced to downsize.
The good news is that Jive and Arista, the most hated labels in hip hop, no longer exist.
jive i need my money, im the guy behind some off your artist work they never did shit for it. world star my shit, wilcliffe hessing the name im looking to (sue) yes snipper gang= bones vision= 21k= wave lord= skip on the beeat= base out off fort lauderdale ready to meet an come to an argument not looking to sing need my money. an by way you guys know me i go my the prince off football no flocking bitch