Kobalt Acquires Digital Distributor

KOBALT GOES DIGITAL: Kobalt Music Group Ltd. has launched a pair of new divisions, Artist and Label Services and Neighbouring Rights, as well as the acquisition of leading digital distributor/marketing services provider AWAL Limited, marking its evolution into a "broader and new class of service-oriented music company across multiple rights areas," including recorded music, designed to serve client needs. AWAI directly and globally distributes and promotes the recorded music of more than 5,000 indie labels and artists including Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys and Moby. Kobalt obtains access to AWAL’s worldwide distribution network of more than 250 digital retail partners, including iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, eMusic, Rhapsody, 7Digital, Beatport, Deezer and Nokia. The pubbery’s new Artist and Label Services division will roll out next generation services for artists and labels worldwide, giving recording owners “a similar level of control, transparency, accuracy and efficiency,” enabling Kobalt and AWAL clients the opportunity to maximize revenues from a wide range of digital retail, subscription, D2C and social media services, and benefit from advanced data analytics. (1/23a)