finetunes announces New Strategic Partnerships as part of Asia Business Development Strategy

18 November 2015 - Press release

Independent distribution and label services company finetunes GmbH has announced a trio of new strategic partnerships, formed as part of a wider Asia business development strategy.

Hamburg-based finetunes, which represents internationally-renowned record labels such as Erased Tapes, Berliner Philharmoniker and Honest Jon’s Records, is increasing both its local representation and distribution network in the Asian region via the new partnerships.

finetunes will in future benefit from local representation in the Asia region, thanks to a new partnership with the Singapore-based company Cross Ratio Entertainment, represented by Dean Augustine and Jolene Ruth Tan. Augustine and Tan will represent finetunes throughout the region, including handling the acquisition of local label and artist partners, as well as providing focused, localised marketing for finetunes releases to digital services across Asia.

The arrival of finetunes’ new Singapore team is backed by two significant developments to finetunes distribution network in Asia:

In China, finetunes is announcing a new exclusive distribution partnership with the Beijing-based company R2G. With over 10 years of market expertise R2G, which is part of China Music Corporation (CMC), has established the most extensive digital music distribution network in China. R2G will supply finetunes’ catalogue to key local services including Tencent's QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo and TTPod.

In Korea, finetunes has additionally concluded an exclusive distribution agreement with local partner KDigital Media, which will see finetunes’ catalogue being delivered to local Korean services for the first time. Seoul-based KDigital Media will supply digital services in the Korean market including Melon, Bugs, Mnet, Naver, Soribada and more.

Furthermore, finetunes pan-Asia distribution network has been further strengthened thanks to new agreements with key regional digital services including KKBox and Saavn.

finetunes Head of Content Distribution David Balfour comments: “finetunes recognises the fast-growing importance of the Asian music markets and understands that achieving the best results for our artists and labels in the region requires both a local presence and a localised marketing strategy. We’re therefore delighted to be strengthening our A&R, distribution and marketing presence in Asia through these new partnerships. We’re especially pleased to have a new team in place with partners who understand the finetunes ethos and the quality of the artists and labels we distribute.”

Dean Augustine and Jolene Tan of Cross Ratio Entertainment commented: “The Cross Ratio Entertainment x finetunes partnership has close synergy in the way we do business and what we believe in: Quality over quantity, a fruitful teamwork and a certain and inspiring enterprise culture. finetunes has great potential in the Asian market, as digital music is now slowly picking up in this region, especially in the less developed countries. People are more exposed to the digital world and it is the best time now to show them what we can collectively do.”

Mathew Daniel, President of R2G, said, "We are excited to be working with finetunes and helping to bring the music of their artists to a new audience in China. We are looking forward to helping to extend finetunes' global reach into China and at the same time, provide music fans in China with a wider selection of music."

Charlie Ahn, CEO of KDigital Media, comments: “We are very happy to have signed an exclusive partnership with finetunes for the Korea market. We look forward to introducing people in Korea to the great artists which finetunes represents.”