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Highly regarded record executives Nick Burgess and Jack Melhuish have joined forces with B-Unique to launch a new independent label, Artist Theory. The new label has already hit the ground running signing an exciting and diverse roster, including established UK rock star Sam Ryder for the follow-up to his #1 debut album and exciting new artists H.LLS and Emily Jeffri. 

 
Speaking about their joint vision for Artist Theory, Nick and Jack have clear ambitions:
“The label's philosophy is to sign culturally vibrant & diverse artists early in their careers and use our experience to nurture and develop their talent into globally successful artists. Our intention is to build a home for artists with major label ambition coupled with flexible and artist-friendly deals to empower the best creative talent in the world. We are forward-thinking in our approach to audience engagement, but remain true to our belief that everything starts with undeniable artists and outstanding music”.
 
As Co-President of Parlophone, Nick helped transform the company from a sleeping giant into one of the UK's most dynamic and successful artist development labels. During his tenure he signed and developed artists such as PinkPantheress, Ashnikko, Gabriels, S1mba, Dutchavelli, Rachel Chinouriri, Sam Ryder and The Snuts. Prior to that Nick signed Bastille and The Kooks.
 
Jack Melhuish was most recently GM and Head of Marketing at Parlophone where he oversaw the cultural transformation of the label as well as leading the marketing, audience, data and creative departments. Jack devised campaign strategies for Coldplay, Gorillaz, Diplo, David Guetta, PinkPantheress and Ashnikko, amongst many others. 
 
As well as Sam Ryder, Artist Theory’s rapidly growing roster includes Electronic/R&B/Hip-Hop collective H.LLS,  who are already causing a stir in the industry and named Zane Lowe’s favourite new act following their debut single release.  Artist Theory have also signed Gothic pop queen, Emily Jeffri, who’s amassed an impressive 20 million streams and has been hand-picked by Mitski to play All Points East, just one of a number of Emily’s high-profile European festival appearances she’ll be making this summer. 
 
Mark Lewis, co-founder of B-Unique commented, “Launching a label with Nick and Jack is a new, dynamic development for B-Unique. They both have incredible track records and together with our understanding of how to make it through 20 plus years of being a success driven indie, Artist Theory really is an exciting proposition”.
 
Founded in 2001 by Mark Lewis and Martin Toher, B-Unique is one of the most successful independent record labels and publishing companies in the UK.  Among many great signings a few highlights are artists and writers such as Kasier Chiefs, James Bay, John Newman, Kodaline, Punctual, Altego,  Johnny McDaid and Callum Scott collaborator Jon McGuire,  Rob Harvey, Lewis Thompson, Jon Shave and Jonny Coffer. Johnny McDaid's cut on Shape Of You handed B-Unique a proportion of one of the biggest ever songs on Spotify.  B-Unique has recently signed hotly tipped Irish band Kingfishr whose live album just went top 5 in the Irish charts. With a debut album coming in 2025 the band seem set for big things. 

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Yoto Launches David Bowie Card: Introducing the Legendary Artist to a New Generation

Yoto's latest addition to its growing popular music offering is filled with the immortal icon's classic songs    Yoto, the award-winning audio platform for kids, today announced the launch of a new Yoto card featuring the timeless work of David Bowie. With...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

The Other Songs announce team expansion

Global independent music and entertainment company The Other Songs have announced the exciting expansion of their team as they recruit music industry executives Louis Brown, joining as General Manager, and Raju Watts, joining as Financial Director.  Speaking on today’s news, founders...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Day Fever partners with Ticketmaster’s Universe

Day Fever, the acclaimed daytime clubbing brand, has entered into a multi-year partnership with Ticketmaster’s white-label ticketing platform Universe, making the company its exclusive ticketing partner.Through the partnership, Day Fever will tap into Universe’s all-in-one ticketing and marketing platform, delivering...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Simon Dunmore Partners with Armada Music to Launch New Label, NBT Records

The imprint will operate from Armada’s brand-new creative hub in London Acclaimed industry figure Simon Dunmore and Armada Music, the world’s biggest independent dance music label, have partnered to launch NBT Records – a brand-new label dedicated to soulful, dancefloor-driven records. Formed...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Moises and Cory Henry Launch Global Music Competition with $50,000 in Prizes

Jam Sessions Invites Musicians Worldwide to Reimagine GRAMMY Winner's Track Through AI-Powered Tools Moises, Apple's 2024 iPad App of the Year, today launched Jam Sessions, a global music competition connecting artists, producers, and creators through AI-powered music technology. The inaugural edition...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

rightsHUB unveils tool to transform data ingestion process, signs Artist Theory alongside deal renewals with Believe, Defected and others

- New tool, rightsDROP, allows labels and publishers to optimise collection of metadata and resources via single point of entry or releases - rightsHUB now provides a fully end-to-end solution to streamline flow of rights data and assets- Artist Theory (Sam...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Madi Diaz signs global co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music and Crush Music Publishing

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter’s new album, ‘Fatal Optimist,’ out now First signing to Crush’s newly-launched publishing division   Warner Chappell Music (WCM) and Crush Music Publishing (CMP) today announced a global co-publishing deal with acclaimed singer-songwriter Madi Diaz. She is the first signing to Crush’s newly-launched...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Warner Chappell Music Signs Victor Le Masne

GLOBAL ADMINISTRATION DEAL COVERS ALL WORKS PRODUCED THROUGH LE MASNE'S MULTIMAN RECORDS   Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has today announced the signing of Victor Le Masne to a global administration deal. The agreement covers all works produced through Le Masne's Multiman Records...more

21 Oct 2025 | Press release

Impala's fifth equity, diversity, and inclusion report: Reaffirming commitment to a more inclusive music industry

  IMPALA has released its fifth Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Report, providing insights into its ongoing efforts in this area. Published on the anniversary of the organisation's EDI Charter, the report is the result of work by IMPALA's taskforce, which for the...more

20 Oct 2025 | Press release

PRS Foundation congratulates Mercury Music Prize winner Sam Fender

    PRS Foundation has proudly supported 7 out of the last 8 Mercury Prize winners through various programmes Sam Fender had support through the PPL Momentum Music Fund to record early singles and International Showcase Fund support to perform at SXSW in...more

20 Oct 2025 | Press release

FEAT AGM: Confirms promoter-approved resale policy and continued campaign for stronger enforcement of DSA

  1000 illegally listed tickets reported across 2025 without a single response from unauthorised resale websites  Largest annual conference to date held in Barcelona, with over 20 attendees from eight countries   The Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT) held its annual general meeting...more

20 Oct 2025 | Press release

Warner Music and Merwas sign partnership

Collaboration will see partners sign, develop and promote artists from across the Middle East and North Africa     Warner Music has signed a partnership with Merwas, a leading digital multimedia-technology, content creation, and production company based in Riyadh to establish a new...more

19 Oct 2025 | Press release

Aussie breakout risers FOOL NELSON sign to AWAL and release new EP 'Bad Dreams'

Hailing from Perth, Australia, indie rock trio Fool Nelson have signed a global record deal with AWAL and today release new EP 'Bad Dreams'. Through blistering riffs, heart-on-sleeve lyricism and rollicking choruses, 'Bad Dreams' cements Fool Nelson's place as one of Australia's most exciting young...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

The Circuit Group Launches Red Wire Publishing

The Circuit Group, a powerhouse collective of world-class artist managers turning creative vision into global ventures for iconic artists, today announced the launch of Red Wire Publishing, a new division dedicated to providing boutique music publishing services to artists and...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

FUGA and Naxos Music Group Expand Partnership

  ●  FUGA to provide full-suite of marketing and distribution services to the world’s leading classical music company ●  Amy Nelson joins FUGA as Senior Strategy Marketing Manager for Classical & Jazz   Downtown-owned B2B distributor FUGA today announced a significant expansion...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

AlphaTheta announces Equal Beats podcast series

7 episodes hosted by Kikelomo will encourage women, femmes, and non-binary people to enter the music worldGetting into DJing or the music industry in general is often a daunting prospect for women, femmes, and non-binary people. But how can we...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

UK Music Chief Executive response to BBC Survey

UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl has responded to the findings of a new BBC survey published today revealing that 22% of the British public want to see more music on the BBC: “From the Proms to Glastonbury, the BBC relies...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

Introducing the TikTok Awards UK & Ireland 2025 with headline partner Sky: New Era. New icons.

Today, we're thrilled to announce the return of the TikTok Awards UK & Ireland 2025 with headline partner Sky, one of Europe’s leading entertainment and connectivity companies. This TikTok star studded event will be attended by guests from across the TikTok community and...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

Scotland’s national music prize - The Say Award - announces 10 albums on shortlist

PLUS, KT TUNSTALL’S ‘EYE TO THE TELESCOPE’ ANNOUNCED AS MODERN SCOTTISH CLASSIC AWARD WINNER AND SOUND OF YOUNG SCOTLAND FINALISTS REVEALED   STREAM THE SHORTLIST www.sayaward.com #SAYaward   The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award has today unveiled the 10 Shortlisted albums now in the running for 2025’s title and...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

Edith Bowman to host BBC Radio 3’s Sound of Cinema from 1 November

BBC Radio 3 today announces Edith Bowman as the new presenter of Sound of Cinema, the station’s flagship programme dedicated to the art of film music. Airing every Saturday at 4pm, Edith will guide listeners through timeless and contemporary film scores with features, interviews and...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

Grassroots trailblazers celebrated at 2025 Youth Music Awards

   Grassroots music talent from across the country celebrated at this year’s Youth Music Awards, at Troxy, London  Winners include Nottingham’s JayaHadADream, London-based Art Against Knives and Wales’ Rightkeysonly   Hundreds of award entries were judged by a panel of industry experts, including singer Tinie Tempah, DJ duo BICEP, MOBO Award-winners ALT BLK ERA, and radio presenters Jess Iszatt and Jodie Bryant  Attendees on the night included Dan Smith, Sister Bliss, Sherelle, I.JORDAN and Yomi Adegoke    The UK’s leading...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Merlin, and Believe to Partner With Spotify to Develop Artist-First AI Music Products

Spotify release:AI technology is advancing quickly, bringing both new creative possibilities and challenges for the music industry. It’s critical for the music industry to join forces and act together to protect creativity while enabling innovation.  Stamping out the worst outcomes of...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

BPI response to Spotify announcement on AI

Welcoming the announcement, Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI Chief Executive, said: "The BPI has long argued that innovative partnerships, based on an ethical approach that respects copyright, sit at the heart of the debate around AI and human artistry.  We welcome this...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

Hannah Carlen Joins Nonesuch Records as Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Hannah Carlen has been named Nonesuch Records’ Vice President of Marketing and Communications. In her new role, Carlen oversees marketing, sales, publicity, new media, and content creation for the Warner Music Group’s acclaimed label. Prior to joining Nonesuch, Carlen was Senior...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

Sam Fender announced as overall winner of 2025 Mercury Prize 'Album of the Year'

  Sam Fender was announced tonight, Thursday 16th October, as the overall winner of the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album 'People Watching'. Broadcaster Lauren Laverne hosted the 2025 Mercury Prize 'Albums of The Year' ceremony live from Newcastle's Utilita Arena, marking the first time the prestigious awards show has...more

17 Oct 2025 | Press release

Bad Boy Chiller Crew sign to Greenback Records

Bad Boy Chiller Crew have teamed up with the notorious Irish label Greenback Records, and are set to release their first track together entitled ‘Niki Lauda’, out 16th October. This marks an exciting new era for Bradford's finest, since parting...more

16 Oct 2025 | Press release

beatBread Launches $100 Million Global Independence Fund in Association with Leading Independent Music Organizations

 The Fund provides direct financial support to empower independent labels and distributors in a shifting industry      beatBread, a leader in funding for independent labels and musicians, has announced the launch of the Global Independence Fund (GIF), a new $100 million fund...more

16 Oct 2025 | Press release

Brandon Burch wins National Album Day’s mural competition

  National Album Day 2025 is turning walls into stages. The winner of this year’s National Album Day Mural Competition, celebrating the spirit of rock in all its forms, has been announced. The winning design, created by Brandon Burch, will be placed...more

16 Oct 2025 | Press release

Yoto Launches Official KPop Demon Hunters Soundtrack Card

Launching two days before the official vinyl release, Yoto brings early access to the platinum-certified soundtrack from Netflix’s most-viewed film ever   Yoto, the award-winning audio platform for kids, today announced the launch of the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack as a Yoto...more

16 Oct 2025 | Press release

Jukebox Launches Inaugural $15M Early-Stage Venture Fund to Back Innovation Across Music, Tech & Culture

  Jukebox is expanding its global creative footprint with the launch of Jukebox Ventures, announcing the launch of their Fund I which is raising up to $15 million dedicated to backing the next generation of startups at the convergence of music,...more

20 Oct 2025

  • Is rock’n’roll dead? (see Features)

  • Book extract: Body Of Work: How The Album Outplayed The Algorithm And Survived Playlist Culture (see Comment)

  • With MTV channels switching off, is the music video under threat? (see Features)

17 Oct 2025

  • Spotify partnering with multinational music companies to develop ‘responsible’ AI products (see Digital)

  • Sam Fender wins 2025 Mercury Prize (see News)

16 Oct 2025

  • Spotify working on ‘SongDNA’ feature that showcases the people behind tracks (see Digital)

15 Oct 2025

  • How far should cultural boycotts go? (see Features)

  • How Subvert is building a co-op owned Bandcamp alternative (see Digital)

14 Oct 2025

  • Lucian Grainge outlines UMG’s strategy for generative AI partnerships and product development (see News)

  • The future of music streaming: Change or be changed (see Comment)

13 Oct 2025

  • Sam Altman: the man who stole the rights from copyright. If he’s the future, can we go backwards? (see Features)

10 Oct 2025

  • Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl discusses the company's “tremendous catalogue” (see Features)

  • There’s a £1 idea that could save small music venues. Is Live Nation holding it back? (see Features)

  • Breaking down the arguments around VMG’s Downtown Music acquisition (see Analysis)

09 Oct 2025

  • Vevo report shows how fandom turns passion into impact and purchasing power (see Reports)

08 Oct 2025

  • The music industry must plan for the day when AI music-generation tools produce humanlike music in bulk (see Features)

07 Oct 2025

  • Price cap on ticket resales set to be introduced (see News)