A&M Octone Records

A&M Octone Records
Parent company	Interscope-Geffen-A&M
Founded	2000 (Octone Records) 2007 (relaunched as A&M/Octone)
Founder	James Diener David Boxenbaum Ben Berkman
Defunct	2014
Status	Defunct (Acquired by Interscope Geffen A&M)[1]
Distributor(s)	Interscope-Geffen-A&M (in the US) Universal Music Group (international)[2]
Genre	Various
Country of origin	United States
Location	New York City, New York, US

A&M Octone Records (formally known as OctoScope Music LLC) was an American record label. It was a joint venture between Universal Music Group and Octone Records.

The label represented a merger of Interscope-Geffen-A&M's A&M Records defunct label with Octone Records. A full-service artist development label, A&M/Octone operated music publishing, merchandising and touring entities – in addition to specializing in recorded music.

After six successful years of operation, in September 2013, Octone initiated its buy/sell rights in the joint venture, resulting in Interscope-Geffen-A&M purchasing Octone Records' 50% interest in A&M/Octone, absorbing and restructuring the artist roster into Interscope operations in 2014 as announced.^[1]

Overview

History

Launched in 2000, Octone Records was founded by CEO/President James Diener and distributed through Sony BMG. After successful signing, release, marketing and promotion on Octone, artists were given the option of upstreaming to RCA Music Group, via a joint-venture between the two companies. Upon launch, Diener and Octone Records were also well known in the music industry for their entrepreneurial private-equity financing model.^[3]

In February 2007, Interscope-Geffen-A&M partnered with Octone Records to relaunch the A&M label, headed by James Diener and called A&M/Octone Records with worldwide distribution handled by parent Universal Music Group. The existing Octone roster was transferred to the A&M/Octone label and all new artist signings were made under the A&M/Octone joint venture.^[4]

The legal name of the A&M/Octone label was "OctoScope Music, LLC" (d.b.a. A&M/Octone Records), the name derives from the merger of the labels Octone and Interscope. OctoScope Music, LLC was the copyright holder on all A&M/Octone releases. A&M/Octone Records operated from 2007 until 2014.

Executive staff

• James Diener, CEO/President
• David Boxenbaum, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer
• Ben Berkman, EVP/Head of Promotion
• Rome Thomas, Senior Vice President Sales & Artist Development
• Nina Webb, Head Of Marketing
• Roi Hernandez, Head of Creative Services & Electronic A&R
• Yu-Ting Lin, Vice President A&R Admin & Label Operations

Former Recording artists

• Maroon 5
• K'Naan
• Flyleaf^[5]
• Hollywood Undead
• Kat Graham
• The Hives
• The Knocks
• Bombay Bicycle Club
• Hunter Hunted
• Drop City Yacht Club
• Kevin Hammond
• Duncan
• Churchill
• As Fast As
• Dropping Daylight
• Paper Tongues
• Michael Tolcher
• Miss Willie Brown

See also

• A&M Records
• Interscope Records
• Geffen Records
• Interscope-Geffen-A&M

References

External links

• A&M/Octone Records official website

(site no longer active)

• Octone Records Harvard Business School case study
• June 2009 Los Angeles Times interview
• January 2010 CNN/Money video profile
• March 2010 NY Enterprise Report cover story
• September 2010 Wall Street Journal "Walkabout NY" Interview
• A&M/Octone Records - Harvard Business School Case Study Part II
• November 2010 Fast Company on A&M/Octone Records, K'Naan & Coca Cola
• January 2011 MIDEM Convention panel in Cannes, Frances w/James Diener discussing K'Naan/Coca Cola World Cup campaign & A&M/Octone artist development