Independent Canadian artists and bands rejoice! The nation’s two largest independent music distributors, Toronto’s Outside Music and Montreal’s Distribution Select, are teaming up to offer a more powerful ally for independent artists countrywide.
The partnership begins officially December 1, effectively merging their sales and distribution services. The independent music distributors will continue to keep their offices separate, however.
The merger marks the largest merger ever in their industry, consolidating the two biggest distributors of CDs and videos for independent partners. It will allow for a larger support system to labels and artists alike outside the major label infrastructure, both for French-speaking and English-speaking artists.
Distribution Select vice president Christian Breton, who had previously spent a large portion of his career at Outside Music, will oversee the merger. He voiced his confidence in the partnership, saying “as a combined force, we can enhance our label support, and maintain great service to our retail partners.”
Independent music distributors make a big difference to indie artists who are signed to smaller labels that need assistance with circulation of their albums and videos. This development in independent music distributors will aid smaller artists all over Canada and internationally as well.
