BURBANK, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Warner Bros. Records) - Warner Bros. Records is pleased to announce that it has completed a multi-year global partnership with Emblem
Music Group.
Founded by one of the industry's most consistent hitmakers - Grammy Award winner and former Chairman/CEO of Virgin Records America Matt Serletic - Emblem Music Group is a multi-genre new music company that builds authentic, lasting relationships between its artists and global music fans. Emblem is an evolution of Melisma Records, label home to Grammy Award winners Matchbox Twenty and solo artist Rob Thomas, who collectively achieved numerous Diamond and Platinum awards while selling more than 50 million albums.
"I started Emblem to help select artists create truly great music and lasting careers," Serletic says. "By partnering Emblem's staff with the outstanding Warner Bros. Records team, we have created an ultra-competitive vehicle to achieve that vision."
"We're thrilled to partner with Matt and his team at Emblem," says Tom Whalley, Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Records. "Matt is one of the industry's most versatile and accomplished producers and creative executives, having helped to cultivate the careers of a wide range of music's most successful artists. This proven ability makes him an ideal fit with Warner Bros. and its commitment to long-term artist development and creative integrity."
As a label owner and a record producer/songwriter, Serletic has earned numerous industry accolades including multiple sales awards for his work with Matchbox Twenty, Rob Thomas, Collective Soul, and Edwin McCain. Under his stewardship, Melisma produced such landmark records as Aerosmith's "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" (the band's only career No. 1 single) and Carlos Santana's "Smooth," which sold more than 40 million copies. In 2002, Serletic became Chairman/CEO of Virgin Records America, serving as the youngest-ever chairman of a major record label. There he pioneered the first U.S. "360" deal between the label and multi-platinum hard rock band Korn, while also working with such artists as Gorillaz, 30 Seconds to Mars, Stacie Orrico, KT Tunstall, Ben Harper, Janet Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, and The Rolling Stones.
The EMG Executive team also includes President Dean Serletic, who provides extensive experience in artist development and company operation management. He began his career as Matchbox Twenty's tour manager, taking them from a van to a multi-million dollar world tour before progressing to both Artist and Repertoire (A&R) and senior management executive roles for both independent and multi-national music companies.
Emblem's first signing is breakout country group Gloriana, whose self-titled debut album was produced by Matt Serletic and mixed by Justin Niebank (Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts) and Chris Lord-Alge (Faith Hill, Tim McGraw). It features songs by notable hit country songwriters such as Jeffrey Steele, Trey Bruce, Stephanie Bentley, and Josh Kear. The first single "Wild at Heart," written by Kear, Bentley and Serletic, has already entered the Top 30 country radio charts, while the video is currently in heavy rotation on CMT where it has been nominated for "Best Group Video" and "Breakthrough Video of the Year." The band is opening for superstar Taylor Swift beginning April 20th and continuing throughout the summer.
"I couldn't think of a more auspicious way to begin Emblem's relationship with Warner Bros. Records than to work alongside their amazing staff to continue Gloriana's aggressive push to success," Serletic says.
"We could not be more thrilled to join forces with Emblem Records and Gloriana," says Bill Bennett, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Warner Bros. Records Nashville. "Gloriana is an incredibly talented young act with a bright future ahead of them."
