Four Music
Four Music is a Berlin based record label that was founded in 1996 by the Fantastic Four and had his seat initially in Stuttgart. Since 2005, the company Four Music Productions GmbH is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, directors are Philip Ginthör and Edgar Berger. Under the contract, various hip-hop, reggae and contemporary R & B artists such as Casper, Clueso, Hurts, Marteria and Max Herre.
History
Popkomm 1996 gave Fantastic Four known to start their own label. First managing director was its discoverer Fitz tree which is also a shareholder in the company. Four Music should be aware withdraw from established competitors and work " by artists for artists " and also a platform for solo and side projects of the Fantastic Four form. The distribution of the label was in the early years about Sony BMG, where the band was under contract. Four Music had its headquarters first in Stuttgart, laid him in 2002 but to Berlin. International, a site was set up including London, where the sub-label FINE. is established.
The first release was an album of French-speaking Swiss band Sens Unik, it appeared two weeks after the establishment of the label .. a wider public Four Music but was not known until the end of the 1990s through works of artists Afrob, friends, Gentleman and flower pot. In this context, comes to Max Herre special meaning, which earned the label in 1997 with " ANNA " ( " squaring the circle " ) of Friends of the first Gold award. The second gold status gained the artist Thomas D and Franka Potente as " Wish", runs the title song of the film Lola.
2001 Clueso was taken at Four Music under contract, whose debut album was provided " text and sound " with both German - and English-language titles. Then he stepped on, among others, in the opening act of the Fantastic Four and with Herbert Grönemeyer. In the same year Thomas D presented his second solo album, after the turn of the millennium, the number of publications in Four Music grew strong overall. In 2003, the musician gentleman who also stood at Four Music under contract, an ECHO as "Best national hip-hop / R & B artist ". In the same year the company to offer its services for artists and labels began. Among other things, an extensive cooperation with Yo Mama from Hamburg has been agreed.
At the same time, the label began with the distribution of works on Universal Music. Early 2005, the collaboration with Sony BMG has completely finished in the context of the existing contract of the Fantastic Four, representatives of the band and the label's ongoing controversy with Sony BMG as a reason for the decision to. A few months later put both sides of the dispute surprising at Sony BMG acquired a 50 percent stake in Four Music. The exact purchase price was not known, but it should not be paid to existing shareholders but also invests in young German artists. At this time earned a Four Music result in eight-digit level and sold more than 800,000 records. Nevertheless, the company fell into an economic crisis and was taken over completely by the parent company, as of 2007 the Fantastic Four were no shareholders. In addition, Warner Music and Universal Music in a takeover of Four Artists were interested, but it was in this case due to low bids at any sale. 31
In September 2004 Four Music for several weeks was continuously present in the first places in the German charts: First Gentleman rose with "Confidence" in the first place, which is subsequently replaced by Max Herre and then of the Fantastic Four themselves with the album "Good " been. Four Music or Four Artists organized the biggest hall tour of the Fantastic Four, which included an appearance in the Hamburg AOL Arena among others. 2005 appeared the first best-of album of the band, many new artists were recovered. The next year, among other things, Joy Dena Lane ensured with the album Let Go and Clueso with " Far away " for attention, the latter reached the sixth place in the German charts for 13 weeks. In addition, Four Music founded a sub-label called BPX 1992, which adopted the internationally renowned country musician Lee Hazlewood under contract. Bela B. taught BPX 1992 solo album " Bingo" out, which went directly to the second place on the charts.
After over ten years managing director and co-founder Fitz Braum in 2007, has left the company, he was succeeded by Philip Ginthör by Columbia Records. In the following years, the commercial success of the label continued: Clueso released in 2008 with "As much as it " again a studio album at Four Music, which later earned him his first Gold award. 2010 Four Music publishes the album " Happiness" and the single " Wonderful Life " by British duo Hurts which achieve both both gold and platinum status. In the same year Casper signs a contract with the label. From 2010 comes the album "Fortunately, in the future " of Marteria, which was also certified gold in 2013. A controversy arose after the separation of the rapper massif of Four Music, as he had called his own label "Fight 4 Music ". Sony BMG brought a case due to the similarity of the two names. Last Four Music scored successes with Marteria in collaboration with Yasha and the singer Miss Platnum and their title Purple clouds, immediately got in 2012 at the first place in the German single charts.
Awards
Album
Single
(Source: Federal Association of Music Industry )
Events
To mark World AIDS Day on 1 December 1998 initiated Four Music in cooperation with the music channel VIVA the charity concert " Beats 4 Life ", in the context occurred which, for example, the artists Fettes Brot, Smudo, 5 star deluxe and a Surge. The event was continued in the following years. Four Music Four Artists or taught in 2000 in collaboration with MTV Germany for the first time HipHop Open in Stuttgart Prague saddle, which attracted approximately 14,000 spectators and has grown to become the largest festival of this genre in Germany. In the meantime, moved the venue to Mannheim. In addition, the label a series of events including Berlin, Cologne and Munich and Vienna and other cities led under the title " Four Evening " by, for example, there appeared OK Kid and Chakuza.
According to information from the following artists are under contract at Four Music:
Casper
Chakuza
Flo Mega
Grossstadtgeflüster
Hurts
Lance Butters
Marteria
Miss Platnum
Nneka
OK Kid
In addition, Marla Petal, Robots Do not Sleep and Yasha cited.