HitQuarters
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
HitQuarters is an internet based music industry publication, which was founded in 1999 by Swedish brothers Ranis and Pontus Edenberg in Benelux (Brussels & Amsterdam). It started as a Pan-European organization, but included offices in North America by 2001.
It is targeted towards unsigned artists and music industry personnel. Initially it was a free ad-supported publication but re-organized in 2001 to become an ad-free subscription service.
HitQuarters improved upon the common music industry directory by introducing track record listings of A&Rs, managers, producers, publishers and songwriters active in the industry. The directory, called HitTracker, serves as a collection of music business curricula vitae with the mission to give an artist improved knowledge of who they sign record, management or publishing deals with.
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[edit] Artists
A number of artists featured at HitQuarters have had measurable success in the music industry.
covered by Jose Gonzalez and used for a popular Sony BRAVIA TV commercial.
- The Alpine had a Top 20 hit in Denmark with their single "Mondays Look The Same".
- Bobby Creekwater of Atlanta was featured on HitQuarters in 2004 and was signed to Shady Records in 2006.
- Female Irish pop singer Lesley Roy signed a six album distribution deal with Jive Records of New York in 2006.
- Shelley had a Top 10 hit with the single "Hit It" in Ireland in Fall of 2006.
[edit] World Top 100 A&R Chart (Yearly)
A&R Charts HitQuarters gained initial recognition by presenting the world’s first A&R charts, the weekly World Top 20 A&R Chart and the yearly World Top 100 A&R Chart.
Record holders
No.1 A&Rs on World Top 100 A&R Chart by Year:
- 2001 - Clive Davis, J Records, USA
- 2002 - Chris Lorenzo, Murder Inc., USA
- 2003 - Riggs Morales, Marc Labelle and Marshall Mathers (a.k.a. Eminem), Shady Records, USA
- 2004 - Diana Meltzer – Wind-Up Records, USA
- 2005 - Mark Williams – Interscope Records, USA
- 2006 - Linda Perry - Custard Records, USA & Max Lousada - Atlantic Records, UK
[edit] World Top 20 A&R Chart (Weekly)
Points are allotted to A&Rs based on an elaborate point system for breaking artists on an international level. The aim is to show an unsigned songwriter, producer, artist or musician which A&R is most likely to give them success and has the potential to break them as a new act. It is evaluated by means of a point system and is based on the national official sales charts of the largest world markets, including USA, UK, Germany and France.
A&Rs that have reached No.1 on the Top 20 A&R Chart include:
- Andre Young, Aftermath Records
- Riggs Morales, Shady Records
- Marc Labelle, Shady Records
- Clive Davis, Arista Records
- Josh Deutsch, Downtown Records
- Simon Cowell, Syco Music
[edit] History
The main offices in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Stockholm, Sweden dissolved in 2003 as the company re-structured to work mainly with a network of freelancers not bound to a specific geographical location. Though HitQuarters employ somewhere between 25-40 people, there is no main office.
The owners denied two separate bids (amount unknown) to buy the company by Tonos (2002) and BMG (2004) and remains independently run.
The co-founder Ranis Edenberg (a.k.a. Pat Reiniz) is also known for producing the party classic “Cotton-Eye Joe” for the group Rednex (Jive Records), and other international pop bands ‘NSync, Amazonia Blue (a.k.a. Ivory, a.k.a. Fjord), Sugar & Spice, Cool James & Black Teacher.
