Chicago-based Victory Records is now pulling its catalog from eMusic, a move that follows the launch of a new sales program from the independent retailer.
The news first surfaced late last week, and was confirmed during a conversation with Victory head Tony Brummel on Friday. “I just don’t believe in what they’re doing,” Brummel told Digital Music News. “I don’t see much point in doing business with those guys.” Brummel is referring to a freshly-unveiled eMusic sales package known as Connoisseur, designed for heavy-buying music fans. The bulkier bundles drive per-track download costs to 25 cents, if the subscriber maximizes the number of available downloads within the plan. Over the weekend, eMusic confirmed that it had received a letter from Victory Records requesting the subtraction of its catalog.
The decision could further cast Brummel as a digitally-unfriendly executive, especially following a long-standing holdout involving the iTunes Store. But Brummel defended his decisions, and noted that Apple has unfairly boosted its profits based on the creative investments of labels like his. That echoes earlier sentiments, though Victory ultimately chose to license iTunes in September of last year, and the eMusic accord followed soon thereafter. In the discussion, Brummel showed no interest in fomenting a revolution, though his move could potentially influence other labels. Responding to the development, eMusic president and CEO David Pakman underscored the need for newer business approaches. “We think the music industry must support varied business models and value propositions in order to grow again,” Pakman said in an email Saturday. “Every label gets shelf space at eMusic, and we believe we are helping to expand the market for independent artists.”