AWAL CEO Lonny Olinick (left) and Artist First CEO Claudio Ferrante. Photo Credit: AWAL
Sony Music’s AWAL and Italy-based Artist First have inked a partnership pact covering distribution, promotion, and more.
AWAL and Milan-headquartered Artist First – not to be confused with the Australian online-merch specialist of the same name – unveiled their strategic tie-up today. Founded in 2009, Artist First operates a namesake label while simultaneously dealing in distribution (digital as well as physical), management, concerts, and merch.
As described by the involved parties, the newly disclosed agreement will afford Artist First acts – among them Alex Wyse, Le Vibrazioni, Alfa, and Lamante – “growth and development support from AWAL,” besides access to Sony Music’s “worldwide global distribution services.”
The latter component is already in motion; Sony Music-owned The Orchard is billed as the distributor behind several recent Artist First releases. (Also, Artist First appears to have decommissioned its standalone Music First online store.)
And on the opposite end of the deal, the collaboration, the entities noted, “will strengthen AWAL’s presence in the Italian market” via tailored promo campaigns and more.
Running with the point, it’s hardly a secret that Universal Music, Warner Music, and Sony Music alike have been firing off all manner of acquisitions (and partial buyouts) as of late – including 2026 plays for Big Yellow Dog Music, Fame Recordings, and Excel Entertainment, to name a few.
Here, though, the relevant businesses emphasized that “Artist First remains a fully independent company.” Artist First founder and CEO Claudio Ferrante, who seemingly expanded into concerts in March 2024, underscored as much in a statement.
“This new strategic partnership with AWAL will add global reach to our distribution and services capabilities, allowing the Italian artists we represent to engage with new markets and audiences around the world,” Ferrante said in part.
“At the same time, this alliance will enable us to develop new synergies with AWAL’s roster, leveraging A1’s fully integrated and holistic structure to create opportunities that go beyond distribution,” he proceeded. “With Artist First remaining fully independent and focused on providing artists with an environment in which to enjoy creative freedom, we will continue to live up to our name and always put the artist first.”
In remarks of his own, AWAL CEO Lonny Olinick touched on the Italian market’s rapid streaming growth as well as the commercial prevalence of homegrown talent.
“Since our first meeting with Claudio and his team we have felt a strong alignment of principles between our two companies,” Olinick communicated. “We share the dedication to developing and empowering artists, and in combination we will be a powerful force for the Italian music industry.
“The Italian market is one of the most exciting in the world, with strong digital growth and a thriving local artist community, so now is the perfect time to innovate and bring new solutions to the market,” he finished.
By the numbers, that digital growth refers to a nearly 10% year-over-year streaming revenue spike during H1 2025, according to FIMI. Additionally, local artists released 85% of 2025’s top-100 albums in Italy, where Warner Records Italy and Atlantic Records Italy set sail this past October.
