Fontana Distribution Continues Summer Hot Streak

THE DIRTY HEADS' 'LAY ME DOWN' (FEATURING ROME OF SUBLIME WITH ROME) BREAKS RECORD FOR LONGEST STAY AT #1 ALTERNATIVE FOR AN INDIE LABEL SINGLE

EXECUTIVE MUSIC GROUP BECOMES 1ST INDEPENDENT LABEL WITH SINGLE TO GO #1 ON BILLBOARD'S ALL FORMAT ROCK SONGS CHART

News provided by

Universal Music Group

Jul 20, 2010, 04:09 ET

LOS ANGELES, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Fontana Distribution, the independent distribution arm of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, continues its hot streak this summer by breaking the record for longest stay at #1 for an indie label single in music history (source: Billboard), with The Dirty Heads' "Lay Me Down" (featuring Rome of Sublime with Rome), who are signed to the Fontana-distributed Executive Music Group.

Moreover, Executive Music Group becomes the first independent label in Billboard's history with a single to go #1 on its all format Rock chart. This success for Fontana comes on the heels of distributing two top indie debuts, Keith Sweat's Ridin' Solo from Kedar Entertainment (#13 on Billboard 200, #1 Indie, #4 R&B) and Cyndi Lauper's Memphis Blues (#26 on Billboard 200, #2 Indie, #1 Blues) on Downtown Records. Besides having the most weeks at #1 for an indie label single, "Lay Me Down" has also spent a record-breaking 11 weeks at #1 at both BDS Alternative and Mediabase. The single has achieved 3,218 spins this week with an audience of 12.82 million and 44,065 spins to date with an audience of 169 million. The single also remains #1 at KROQ, Live 105, KCXX, KFRR, KOSO, KJEE, WBOS, WLUM, WRZX, WJRR, WSUN, WFTK and many more. Additionally, "Lay Me Down" is now climbing the Hot AC charts and has been added to KIIS-FM and KBIG in LA. The Fontana promotion team will continue spearheading the project and crossing the single over to Top 40 this summer.

"Lay Me Down," is the fifth #1 single in the Alternative Songs chart's 21-year history promoted to radio by an independent label. It achieved this status in just 12 weeks after debuting on KROQ in Power Rotation. The song breaks the previous record which was held for 11 years, five months and one week, when Everlast's "What It's Like" completed a nine-week reign in 1998-99. The Dirty Heads is managed by The Artist Network.

Fontana Distribution, the independent arm of Universal Music Group Distribution, provides unparalleled sales and marketing support, as well as back office services, for a diverse roster of labels and their artists. Fontana distributes more than 80 labels including Rap-A-Lot Records, Eagle Rock, Downtown, Vagrant Records, WaterTower Music, American Gramophone, Kedar Entertainment, Last Gang, Savoy Label Group, ESL, Music World, Delicious Vinyl, Ipecac, Six Degrees, SMC, VP Records, and many others. In addition, Fontana distributes select projects from UMG labels worldwide.

SOURCE Universal Music Group