Island Records/Island Def Jam Expands Creative Opportunities For Artists Through New Partnership With Photo Finish Records

Founder Matt Galle to Also Provide Exclusive A&R Services to Island Records

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Aug 10, 2012, 11:01 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Island Def Jam Music Group continues to expand opportunities for artists to develop and thrive, the company has entered into a worldwide joint-venture partnership with Matt Galle's Photo Finish Records. The announcement was made today by Barry Weiss, Chairman & CEO of Island Def Jam Motown and Universal Republic, and Mr. Galle.

In addition, Mr. Galle will provide exclusive senior-level A&R services to Island Records, helping the company to further expand its reach into the marketplace as well as the opportunities it offers up-and-coming artists.

"Matt Galle is a perfect fit for the new Island Records," stated Mr. Weiss. "Cutting-edge and entrepreneurial, Matt will cast a big net in our search for the next wave of talented young artists across the world."

"I have wanted to work with Barry Weiss for years and am excited to finally be given the chance," stated Mr. Galle. "I admire everything he has accomplished throughout his career and am looking forward to learning from his guidance. Island Records has such a great history and has put out some of my favorite releases. I can't wait to get started and look forward to working with Steve Bartels (President & COO. Island Def Jam) and the team on some great new records and artists."

Mr. Galle launched Photo Finish Records in 2006, with a diverse roster that includes punk bands, indie-rockers, electronica acts, pop groups and hip-hop artists. The label's artists include Denver-based pop-dance band 3OH!3, whose chart-topping Top 40 single "Don't Trust Me," helped the band's gold debut album, Want, go on to sell more than six million singles combined. Other recent artists on the roster include The Downtown Fiction with over 500K singles sold; Anthony Green, whose album debuted at #27 on the Billboard 200; and New Medicine seeing a Top 15 active rock single. The label's 15 releases to date have sold almost one million albums and 10 million singles cumulatively.

In 2004, Mr. Galle co-founded the highly successful Bamboozle Festival, which has grown into a three-day festival celebrating an eclectic line-up of today's most popular artists. Bamboozle 2012 featured Skrillex, Mac Miller, Incubus, Bon Jovi and Foo Fighters, among others.

Mr. Galle will also continue in his current position as an agent at Paradigm Talent Agency, where his clients include My Chemical Romance, fun., Mike Posner and Austin Mahone, and where he discovered Bruno Mars and KE$HA. He'll also continue to co-manage producer/writer/mixer Matt Squire (Panic! at the Disco, 3OH!3, One Direction, Boys Like Girls, Big Time Rush and Selena Gomez).

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world's leading music company with wholly owned operations in 60 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's leading global music publishing operation.

Universal Music Group's record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Interscope Records, Island Records, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Republic and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes Global Digital Business, its new media and technologies division, and Bravado, its merchandising company.

SOURCE Universal Music Group