Cooking Vinyl launches catalog division with ‘aggressive acquisition policy’, headed by Steve Bunyan

Steve Bunyan (L) and Martin Goldschmidt (R)

UK-headquartered independent Cooking Vinyl has formed a new department “to optimize and grow” its catalog offering.

In other words, to manage its existing catalogs – and buy new ones.

Cooking Vinyl says the new department will demonstrate both “an increased focus on the long-term sales” of artists presently signed to the CV label, as well as “an aggressive acquisition policy to bolster the roster”.

The new division will be headed up by catalog industry veteran Steve Bunyan.

During his time running catalog teams at Union Square Music and BMG, Bunyan worked with artists including Madness, Slade, Fatboy Slim, The Kinks, Black Sabbath, Supergrass and Kylie Minogue and labels such as World Circuit, Trojan and Strictly Rhythm.

Cooking Vinyl is well known for its relationships with artists such as Frank Black, Billy Bragg and The Orb as well as recent successes with releases by The Prodigy, Passenger and Alison Moyet.

According to Cooking Vinyl Chairman Martin Goldschmidt, the UK-born indie’s “track record, size, flexibility and financial backing” means that it can offer “an attractive bespoke alternative” to what he describes as “the larger companies currently hoovering up rights”.

Some of the larger companies that have made headlines in MBW in recent months for buying up rights include Hipgnosis Songs Fund, Round Hill and Primary Wave, plus recent new entrants into the market such as BMG and KKR, plus CTM and Outlander Fund.

“Our track record, size, flexibility and financial backing means that we offer an attractive bespoke alternative to the larger companies currently hoovering up rights.”

Martin Goldschmidt, Cooking Vinyl 

Goldschmidt commented: “Working for the artists and music we love and advancing their careers is what gets us out of bed in the morning.

“The appointment of someone of the calibre and standing of Steve Bunyan allows us to enhance our service to artists and to look to acquire new catalogues of recordings.

“Our track record, size, flexibility and financial backing means that we offer an attractive bespoke alternative to the larger companies currently hoovering up rights.”

“Cooking Vinyl’s global sales, marketing and distribution set up makes it an ideal home for new catalogs – somewhere where the value of additional master rights will be optimised whilst protecting and nurturing the legacy of artists and labels.”

Steve Bunyan

Steve Bunyan added: “Cooking Vinyl is ideally placed to offer a unique service to artists where a new release is initially worked by the frontline team and then by the catalog department to continue the retailer, consumer and media promotion to drive additional long-term sales.

“Too many labels just focus on the initial week one chart position which – important as it is – does not do justice to the many months of work that goes into making a new record.

“In addition, Cooking Vinyl’s global sales, marketing and distribution set up makes it an ideal home for new catalogs – somewhere where the value of additional master rights will be optimised whilst protecting and nurturing the legacy of artists and labels.”Music Business Worldwide