Altavoz

Altavoz (Spanish: Loudspeaker) is a music distributor whose catalog is composed of independent entertainers covering a variety of musical genres. A year after it was founded, it was purchased by investor Nelson Jacobsen, and relaunched in Rockville, Maryland.[1]

Altavoz, Inc.
TypePrivate
IndustryEntertainment, Wholesale
Founded1994 (1994)
FounderNelson Jacobsen
Headquarters
Rockville, Maryland
Area served
U.S.: Southeast and nationwide
ServicesDigital, Physical, Global Distribution
Websitealtavoz.com

History

Jacobsen established Altavoz.com which was one of the first fifty thousand domains on the internet. The website offered downloads of digital sound files (.wav) and fifteen second introductions to music streams.

This business innovation helped them achieve substantial distribution vehicles. By 1999, Altavoz had rolled out merchandise in big box stores like Best Buy and independent retailers nationwide. Their offerings had expanded to vinyl records, books and more. By the time of the dot-com crash, Altavoz continued to provide stock to thousands of independent stores, big box stores and was receiving 1.2 million hits a day on the official website.[2]

In 2011, Jacobsen took a new leadership role in the company as CEO.[1] In 2013, Altavoz began online presentations for distribution deals exporting US-made music. Part of the incorporation of Altavoz included the non-profit "Help Earth Foundation." On September 25, 2015, Max Media Group, Inc. (MXMI) announced that its board of directors had voted unanimously to transfer a majority of the control of MXMI to Altavoz Entertainment.[3] As of the end of 2015, Jacobsen, a board member of MXMI, continues to lead Altavoz as CEO.

Major project

In collaboration with David Lynch, Altavoz released a limited-edition vinyl box set to benefit the David Lynch Foundation on Record Store Day in 2012.[4] The compilation, Music That Changes the World, features 34 songs from Alanis Morissette, Tom Waits, Amanda Palmer, Ben Folds, Iggy Pop, Maroon 5, Neon Trees and more.[5] The four-LP box set also includes a 42-page color book, custom-made by “Imprint Indie Printing” of N. Venice, Florida. The book, introduced by David Lynch, was illustrated by Nepali artist Romio Shrestha and New Jersey artist Davel Hamue. All songs were re-mastered for this project by Gavin Lurssen.[4] While Altavoz had the right to release up to 2,500 of these box-sets, less than 350 actual box sets were available, all of which had to be delivered overnight on a Friday for Saturday's Record Store Day.

Exclusive library release (2015)

"Songs of Phillip Carter" was released exclusively to US Public Libraries[6] before being made available to digital and physical outlets. This is to highlight the importance of Huge Public Libraries as modern media players, and opportunities that they provide for artists like Phillip Carter to connect to their communities and patrons (Estimated 120,000 Public Libraries in the USA).[7] Phillip Carter has the distinction of being the first gospel artist with an exclusive music release to the US Public Library system.[8]

Artists

Former artists

Releases
  • Theo Sampel - Sampel This (2006)
  • Revival - Horses of War (2007)
  • Dawn Richard - Golden Heart (2013)
  • Bella Nae - H.I.G.H. XOXO (2013)
  • Quinn Sullivan - Getting There (2013)
  • Various Artist - Drop the Needle: Boston Punk Anthology (2013)
  • VALIS - Minds through Space and Time (2013)
  • Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein - Abominator (2013)
  • Julie Doiron - So Many Days (2013)
  • Argonauts - Whats Your Perfect Day (2013)
  • Jack Mack And the Heart Attack* – Lookin’ Up (2013)
  • Love Dominique* - Love Dominique (2014)
  • Big Mucci - Shuffle, Step, Slide (2014)
  • Lady Cam - Get It Got It (2014)
  • Sunwolf - Angel Eyes (2014)
  • Phillip Carter - Songs of Phillip Carter (Exclusive Library Release) ELR
  • John Bull and The Bandits - Words to the Wise (2015)
  • K. Mitch* - WDGAF (single)

* Not currently signed.

Billboard chart history

2013:

Dawn Richard CD Goldenheart January 2013 after leaving Diddy Dirty Money and Danity Kane

Chart (2013) Peak
position
UK Independent Albums Breakers[9] 16
US Billboard 200[10] 137
US Independent Albums[11] 21
US Top Heatseekers Albums[10] 2
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[11] 22

Quinn Sullivan - CD Getting There Released May 2013 [12] reached #4 on Billboard Blues Chart. Aug, 24th 2013 [13]

2015:

John Bull and the Bandits, Single "Mr Bradley" April 9, 2015 #73 Billboard Blues Cart.[14]

References
  1. "Nelson Jacobsen". angel.co. Retrieved 2015-12-29.
  2. "Our Story". Altavoz Entertainment - Clicks to Bricks Distribution Solutions. Retrieved 2015-12-29.
  3. "Max Media Group, Inc. Announces Transfer of Majority Control to Altavoz". Yahoo Finance. Max Media Group, Inc. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  4. "Altavoz Distribution: New Releases". www.musicthatchangestheworld.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-18. Retrieved 2015-12-29.
  5. "David Lynch to Release Benefit Comp as Vinyl Box Set for Record Store Day". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2015-12-29.
  6. "Phillip Carter First Gospel Artist With Exclusive Music Release in the Public Library System". uGospel.com. 2015-05-29. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  7. "Exclusive Library Release in May 13th via HooplaDigital –..." Exclusive Library Release in May 13th via HooplaDigital. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  8. "Phillip Carter First Gospel Artist With Exclusive Music Release in the Public Library System". BlackGospel.com. 2015-05-30. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  9. "Independent Albums Breakers Top 20 - 26th January 2013". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  10. Hampp, Andrew. "Dawn Richard's 'NLX': Exclusive Song Premiere". Billboard. New York. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  11. "Artist Index" (PDF). Billboard. February 2, 2013. p. 2. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  12. "Not Too Young for the Blues : Teenage Blues Phenom Quinn Sullivan Releases 'Getting There'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  13. Blues Albums (2013-08-24). "Blues Music: Top Blues Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  14. "#73 Word To The Wise - EP - John Bull and the Bandits - album cover image" (PNG). Pbs.twing.com. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
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