 | |
| Industry | Music &entertainment |
|---|---|
| Genre | Various |
| Predecessor |
|
| Founded |
|
| Founder | Island Records |
| Defunct | 2020 |
| Fate | Folded |
| Successor | Virgin Music Group |
| Headquarters | , |
| Services | Distribution, production, warehousing, marketing, sales, brand partnerships, merchandising, finance, back office |
| Parent | Universal Music Group |
| Divisions | Fontana Distribution Fontana Label Services Fontana International |
Fontana Distribution was a division of San Francisco–based Isolation Network (now owned by the Virgin Music Group unit of theUniversal Music Group since 2019). A minority stake of the company was owned by Universal Music untilIngrooves acquired Fontana Distribution from UMG in 2012 to form Ingrooves Fontana.[1]
In 2019,Universal Music Group acquired Fontana's owner, Ingrooves, returning Fontana back to UMG. A year later, Fontana Distribution was folded into Caroline Distribution, acquired in 2013 via Universal's purchase ofEMI, which, another year later, was rebranded asVirgin Music Label & Artist Services.[2][3]
Fontana deals in distribution, as well as in a range of sales, marketing, and back office support services, for a diverse roster ofindependent record labels and their artists.[4] The company takes its name and logo from theFontana Records label; it was initially launched byUniversal Music Group in 2004 and later sold[5] to Isolation Network in 2012. The company includes a UK-based operation, Fontana International, which handles territories outside of North America.[6] The company also has a joint venture in Canada with Cadence Music Group known asFontana North. The company is the successor ofPolyGram's Independent Label Sales (ILS), previously known as Island Trading Co., which folded after the 1999 merger of the MCA and PolyGram families of labels that created Universal Music Group.
Fontana Distribution has been known to successfully round up albums worldwide from nationalUniversal Music Group companies for American release or for distribution into further territories. Fontana Distribution also partners withExecutive Music Group, Chicago Independent Distribution, and Twenty Two Music Group Distribution, which in turn distribute other independent labels.
During the acquisition of EMI (including EMI Music Distribution), Universal Music Group decided to retainCaroline Distribution and later sold Fontana Distribution to Isolation Network.
After the acquisition of Ingrooves by Universal, Fontana was folded into Caroline, which was renamed Virgin Music Label & Artist Services in 2021.
Fontana Distribution is affiliated with more than 30 labels, including the following:
