Irving Azoff has officially launched his Giant Music record label, which was first announced in early 2021.
The formal rollout of Giant Music came to light in a recent Instagram post from Brooks Roach, the label’s SVP of marketing and a former marketing exec with Dave Holmes Management and Warner Music’s Atlantic Records.
“New chapter (officially) begins today!” wrote Roach. “Excited to share our new label with the world + create a home where musicians are treated like people, instead of products. Empower Artists. Embrace Independence. Giant Music.”
Included with this concise message is a series of Giant Music logos in multiple colors, and Roach’s remarks about treating musicians like people instead of products arrive as the majors continue to prioritize quick profits over quality and long-term career development. Of course, this business model is particularly detrimental to proper artists, who could soon be replaced by cartoon characters if the Big Three have anything to say about it.
Back to the specifics of Giant Music, though, one Shawn Holiday (known for serving as Sony Music Publishing’s head of urban and SVP at Sony Music Entertainment) is leading the operation, as Irving Azoff and his son Jeffrey revealed at the time of the initially highlighted 2021 announcement.
Additionally, Giant indicated on social media that it had signed Atlanta’s SwaVay, who’s released a track entitled “Jugg” as part of the deal. The single debuted via Universal Music’s Def Jam, and it remains to be seen whether UMG and Irving Azoff’s label will coordinate on future projects.
(Early reports suggested that Sony Music would be involved with Giant given Holiday’s roles within both companies, but that may not be the case now.)
In any event, SwaVay in a statement emphasized the artistic value of his work and vocalists generally, and the remarks are worth bearing in mind with regard to Giant Music’s approach and signings moving forward.
“To me, Atlanta is art; and I try my best for my music to reflect that,” said the “2 AM” creator, who has about 273,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. “There’s no difference between a painter and a vocal performer other than the professional title that states the obvious.”
At the time of this piece’s writing, Irving Azoff’s Pollstar didn’t look to have disclosed further details about Giant Music. The publication has in the past announced and elaborated upon the veteran exec’s different plays, however, including the music-IP investments of Iconic Artists Group, developments associated with Oak View Group, and deals finalized via Global Music Rights, which added The Weeknd to its roster earlier this year.
Consequently, it stands to reason that more firsthand information about Giant Music will enter the media spotlight in the approaching weeks and months.