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Bright Eyes signs to Polydor (outside North America)

Contributed by an Anonymous Source. Posted by aubin on Friday, January 19, 2007 at 12:00 AM (EST)

In a surprising move for the fiercely independent musician, Bright Eyes has reportedly signed to Polydor Records for the rest of the world. He remains on Saddle Creek in North America. As the label has launched a promotional site for the record, it is likely that the deal extends beyond distribution.

Pitchfork confirmed the news today with a statement from the group's publicist. Polydor, formed in 1924 was purchased by music conglomerate Universal Music in 1998 and is best known in the United States for reissues of older material from its 1960s and 1970s catalogue.

In the UK, however, the label includes newer acts like the Kaiser Chiefs, Eminem and Gwen Stefani. According to the publicist:

Bright Eyes have been on numerous labels outside of North America over their recording history and the move to Polydor is the newest endeavor to reach as many fans as possible.

Conor Oberst and his bandmates are gearing up for the release of Cassadaga on April 10th in North America. A UK release date is expected soon.

Saddle Creek Records (67 comments)

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Seriously.

spalmer (January 19, 2007)

rest of the world? what the hell does that mean?

4+ Replies

jay_klinkhammer (January 19, 2007)

To the Music Business in America, all markets involve either USA/Canada or The Rest of the World.

I would elaborate more but Conan is on. But thats what they mean when they say "rest of the world"

Someone (January 19, 2007)

you know all those places that aren't the us

Archangel (January 19, 2007)

Places that aren't the U.S. Duh.

spalmer (January 19, 2007)

It was just an incredibly poorly phrased sentence, that's all, there was a lack of context

Archangel (January 19, 2007)

I know man, I'm on your side here.

NoControl (January 19, 2007)

hahahaha http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile& friendID=25181899

2+ Replies

sceneholocaust (January 19, 2007)

its funny they dont have throwdown listed as an influence even though they are from the same state and sound EXACTLY THE SAME

2Kings (January 19, 2007)

Lol!

Godfather (January 19, 2007)

the record company's gonna give me lots of money and everything's gonna be alllllright!

1+ Reply

Someone (January 19, 2007)

haha yeah thats what springs to mind

frostbrewliner (January 19, 2007)

SellOutz

MattRamone (January 19, 2007)

Am I the only one that thinks Conor Oberst looks like a malnourished 11-year-old that felt into a vat of shoe polish?

This kid might have the single worst singing voice ever, other than maybe Tom Waits.

8+ Replies

spalmer (January 19, 2007)

haha A+ flamebait

MattRamone (January 19, 2007)

It's only flamebait if I don't mean it, and I do. Tom Waits sounds like a cement mixer over retarded circus music.

Someone (January 19, 2007)

HAHAHAHAHAHA

My little sister once said that she loves Conor Oberst's voice because whenever he sings it "sounds like he's crying." Enough said.

TheOneTrueBill (January 19, 2007)

It's not flaimbate because it's true.

Dante3000 (rich) (January 19, 2007)

Dude, blackface is totally not cool.
-Dante

Someone (January 19, 2007)

you jackass, you have the pogues as one of your favorite bands. we all shane has SUCH a great singing voice too! some peple LIKE Bright Eyes, the fact that you insit on letting this upset you, is pathetic.

Someone (January 19, 2007)

owned! (p.s. conor is so hot, i'd do him...........he's probably not even gay but i'd do him)

Godfather (January 19, 2007)

the fact that you insist on letting this upset you, is pathetic.

MattRamone (January 19, 2007)

At least Shane sang like, y'know, a grown-up.

GlassPipeMurder (January 19, 2007)

Bright Eyes is huge. This move was unwarranted.

2+ Replies

Someone (January 19, 2007)

Maybe huge compared to some DIY punk band. Compared to a band recognised in the mainstream, you might be able to describe them as medium-sized.

Wentz_Equals_Death (January 19, 2007)

Polydor: "would you like to supersize yourself"
Conor: "yes"

Me: couldn't quite get a good joke out of that

Someone (January 19, 2007)

Maybe people will finally stop calling Bright Eyes punk now. Or, maybe all of the fans that only liked them because of their strong independent status (and I assume this is all of their fans, because they suck), will abondon them. One can only hope.

UncleFunkyPants (January 19, 2007)

Weren't his last two full lengths distributed by Sony or a subsidiary? Maybe I'm mistaken?

1+ Reply

Someone (January 19, 2007)

He has a publishing deal with Sony.

Someone (January 19, 2007)

It doesn't matter what fucking label Bright Eyes is on... everything they (or Conor, whatever) do is fucking amazing.

I used to hate this guy before my cousin repeatedly played "Lifted..." for me. I finally asked for a copy, got "I'm Wide Awake..." and "Digital..." upon their releases, and was fucking hooked. Went back and bought EVERYTHING Bright Eyes, side projects included.

This guy can open for The Pussycat Dolls, do a full album of Flock Of Seagulls covers, or do a duet with Ted Nugent... and I'd still suck his dick (and I'm not even gay). This guy is an amazing songwriter, and I'm stoked as shit that I'm finally going to see Bright Eyes on February 25th.

Wooh.

Now feel free to make fun of me.

Peace.

4+ Replies

Someone (January 19, 2007)

see... i cant tell if this is serious or not....

Someone (January 19, 2007)

Are you serous. I hope your not because that was the scariest post I have ever seen.

Dante3000 (rich) (January 19, 2007)

Second scariest. Next to your reply, sir.
-Dante
Serously.

brangelina (January 19, 2007)

I like Bright Eyes, too!

Someone (January 19, 2007)

I read this on Pitchfork MANY HOURS AGO, thanks for the news punkOrg.

I'd say either bring us indie news on time or don't do it at all. I sure hell don't need a punk news site to tell me indie news that's late. Stick with the punkx bitchy.

Yours,

PitchforkJunkie

4+ Replies

ConsolationPrizefighter (January 19, 2007)

JT's album was their album of the year, go listen to shitty pop music because you're trying to be "ironic" and while you're there go fuck yourself.

Archangel (January 19, 2007)

Justin Timberlake got some recognition here, too.

ConsolationPrizefighter (January 19, 2007)

And as bad a call as that was I respect Anchors a hell of a lot more than I respect Pitchfork

Someone (January 19, 2007)

was not!

corporatecriminal (January 19, 2007)

Hey, since Pitchfork is the authority on all things indie, maybe they can explain to us how this move fits into Oberst "continuing his quest to become this generation's Ian MacKaye"

http://punknews.org/article/14072

ConsolationPrizefighter (January 19, 2007)

Is it worse that he acts so fiercely independent and doing something like this, or that he acts so fiercely independent and realizes exactly what he's doing like when he sings shit like "Well I should talk I'm just the same/Buy my records down at the corporate chain" in that Desaparecidos song?

2+ Replies

Someone (January 19, 2007)

what do you really know about the music industry? damn you are all a bunch of know-it-alls. keep talking on the internet in your cum soaked jammies, herbs

Someone (January 21, 2007)

i agree completely

fritobandito (January 19, 2007)

I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I think it was warranted. He has ridiculous exposure here in the states, but from talking to kids I'm friends with in places outside of North America and some of the bigger cities in the UK, he's quite largely unheard of, especially in comparison to his notoriety here in the States.

*shrug* I certainly won't be the one to jump on the "OMG SELLOUTZ, TRU PUNX!" bandwagon here. If I remember correctly, he's label-hopped as far as eastern print quite a bit, this isn't really any big change.

but hey, whatever.

UncleFunkyPants (January 19, 2007)

I guess there'll never be another Desaparecidos album then.

3+ Replies

Someone (January 19, 2007)

Does your mom know how good of a reader you are? I'm sure she'd be proud.

Not, you're fucking retarded.

UncleFunkyPants (January 19, 2007)

what?

Someone (January 19, 2007)

I think he was referring to the fact that the Desaparecidos have such anticonsumerist lyrics and, seeing as how Conor signed to a big label, anything he would sing about with the Desaparecdos would be hypocritical. I think that's called reading between the lines.

Bakla (January 19, 2007)

wow, punk rock!

colin (January 19, 2007)

well... on one hand it's strange, but i can't say i know anything at all about foreign distribution, other than i doubt saddle creek really has the ability to reach far overseas.

i'm sure this was a decision made based on that moreso than funding at this point. god knows how much money he's probably been offered by major labels for distribution in the USA.

although i could have sworn he was on sony for awhile...

2+ Replies

jughandle (January 19, 2007)

Even though there doesn't seem to be a lot of trust in this site, trust me on this, for I know:
Conor Oberst has never recorded for Sony or for any lable connected to Sony. He has had a publishing contract with Sony which one almost has to do to protect one's work.

jughandle (January 19, 2007)

Even though there doesn't seem to be a lot of trust in this site, trust me on this, for I know:
Conor Oberst has never recorded for Sony or for any lable connected to Sony. He has had a publishing contract with Sony which one almost has to do to protect one's work.

Someone (January 19, 2007)

what's punk and what isn't hasn't mattered since the the second kid to ever get a mohawk...or the first.

-jack

2+ Replies

Dante3000 (rich) (January 19, 2007)

I think it's clear that punk died with this movie.
-Dante
Totally raping a culture.

Someone (January 19, 2007)

or ever.

-jack

givemeamuseumandillfillit (January 19, 2007)

Just in case you don't know, most labels you like all distributed by majors in europe. Epitaph and Fat has been since 10 years back.

3+ Replies

Someone (January 19, 2007)

Not entirely true.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (January 20, 2007)

Yeah, Cargo and other distribution labels picks up quite a few records these days, and there's some independent ones, but most has major ties.

BTown (January 19, 2007)

Aren't they distributed through Sony?

Someone (January 19, 2007)

needs money.

Someone (January 19, 2007)

this dude is wiggity wiggity wack.

hope he dies of his self-imposed annorexia soon. ;)

1+ Reply

Archangel (January 19, 2007)

I hope (your favorite punk icon) dies of self-imposed drug addiction soon!

andreatobrazil (January 19, 2007)

uh...why?

brangelina (January 19, 2007)

Bright Eyes power!!!

wearestillalive (January 19, 2007)

my world totally just fell apart. i dont wanna have to give money to universal to buy bright eyes cds.

Someone (January 19, 2007)

Ha ha ha....now you can cuddle with your white emo belt and cry over this sellout move. By the way, "rest of the world" is a frequently used music and movie industry term that's been used for years when referring to blanket deals such as this. Instead of saying this label for the US/Canada, this label for Mexico, this other label for the UK, this label for Australia and so on......blah blah blah. Get over it, it's not a PC issue you damn crybabies. Call the ACLU and complain that someone on punk news offended you!

Love-
Smitchy

Someone (January 19, 2007)

Scott is stoked.

1+ Reply

Someone (January 19, 2007)

you guys are pathetic with your sellout things with everyone being on a major or being distribute by it..so you guys dont consume anything by hollywood? big brands like sony, Apple, Microsoft, your skate shoes in sweatshops or your jeans? You dont have any video games? Where do you work? Indie Store??

come on..
this sellout makes no sense at all.

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