Heavy Rotation Records, RightsFlow To Produce Album

Heavy Rotation Records, Berklee's student-run record label, will produce a cover song tribute to some of rock's biggest names and the seminal bands that influenced their sounds and styles. To be recorded and compiled this fall, the project will highlight songs from groups including Gang of Four, My Bloody Valentine, Nirvana, Pixies, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, and Sonic Youth. Scheduled for release in early 2011, the project will couple material from well-known favorites like Green Day, U2, and REM, with covers of the important, compelling acts who influenced them—Hüsker Dü, Joy Division, and Mission of Burma.

Berklee students are encouraged to record and submit cover songs for consideration. During the fall, the project will allow the students to record the repertoire and investigate the stories behind the artists and their influences for the liner notes.  The Heavy Rotation Records staff will oversee all aspects of the release including A&R, marketing, sales, touring, web development, media, and accounting.

Said Jeffrey Dorenfeld, professor of music business/management and advisor to Heavy Rotation Records, "We are extremely excited about the connections that thread through these musical and historic legacies and are looking to share them with both students and music fans everywhere. This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage creativity and musical development, and we are pleased to be working with RightsFlow through their Limelight licensing platform to put this together."

RightsFlow's director of licensing and Berklee alumna Kim Gerlach added, "We love the concept that Jeff has envisioned and look forward to supplying our licensing  and marketing expertise to help build a plan for success for this release. I am also very grateful for the rich and dynamic education that Berklee provided for me that helped launch my career in the industry. We're excited to know that this project affords similar learning opportunities for current students."

Licensing will be provided through Limelight, RightsFlow's online mechanical clearance utility that ensures legal compliance and accurate accounting and payment to songwriters and publishers. The service, launched earlier this year, is already being used by musicians and bands in all 50 states and in 46 countries around the globe. Designed by musicians for musicians, Limelight is a simple way for any artist, band, choir, or other musical group to clear any cover song for release.

Heavy Rotation Records (HRR) gives music business/management majors at Berklee hands-on experience in running a record company. The students oversee all of the label's functions, including A&R, marketing, sales, touring, web development, media, and accounting. HRR has released 12 albums since 1995, including Shekinah: 13 Artists, distributed by Epic; Apollo Sunshine's second CD, co-released with spinART; and Dorm Sessions 1-7. Many up-and-coming artists have appeared on HRR compilations, including St. Vincent (as Annie Clark); members of Passion Pit (as the Peasantry); the Click Five (as Oscar Bravo); Big D and the Kids Table; and Madi Diaz. The label also serves as a springboard for careers in the music industry. HRR alumni have gone on to work at Interscope, Capitol, DreamWorks, BMG, Universal, Live Nation, AEG Live, and RightsFlow.

RightsFlow is a leading technology-enabled provider of mechanical licensing services and royalty payment technology for online music services, record companies, distributors, artists, and songwriters. The RightsFlow technology powers rapid song identification and provides an unprecedented level of transparency for both licensees and licensors. RightsFlow specializes in obtaining bulk physical, DPD, and ringtone licenses including streaming, tethered, and limited download rights. Our proprietary "FLOW" licensing technology and 23 million song database allow us to serve over 12,000 clients obtaining licenses from publishers and songwriters all over the world—including major, independent and artist controlled works.
 
Clients include Rhapsody, Muzak, the Orchard, Guvera, Dada Entertainment/Play.ME, Scattertunes, Amie Street, [PIAS], Alliance, Kontor New Media, INgrooves, Zynga, Beatport, Hoodiny, CAM, Zebralution, E1 Canada & US Distribution, Cooking Vinyl, CD Baby, Disc Makers, & X5 Music Group.