All You Need Is Now out in the UK on March 21

Press release | February 18th, 2011

Duran Duran have today confirmed that they have signed an exclusive UK deal with independent sales and distribution company Essential Music, to release the full-length physical version of their 13th studio album All You Need Is Now, slated for release March 21st.

Featuring five brand new tracks, the extended lp comes three months after a critically-acclaimed nine song version of the record was released digitally, exclusively on iTunes, and hit the #1 spot on download charts in 15 countries [including the UK].

The new deal, inked by the band today, will see Essential Music handling sales and distribution of the 14 track extended album in both digital and physical formats, across all retail and online outlets, including Amazon, HMV direct and Play.com. The release is being co-ordinated by LLM and its founder Joe Cokell, previously business development director at Cooking Vinyl Group and most recently former CEO of Sanctuary Records Group.

The fresh incarnation of All You Need Is Now will be available in cd, vinyl and a special Deluxe Edition CD package, that will include a bonus song “Networker Nation” and a remix of the album’s title track by Youth Kills. A brand new special edition iTunes LP version will also hit the iTunes Store March 21st.

Following the physical release of the full-length album on March 21st, after a long absence from live performances in the UK, Duran Duran, will return to their home market for a series of highly anticipated arena concerts in May 2011.

"Our creative marketing and promotion services raise Essential’s capabilities far above the traditional role of a distributor."

Essential Music & Marketing have been redefining the roles of distributor and record label since 2003, offering bespoke services ranging from basic digital and physical distribution packages for labels to full project management, marketing and sales for artists releasing their own music.

Founders, Mike Chadwick, former head of Vital Distribution and Martin Goldschmidt, bring a lifetime of experience in a changing industry to the task of running one of Europe’s most dynamic music companies. With their specialised London based team they are able to provide their clients with access to the most appropriate routes to market in the UK, throughout Europe and worldwide.

With an extensive experience in product/label management, Essential Music have the expertise on hand to manage all aspects of a release: from manufacture to building a creative team through to marketing, promotion and sales.

Essential provide an efficient and effective distribution service, giving their clients one-stop access to a tried and tested network of independent distributors backed up by their own hands-on support.

Working with distribution partners, Essential's in-house UK sales team provide a secure route to the shelves of all major music retailers, supermarkets, independent stores and online retailers.

With established relationships with key distributors throughout Europe and internationally, Essential Music is able to hand pick the most appropriate channels for their clients’ releases, allowing them to offer a simultaneous physical release of product in every European territory.

In partnership with IODA [Independent Online Distribution Alliance], they make clients’ digital releases available across a comprehensive network of download and streaming platforms.

For smaller independent labels Essential Music can provide the logistical support of a dedicated label manager to oversee releases. The services that EM provide can include core label functions like product manufacture and registration with PPL, PRS for Music and UK Chart; product management including overall strategy, recruitment of third party specialists, sourcing featured artists and commissioning remixes; and coordinating marketing services.