Distribution Select and Outside Music Form Strategic Alliance

By FYI Staff

Distribution Select and Outside Music Distribution, two of Canada’s leading Independent distributors, will join forces to enhance their impact in music distribution, effective December 1^st.

Select and Outside will merge their sales and distribution services while maintaining their respective offices in Montreal and Toronto. Outside Music will continue to be operated by founder and president Lloyd Nishimura, with Select continuing to be helmed by VP Christian Breton. Select also has satellite offices in Toronto and Vancouver.

Nishimura will also continue to operate the Outside Music Label and Management company, alongside label President Evan Newman.  

Said Lloyd Nishimura, “This coming year we celebrate 25 years of supporting great artists and amazing labels.  We are happy to announce an alliance that will allow for continued support of our artist and label partners for years to come”.

Added Christian Breton, “I spent 14 years of my career working at Outside Music and have immense respect for their commitment and their longevity. I know that, as a combined force, we can enhance our label support, and maintain great service to our retail partners. We can also offer new labels an excellent alternative in both the French and English markets, particularly those that remain dedicated to a physical sales presence.

Both Select and Outside have significantly higher percentages of physical sales compared to the overall industry, despite the market volatility, no doubt greatly enhanced by having the Beggars Banquet in the distro fold, which includes Adele who has sold several million albums in Canada.    

Said Anne Vivien, Quebecor Music EVP, “This is an exciting time for independent music in Canada. While we are a business in transition, we still have a viable physical business, as well as many growth opportunities in both the French and English markets. We look forward to building with Outside and their labels and forging new relationships with labels that are looking for an exciting independent alternative”.

 Fulfilment for both companies is handled by Montreal firm RSB, headed by Richard Belanger.

Under the new regime, Select will handle sales and accounting for both firms, and Outside Music will continue to control label product management for its folio of more than 100 imprints.

About Outside Music

Outside Music Distribution Inc was founded in 1995 by Lloyd Nishimura and steadily grew from a two-person operation to a well-respected distribution company working with some of the world’s best independent labels for the Canadian territory. Headquartered in Toronto, Outside Music is also a label and management company that has worked with dozens of successful Canadian recording artists.  

About Select Distribution

Select Distribution is the largest independent distributor of CDs and videos in Canada, and is the dominant player in the Quebec market, with over 65% of the French music share in the province (SoundScan, 2017).

Select represents a catalogue of over 8,200 audio titles and 12,700 video titles, and services over 2,770 points of sale across Canada.

Headquartered in Montreal, with offices in Toronto and Vancouver. It is a division of telecommunication and media giant Quebecor Media.