BMG has acquired the recordings catalog of Australia-based Dope Lemon from the project’s Platinum-selling, ARIA and APRA award-winning creator Angus Stone.
The deal sees BMG acquire global rights to Dope Lemon’s three studio albums (2016’s Honey Bones, 2019’s Smooth Big Cat and 2022’s Rose Pink Cadillac) and the 2017 EP Hounds Tooth.
This includes hits Marinade (certified Platinum), Rose Pink Cadillac (certified Gold), Uptown Folks (certified Gold), Home Soon, Hey You, and more.
BMG released Dope Lemon’s fourth studio album, Kimosabè, just last Friday (September 29) via a new recordings deal.
Dope Lemon’s debut album Honey Bones, released in 2016, reached No.11 on the ARIA Albums chart and saw the success of singles Marinade and Uptown Folks.
Follow-ups Smooth Big Cat (2019) and Rose Pink Cadillac (2022), released via BMG, both debuted at No.2 on the ARIA chart (No.1 ARIA Australian Album and No.1 AIR Independent Label Album) and charted in Germany and Switzerland.
Rose Pink Cadillac won the 2023 AIR Award for Best Independent Blues and Roots Album and was voted No.18 in triple j’s Top 20 Albums of 2022 poll, with the title track coming in at No.27 in triple j’s Hottest 100 of 2021.
Together, Dope Lemon and BMG have sold over 250,000 albums globally, amassing over 450 million streams and securing significant international syncs, including a French campaign for Chloe perfume.
Dope Lemon released their fourth studio album Kimosabè last Friday, September 29, with the title track being co-written with Will Ferrell via a sample from comedy film Step Brothers.
Stone and the band recently played sold-out shows at the Sydney Opera House and Forum Melbourne, after performing at Lollapalooza in August and touring throughout Europe and the UK earlier this year, with further US dates starting this week.
The news comes just a week after BMG announced the acquisition of the recordings catalog of multi-platinum rock band Jet in Australia, in what the music company says is a “landmark deal.”
“Upon meeting the BMG team, I was captivated by their dedication and eagerness to embrace the unconventional ideas and adventures we wanted to embark on with building this project.”
Angus Stone
Angus Stone said of the deal and his relationship with BMG: “Upon meeting the BMG team, I was captivated by their dedication and eagerness to embrace the unconventional ideas and adventures we wanted to embark on with building this project.
“This is precisely what any company should do – stand by the artist and enable them to bring to life the unique universe that complements their music. They’ve exhibited a remarkable level of proactivity and genuine support for my work as an artist.
Added Stone: “It’s been a truly remarkable experience witnessing the company’s culture and their enthusiastic approach to rolling out these records. The creation of an album should never be confined by expectations.
“The freedom to explore is crucial, and BMG understands this. This is where the real magic can be found. By granting artists the liberty to be themselves and be creative, it establishes a symbiotic relationship that rewards patience, making it a trade well worth pursuing. From the moment I met them, I could sense that they shared these values, and that’s incredibly important.”
“Since signing Dope Lemon to BMG we’ve worked together to sell well over 250,000 albums globally as Dope Lemon continues an incredible international growth story.”
Heath Johns, BMG
Heath Johns, BMG President, Australia, New Zealand and South-East Asia, said: “Since signing Dope Lemon to BMG we’ve worked together to sell well over 250,000 albums globally as Dope Lemon continues an incredible international growth story.
“While acquisitions can sometimes seem transactional and impersonal, this is a deeply personal relationship with Angus and it was important to BMG that we established our acquisition strategy with existing relationships that also made sense on a creative level. It’s an honour to be trusted to look after this incredible catalog and equally exciting to continue working on new Dope Lemon music.”
Dope Lemon joins a BMG label roster of Australian and New Zealand talent including Jet, Chet Faker, Angus & Julia Stone (ANZ), Daniel Johns, Hockey Dad, Julia Stone, The Living End, Pacific Avenue, Ladyhawke, Dune Rats, Winston Surfshirt and CHAII.
Music Business Worldwide
