Publisher and music super giant BMG (musical sectors owned by Sony Music International) have just announced their acquisition of previously independent Loaded Records and its subsidiary Skint.

It seems that BMG is looking to do a major EDM takeover (a la Robert Silverman) as this is only the latest in a line of major buy-outs. In January the group acquired American house-music label Strictly Rhythm (label to artists including; Armand Van Halen, Todd Terry and Crystal Waters – also Vengaboys…ok?). BMG Management Hartwig Masuch also allegedly forked out a sneaky US$40million for Dutch firm Talpa Music, whom have the rights to 37,000 songs from artists including Afrojack and Tiesto and Laidback Luke.

Loaded Records and Skint are responsible for some of our favourite artists, owning the rights to five of Fatboy Slim’s albums, work by Hardknox and Freemasons amongst others. The Brighton-based label was also responsible for establishing the career of the Chemical Brothers.

Talking to Billboard, BMG Representative Alexi Cory-Smith stated,

“Skint and Loaded are among the most influential and successful UK independent labels and we are delighted to add them to our growing international catalogue of recordings… There is significant potential in particular in the peerless Fatboy Slim catalogue and we will ensure it gets the attention it deserves.”

A funny statement, because last time we checked you didn’t have to be signed to a monster of a record giant to be given attention, and more to the point; Fatboy Slim’s portfolio has been given a shit-load of well deserved respect over the trajectory of his career – hence him being a global superstar and all o’ that.

We’re not angry, we’re just disappointed. It’s just as much a choice of the labels to sell up as it is for BMG to buy them. But riddle us this… When we will start putting our attention back into the spirit of independent music? Independence should be something to be treasured – for artists to be a part of a small business family which truly caters and cares about them – for the labels themselves, the chance to easily move through the industry and thrive autonomously.

With the growth of monster entities such as BMG and SFX, where does that leave the industry that wants to stand adjacent from mass commercialism? The industry that cares about the music, the artist and views you, the consumer, as a person and audience member as opposed to a mere number in a mass statistic.

[via Billboard]