American Idol: Disney’s Hollywood Records Will Release Finalists’ Music

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Disney’s Hollywood Records will be the label to release music for the ABC television network’s reboot of American Idol, according to Variety:

Future finalists and winners of ABC’s American Idol reboot will be recording their debuts for Hollywood Records, Variety has learned. It is the first time the Disney label has been affiliated with the show, which ran for 15 seasons on Fox, and follows previous “Idol” pacts with Sony Music, Interscope Records and Big Machine Label Group. Hollywood was also the label partner for ABC’s Boy Band, which aired this summer.

Sony was the American Idol label when it debuted on FOX in 2002. The label group released successful albums from Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood and more. In 2001, starting with season 11, Idol signed a deal to distribute release music via Interscope records. Big Machine Label group released music for season 14 and 15 Idol contestants.

The Variety article contains a thorough history of American Idol and their various record labels. In seasons past, the labels partnered with 19, the company that owns American Idol.Variety doesn’t make clear if the Hollywood Records deal has struck a similar deal with Idol’s parent company. Core recently went through a messy reorganization after bankruptcy.

Considering Core is presently a “a shell of a company, comprised mainly of lawyers and accountants looking to squeeze cash out of its assets” as described by Richard Rushfield of the Ankler newsletter, the Hollywood Records deal is probably not a partnership.

About mj santilli 34830 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!