PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., May 23, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On May 12th, independent label StereoFame Records achieved a rare milestone, earning a Gold record (500,000 sales) with their first-ever release "WOP," by newcomer J. Dash, which is off of his debut album Tabloid Truth. In the ever-changing climate of the music industry, start-up companies are setting the tone and developing new models for success, but few are doing it with as much energy and innovation as StereoFame. Established in 2010 and led by INC 500 serial entrepreneur and former Navy pilot, Ken Underwood, StereoFame Records is a full service independent record label and is at the forefront of the digital transition.
Underwood, who had no previous background or experience in the music industry, discovered and signed multi-talented rapper/producer J. Dash. He then produced and directed the music video for J. Dash's debut single, "WOP," which features a cameo appearance by international sensation, Flo Rida. Before releasing the now smash video on YouTube in January 2011, Underwood identified a new monetization process that had achieved success for other YouTube music videos. Capitalizing on this, Underwood executed a similar but improved direct-to-consumer strategy and created a formula for success, taking "WOP" from a dorm room dream to a nationwide dance craze that USA Today recently proclaimed is one of the TOP 10 Hip-Hop dances of the past decade. Today, Underwood's music video and spin-offs are a viral hit with over 60 million YouTube views and StereoFame Records has secured a Gold record with their first-ever release – a historical feat almost unheard of in the music industry.
"There was a time not too long ago when the major labels would have insisted only the very elite few who signed to them could have achieved this almost unprecedented level of success. J Dash and StereoFame have proven how wrong they are. It's inspiring, amazing and a testament to the talent, drive, and quality of the art and music," said Jeff Price, Founder & CEO of TuneCore.
In celebration of this remarkable achievement, StereoFame Records released "WOP EURO Mix," which has already received international accolades by reaching the #1 bullet spot on the Deutsche Black Charts and is now on the playlist of Europe's top radio stations. This newest incarnation, produced by UK sensation Super Stylers, was commissioned by StereoFame Records and arranged through industry consultant T.C. Thompkins to celebrate the 500,000th sale of the acclaimed hit and to position "WOP EURO" for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
"I'm proud of what the entire StereoFame family has been able to accomplish so far," said Ken Underwood, "but we still have a lot of work to do. We're now positioning 'WOP EURO' to drive J. Dash to platinum status as we continue our mission to make him one of the biggest artists in the world. He is truly an amazing and one-of-a-kind talent who has unlimited potential."
Prior to achieving a Gold record, StereoFame worked with media consultant TC Thompkins of Thompkins Marketing to negotiate an exclusive physical release of StereoFame's first full-length album, J. Dash's Tabloid Truth, with retail juggernaut Walmart. StereoFame also secured regular video rotations of "WOP" on MTV Jams, helping it to become the fastest growing dance song in the United States – charting on Mediabase and the Billboard singles charts (spending 17 weeks on the Hip-Hop/R &B Hot 100) and reaching the #1 slot on TuneCore.
The "WOP" single and ringtone are available for download on iTunes (http://stereofa.me/ituneswop); and, the new "WOP EURO" Mix song and video are also available for download on iTunes (http://stereofa.me/iwopeuro). To purchase "Tabloid Truth," please visit http://stereofa.me/itabtruth and for more information please visit www.therealjdash.com or http://www.stereofame.com/.
Independent Label StereoFame Records Off to Historic Start
Start-up Record Company Scores a Gold Record With Its First Release, J. Dash's "WOP"
| Source: Susan Blond Inc.