Posted: 28 July 2007 - From New York Post
Madonna is pondering hanging up on Warner Music Group in favor of life without a traditional record contract.
With the Material Girl's existing pact with Warner Music Group's Warner Bros. Records winding down, her camp is considering an all-encompassing music deal with touring giant Live Nation that could be worth more than $100 million.
An agreement, if struck, would create an entity that would manage all Madonna-related businesses, including albums, touring, merchandise and sponsorships over a multi-year period. Live Nation would acquire an equity stake in the pop diva's overall business.
The joint venture company would then look to enter into an agreement with a label to handle distribution and marketing support of any Madonna album releases.
Madonna is currently in London working with A-list names like Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, and Timbaland on the follow-up to 2005's 'Confessions on a Dancefloor.' It's the last studio album due under her existing pact with Warner and is tentatively scheduled for release later this year.
Warner Bros. Records Chairman and CEO Tom Whalley, Madonna spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg and Live Nation all declined to comment.
Privately, insiders regard the Live Nation talk as the opening salvo in what figures to be an extended re-negotiation of her deal, which was last extended in 2000.
Sources say her camp has also been shopping to other labels the joint venture concept, which follows in the vein of deals inked by EMI with Korn and Robbie Williams.
'Confessions' - a commercial and critical comeback from 2003's disappointing 'American Life,' was Madonna's first album with the existing Warner management team of WMG CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr., U.S. Recorded Music CEO Lyor Cohen and Whalley.
It has sold over 1.6 million copies in the U.S. and spawned a successful world tour that ranked as the top grossing series ever for a female artist. The 60-date tour generated over $193 million in reported revenues.
WMG's stock hit a new 52-week low Friday, slidding 4.8 percent, or 65 cents, to $12.76. Live Nation closed down 3.4 percent, or 71 cents, Friday to $20.14.

The days of needing a major record label are so over.

It's remarkable that,after 25 years in the business,Madonna is still able to get such a lucrative deal.She can pretty much call the shots....re-sign with Warners and probably get the same amount,or more.Or maybe she wants to start over and try a new approach to marketing and promoting her work? Either way,she's in complete control.

TonyVanDam said:

If Madonna can go it on her own without a major label, that's sending a message. If she doesn't resign with WB, I wonder what that means for her back catalog. It might be a good thing, with WB doing a very comprehensive video boxed set (something Madonna might not do or mess up with editing out tracks). It's funny that while most record companies fuck up whenever they release compilations, in the case of Madonna, they can only make improvements since she is so noitrious with every set she does ("Immaculate", "GVH2", that 1993-1999 video set...what was that all about?).

Now if this Live Nation thing happens, hopefully it means she will be on the road and hitting more venues (namely, Detroit!)

VinnyM27 said:

She already has plans to tour next summer.Not sure if she'll play Detroit.You might have to drive down to nearby Chicago

VinnyM27 said:

Madge has never spent more than 4 months on the road.

I'd be interested as well to see what happens to her back catelouge i think if she leaves WB would expolit it.

Since it's Madge that puts most of the road blocks up to repackaging stuff.

I kinda want her to stay with Warners.That way,she can work with them to preserve her catalog and to finally give us that long-rumored box set.

SoulAlive said:

i sort of feel the same way. though i'm not holding my breath for that box set. i doubt it'll have as many unreleased or rare tracks as fans want; and more of just the single edits.


scheduled for release in 2025

CHIC0 said:

SoulAlive said:

I have to agree with Chico on this, as long as Madonna is involved on the box set we won't see anything we haven't seen all ready.

she seems dead set on protecting her legacy and preventing us from hearing or seeing anything she doens't want us to see.

things i'd like to see OFFICIALLY released or MADONNA to do.


1. a proper hits album. maybe a 2 disc set.
2. a FULL live album. or live album box set of all tours.
3. an album of b-sides and previously unreleased tracks.
4. remastered catalogue
5. dvds of ALL the tours. to include ALL songs!
6. an acoustic set.
7. and eventually a box set.

something like a 5 disc set:
2 discs for singles
1 for b-sides and compilation songs
1 for unreleased and at least 3 new songs
1 dvd to include ALL her music videos


just a wish list. and i'm sure that's all that it will be.

CHIC0 said:

You seem to want ALOT from her,lol

SoulAlive said:

look who's talking!?

CHIC0 said:

SoulAlive said:

you know i'm right! you can honestly tell me you wouldn't want those things? and i'm not saying i want them all this year. maybe by 2009 though.

CHIC0 said:

Oh,I'd be thrilled if we got all those things For now though,I'm happy with the "new-CD-every-two-years-followed-by-a-tour" routine she's been doing,lol.Like Prince,she never likes to look back,which can be annoying to the fans.

SoulAlive said:

and that's why she gets those lucrative deals. even her so called "flops" rake in millions. i wouldn't mind flopping like that. i think she pays homage to her past plenty in her tours, and songs though.

as far as WB, i think they are going to make her a great deal to keep her; and not just money wise...if they're smart. what other artists do they have that brings in as much as she does?

CHIC0 said:

Now that would be beautiful!

poeticrockstar said: