HitQuarters

HitQuarters is an internet based music industry publication, founded in 1999 by Swedish brothers Ranis and Pontus Edenberg in the Benelux (Brussels and Amsterdam). It started as a Pan-European organization, but included offices in North America by 2001.

HitQuarters improved upon the common music industry directory by introducing track record listings of A&Rs, managers, producers, publishers and songwriters active in the industry. The directory, called HitTracker, serves as a collection of music business curricula vitae with the mission to give an artist improved knowledge of who they sign record, management or publishing deals with.

Artists

A number of artists featured at HitQuarters have had measurable success in the music industry.

* The Knife achieved Top 10 status in Sweden with their song "Heartbeats", which was also covered by Jose Gonzalez and used for a popular Sony BRAVIA TV commercial.

* The Alpine had a Top 20 hit in Denmark with their single "Mondays Look The Same".

* Bobby Creekwater of Atlanta was featured on HitQuarters in 2004 and was signed to Shady Records in 2006.

* Female Irish pop singer Lesley Roy signed a six album distribution deal with Jive Records of New York in 2006. Her debut album is scheduled for release from Religion Music and Jive Records in 2008.

* Shelley had a Top 10 hit with the single "Hit It" in Ireland in Fall of 2006.

World Top 100 A&R Chart (Yearly)

A&R ChartsHitQuarters gained initial recognition by presenting the world’s first A&R charts, the weekly World Top 20 A&R Chart and the yearly World Top 100 A&R Chart.

Record holders

No.1 A&Rs on World Top 100 A&R Chart by Year:
* 2001 - Clive Davis, J Records, USA
* 2002 - Chris Lorenzo, Murder Inc., USA
* 2003 - Riggs Morales, Marc Labelle and Marshall Mathers (a.k.a. Eminem), Shady Records, USA
* 2004 - Diana Meltzer – Wind-Up Records, USA
* 2005 - Mark Williams – Interscope Records, USA
* 2006 - Linda Perry - Custard Records, USA & Max Lousada - Atlantic Records, UK

World Top 20 A&R Chart (Weekly)

Points are allotted to A&Rs based on an elaborate point system for breaking artists on an international level. The aim is to show an unsigned songwriter, producer, artist or musician which A&R is most likely to give them success and has the potential to break them as a new act. It is evaluated by means of a point system and is based on the national official sales charts of the largest world markets, including USA, UK, Germany and France.

A&Rs that have reached No.1 on the Top 20 A&R Chart include:
* Dr. Dre, Aftermath Records
* Riggs Morales, Shady Records
* Marc Labelle, Shady Records
* Clive Davis, Arista Records
* Josh Deutsch, Downtown Records
* Simon Cowell, Syco Music

History

The main offices in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Stockholm, Sweden dissolved in 2003 as the company re-structured to work mainly with a network of freelancers not bound to a specific geographical location. Though HitQuarters employ somewhere between 25-40 people, there is no main office.

The owners denied two separate bids (amount unknown) to buy the company by Tonos (2002) and BMG (2004) and remains independently run.

The co-founder Ranis Edenberg (a.k.a. Pat Reiniz) is also known for producing the party classic "Cotton-Eye Joe" for the group Rednex, and other international pop bands 'N Sync, Amazonia Blue, Sugar & Spice, Cool James and Black Teacher.

External links

* [http://www.hitquarters.com HitQuarters.com]