Dirty Hit has officially renewed its physical distribution partnership with Universal Music UK, extending the collaboration for another three years. This partnership, which originally initiated in 2010, has been influential in propelling a roster of successful artists, including The 1975, Bleachers, Beabadoobee, Japanese House, Wolf Alice, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Rina Sawayama, Pale Waves, and Lava La Rue.
The most recent standout success attributed to this partnership was Beabadoobee’s album This Is How Tomorrow Moves, which marked her first chart-topper. In addition, Dirty Hit has seen significant successes with The 1975's five studio albums reaching No.1, as well as the acclaim surrounding Wolf Alice’s Blue Weekend. Other notable successes include Top 5 albums from artists such as Rina Sawayama and Pale Waves.
Warren Querns, head of third party sales and label partnerships at Universal Music UK, praised Dirty Hit as a powerhouse in the independent label sector, highlighting the dedication and care the team has shown in nurturing long-term careers for their artists. Jamie Oborne, founder of Dirty Hit, echoed this sentiment, noting the importance of maintaining artist integrity while collaborating successfully with Universal.
The label also recently expanded its presence with offices in London, Los Angeles, Sydney, and Tokyo, and launched a new electronic music imprint, DH2, led by George Daniel of The 1975. Querns and Oborne both expressed optimism about the future collaborative efforts and ongoing success of the artists under the Dirty Hit label.