Serenade, which partners with labels on chart-eligible Smart formats, has launched its new white-label platform.
The company has also appointed Matt Drayton and Jamie Parmenter (pictured) to global roles.
The latest developments at Serenade follow its acquisition by ASX-listed Vinyl Group in September 2024.
Serenade contributed to recent chart campaigns from The K’s (who hit No.1), Craig David and Nova Twins via its chart-eligible physical-digital merchandise collectables,
The white-label platform enables self-service uploads, one-tap fan access and streamlined pricing.
Additionally, in this phase of growth under Vinyl Group, Serenade has also been bolstered by the appointment of Matt Drayton as sales lead and Jamie Parmenter as operations and product lead. They are based in the UK and report to Germán Rodrigo, head of product and growth at Vinyl Group.
Drayton is tasked with liaising with artists, management, labels and other partners, and working on art formats and marketing support. His experience, spanning over 13 years, encompasses artist/brand partnerships, digital marketing, e-commerce and distribution, as well as music programming and sound engineering, most recently at RTM Industries and Ostereo. He serves as a board member of ERA (Digital Entertainment and Retail Association).
With parent company Vinyl Group, Parmenter works on discovery and product growth, in addition to running the day-to-day and streamlining operations to support Serenade’s growing physical and digital music partnerships with artists, labels and other strategic stakeholders. He brings experience in bridging physical and digital worlds from roles at SpinBard and Vinyl Chapters.
Serenade is a music-tech treasure in the Vinyl Group portfolio with rapid growth
Josh Simons
Recent Serenade Smart format campaigns have encompassed physical products and seamless digital unlocks for music purchase and exclusive content, including:
– Mini cassettes and clothing tags linking to album pre-orders at a Mariah Carey fan event in London
– Babymetal Kerrang! magazine cover feature with a sticker unlocking their brand new album and tapping in to new fanbases
– Burna Boy mini-cassettes and content exclusives at Wireless Festival
– Craig David tour-edition lanyard with exclusive album pre-order access and behind-the-scenes updates
– Tom Odell mini CD unlocking two new tracks pre-album release
Serenade has worked with hundreds of artists and commercial partners, including Alice Cooper, Blossoms, Bugzy Malone, Ghost, Kairo Keyz, Only The Poets, Twenty One Pilots, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Sum 41.
Matt Drayton, sales lead at Serenade, said: “Serenade has built a powerhouse roster of artist collaborators, and it’s a privilege to support them on innovative release campaigns via Smart formats. With the new white-label platform, we’re bringing increased power to partners and creatives with a simple system making collectable digital-physical formats more accessible, customisable, and scalable.”
Jamie Parmenter, operations and product lead at Serenade, added: “In the digital age, Serenade harnesses love for art and the tangible: the combination of physical and digital music formats is potent. The new Serenade platform empowers everyone, from independent artists releasing their first Smart format to major teams working on mainstream chart campaigns, with the tools to move quickly, cost-effectively, and create memorable fan experiences.”
Josh Simons, CEO and executive director of Vinyl Group, comments: “Serenade is a music-tech treasure in the Vinyl Group portfolio with rapid growth. One year on from its acquisition, with dedicated investment in developing the white-label platform and the appointments of Matt and Jamie, we’re primed to serve more innovative artists and teams around the world with their music proposition for fans.”
Serenade uses the most sustainable materials for its physical product range, which also includes wristbands, Smart vinyl, pin badges, keychains and patches, incorporating the ability to stream or download music directly from the platform.
The company is chart-accredited in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Parent company Vinyl Group’s financial results showed that revenue increased 190% to $14.4m in a ‘transformational’ year, with Serenade one of its four acquisitions in the period.
FOLLOW 
