2020 and 2021 were challenging years for many members of the games industry and gaming community. Video game music group Materia Music faced its own difficulties, and recently shared a statement on their community Facebook page that addressed the news that all of Materia’s community albums were being removed from distribution and bandcamp.
“Since our debut album MATERIA, 26 albums have been released by Materia Community, representing 1,209 tracks, and the creative efforts of 975 producers, arrangers, performers, vocalists, instrumentalists, engineers, artists, illustrators and other creators,” CEO Sebastian Wolff begins in the statement, “Yesterday (November 30th, 2021), these albums were removed…following legal demands from various artists and contributors.”
Materia has had a complicated past, wherein some parties received late payments in early 2021. Wolff addresses this issue by outlining how much income was brought in and paid to the artists for sales and streams of the Materia Community albums since they started. He states, “To date, Materia Music has paid over $6.4 million to artists, composers, and rights-holders in royalties; $2.8m this year alone.”
In order to address the removal of the community albums, as well as the company’s past mistakes that took place with him at the helm, Wolff’s goal moving forward is to make Materia Music’s future endeavors as transparent as possible. “Materia as a company will continue to uphold its promises and contracts to its 1500+ artists, labels, vendors and clients under contract. The company cannot simply shut down without endangering the artist who we support…” states Wolff.
Wolff is also keen to address his own removal from the company. “Although I am proud of what we have accomplished up until this point, it is clear that its future lies under the stewardship of someone else. Materia cannot grow and thrive as long as I am here, and finding a team to replace me will be a top priority in 2022…”
For those following Materia Music and the artists and composers who have collaborated with them, the statement clarifies many common community questions that have swirled since the beginning of the year. To read the full statement head over the Materia Community Facebook Page.
For more information on Materia Music you can follow their Twitter, Facebook or head over to their official website https://www.materiacollective.com/.
Related: Materia Music Appoints Daniel Jiménez-Wall as New Chief Operating Officer
Shop Amazon: https://t.ly/Jok1
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
I have always enjoyed playing video games and am a programming team lead for a video game company. I co-founded Gaming Cypher because I enjoy the gaming community and would like to provide the best news service around. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will make sure to get back to you quickly.
More Stories
Absurd Ventures to Debut Original Audio Fiction Series A BETTER PARADISE Universe
SXSW London Announced
The New John Wick Pinball Games to Take Over Homes and Arcades Across the Globe