Rhino Records R.I.P. ?

Reports of the venerable archival label's immediate demise seem somewhat exaggerated, but there have been massive layoffs.

By Fred Mills

Bloggers and music forums erupted late yesterday with rumors of the shuttering of Rhino Records. One sample posting:

"I have it on good authority that Rhino as we know it does not exist anymore as of 5:00 PM PST. Fifty or more employees have been eliminated suddenly, including almost all the marketing, editorial and art departments. This is absolutely devastating news. I am shocked and saddened, as I'm sure you all are, too. Any music lover will feel this way. I feel so badly for the people who have so lovingly curated music history, presenting us with exceptional releases over the years."

While the sentiments are absolutely right on - I've had nothing but the utmost respect for Rhino and Rhino Handmade over the years, and feel privileged to have reviewed many of their titles, including some of the most elaborately designed box sets (collector catnip at that) on the planet - the specifics seems a bit premature.

Variety indicates that yesterday afternoon Warner Music Group laid off "between 30 and 40 staffers" with cuts made across-the-board "in all departments, including A&R, marketing, promotion and publicity." The magazine quoted from a statement issued by Rhino that "cited a ‘fundamental transformation of the physical new release and catalog business" as a reason for the cuts. Rhino will evolve into an entity that ‘handles WMG's global digital catalog initiatives, film, TV, vidgame and commercial licensing, and name and likeness representation for legendary artists.'"

Variety added that Rhino's core market for "high ticket items" such as boxed sets, had declined steeply alongside the general decline of physical product in general.

So clearly, change is afoot at Rhino. Does this mean those fantastic boxes and in-depth retrospectives are a thing of the past? It's too early to say, and judging by the vague wording of the Rhino statement, it appears the label is entering a transitional phase that we can only sit back for and see what happens.

All that aside: just recently Rhino issued massive, comprehensive boxes on Big Star and Los Angeles Nuggets (both reviewed in the new, Winter 2009, issue of BLURT, by the way) - but if the label is to go the way of the dinosaurs, let it be in such fine style as these.

Rhino Records, I salute ya.