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Recording Company “Nikitin” is one of the leading and actively developing players in the Russian music market.

On the last day of the previous century, December 31, 1999, Alexei Nikitin left his office of the top manager of “Soyuz” Concern and after a month, on February 1, 2000 he founded “Trading firm “Nikitin”. As early as on the day of his birthday, September 14, 2000 he presented the Recording Company “Nikitin”.

Over six years of successful business in “Soyuz” Mr. Nikitin acquired a reputation of a top-grade professional and a decent person so the brand “Nikitin” had trust and respect of the artists and music business circles from the very start. It should be noted that unlike some labels in our country “Nikitin” Company had never been associated with any “piracy heritage”. Alexei Nikitin has always been engaged in the legal business.

Promotion of the “Recording Company “Nikitin” label started with building of its own efficient distribution system. According to Mr. Nikitin the process took considerable part of the company’s history and went in parallel with RC “Nikitin”’s catalogue formation and expansion. Apart from using classical distribution channels (licensing the rights out to the partners outside Russia, mailing catalogues and deliveries to specialized chains like “Nastroenie”, “Souyz”, “Hitzone”, “1С Interest”, “Sphere Plus”, “Iceberg” and the wholesalers) “Trading firm Nikitin” expands the buyers’ audience by filling its line of products non-specialized retail chains like “Media Markt”, “Ashan”, “Sedmoy continent”, “Perekrestok”, “Magnet”, “Expert”, “Beringov proliv”, “Euroset”, “Bely veter”, “Polaris”, “Bukva”, “Top-kniga”, “Eldorado” and others – all in all over 1,500 direct contracts for efficient distribution of any volume of products. With many structures TF Nikitin have contracts for delivery of the comprehensive range of music, video and multimedia commodities, i.e. CD, MP3, DVD, computer games, etc.

“Recording Company Nikitin” was founded by Alexei Nikitin in partnership with Maxim Shvachko, ex-director of “Studio “Souyz””. It was the partner who proposed to Alexei to use his resonant and popular in Russia name “Nikitin” as the name of the label. That move proved absolutely justified itself. The name settled down and became easily distinguished by the consumers and music industry. When the 5th anniversary of the “Nikitin” label was celebrated authoritative information agency InterMedia awarded a diploma to the Company as the only in Russia recording company named after its founder.

After 2003 Maxim Shvachko continued to develop WWW.Records label while Alexei Nikitin started to actively develop “Recording Company “Nikitin”” catalogue.

Initially, label “Nikitin” was conceived as “omnivorous”. It produced artists of various genres. When Alexei Nikitin started to work independently rock music became the priority. Alexei reminds that “in the initial stage the lack of money was catastrophic. I was visiting the banks in search of loans. They were asking what for the money was needed. The answer was “a music product”. They failed to understand. They inquired whether I had any commodity. The answer was yes – compact discs and cassettes. Oh, no, no – was the answer – we would stay with the pledge, the plastics, not knowing what to do with that. What do you personally have as an individual? I had to mortgage three apartments and a house. My spouse trusted me and signed all necessary documents although she realized that we were putting our home at stake, although the risk has justified itself. All loans had been repaid long ago, everything is OK, new apartments and cars are bought.”

Unlike the labels possessing corporate media resources “Nikitin” does not promise to musicians rotation of their music material on these or those radio stations but guarantees the most efficient sale ad distribution of their albums through branded distribution network and 100% performance of all financial agreements.

Many Russian stars have chosen firm “Nikitin” as their label: Svetlana Sourganova, “Touretsky Choir”, Andrei Makarevich with Creol Tango Orchestra, famous producer Dmitry Groisman uses “Nikitin” to publish the albums of his artists: Mara, group “Provoda” and the legendary group “Chaif”.

One of the main principles of the company is to build long-term relations with artists and to encourage them to have lasting cooperation with “Nikitin”. “Nikitin” succeeded in this. Sourganova, “Touretsky Choir”, Mara released their first albums with RC “Nikitin” and preferred this label to have published their other projects.

Today, RC “Nikitin” resumed close cooperation with “Nashe Radio”. After three years interval this label released a regular popular compilation “Chart dozen”. Generally, “Nikitin” has big experience in publishing various very popular compilations. The firm used to market such series as “Love mood”, “Chanson mood”, “Mood for Children”, “Rock-n-Roll Mood”, “Other Format Music”.

Being especially interested in Russian rock music “Nikitin”, of course, does not neglect the other genre spectrum. The label catalogue has over 80 classic names, series of jazz and instrumental albums, relaxation music, ethnic music, compilations for children and a great series of popular artists of the 80s.

Considering the current market situation RC “Nikitin” varies its policy to match the modern trends. Alexei Nikitin emphasizes that now the Company does not contract artists only for physical media. Instead a complete package is envisaged – distribution of physical media and digital formats. Seeking optimization of digital distribution in 2007 “Record Company “Nikitin”” in cooperation with two majors Warner Music Group Corp. and Sony BMG Music Entertainment, and also with Concern “Soyuz” and industrial group Access Industries founded Digital Access Company. This digital platform deals with wholesaling of audio tracks, ring tones, ringback tones, video clips and full color images in Russia and CIS. Its clients are right holders, mobile operators, content providers and Internet shops.

Exclusive license agreement with Warner Music International became an event of 2008 and yet another proof of the authority of the RC “Nikitin” label. Under this Agreement RC “Nikitin” will manufacture, promote and distribute WMI international catalogue on music and video media in Russia and most of the CIS countries, import premium grade CD and DVD. Both companies plan to jointly develop additional opportunities like synchronization, release of branded compilations and licensed tracks. Thus, RC “Nikitin” will secure and consolidate WMI presence in the Russian and CIS music markets.