At least the fabled Arista Records is going out on a high note.
As expected, Arista, part of Bertelsmann’s music unit BMG, is being folded into RCA Records. About 110 staffers were let go yesterday.
But the label, which was founded in the 1970s by music legend Clive Davis, is ending its history with its biggest album ever. R&B star Usher’s latest album, “Confessions” – released by Arista this week – is expected to sell about 900,000 copies in its first week.
If the forecasts prove true, it will be the biggest debut in history for an Arista album, and the best first-week sales ever for a male R&B artist.
The album’s single, “Yeah,” was released in January and spent six weeks atop the Billboard charts.
Usher is managed by former Sony Music chief Tommy Mottola.
As part of a restructuring at BMG, Clive Davis and his top deputy, Charles Goldstuck, have been given the reins of BMG North America.
Yesterday, the company announced that Arista will become part of RCA. While it will no longer be a standalone label, it will retain a small staff within RCA.
“This new structure underscores our deep commitment to preserving and strengthening our diverse record labels and investing in creativity and artists,” Davis said.