Reproduced from Music Week 7 March, 1998

A determination to break new acts and a series of smart business moves have led to a turnaround in the fortunes of UK indie label Jive. Last year, Jive was one of the UK's top indies, claiming five singles in the year-end Top 100. Its share of the singles market increased year-on-year to 3.1% from 0.8%, largely on the back of the R Kelly number one, I Believe I Can Fly, and three Backstreet Boys hits, while the album Backstreet's Back helped quadruple its share in the albums market to 0.8%.

The start to 1998 has been equally strong. Already there has been a number two single with Backstreet Boys' All I Have To Give, the album Backstreet's Back has gone double platinum, Will Mellor's debut single When I Need You entered the chart at number five and Steps' debut single, 5,6,7,8 has so far sold more than 275,000 units and is the biggest selling single in the Nineties not to have made Top 10. Meanwhile, Solid HarmoniE's debut single, I'll Be There For You, has hit the Top 20, and Joe, Kaleef and Tupac Shakur have also each had Top 30 success.

Jive's recent performance is in stark contrast to its profile in the early Nineties, when its name was associated with back catalogue, the odd hit including Boom Boom Shake The Room by Fresh Prince & Jazzy Jeff (number one in 1993) and budget-priced compilation releases featuring some of its early Eighties hits.

The turnaround follows a series of changes at Jive, not least a renewed determination to break artists. R Kelly's She's Got That Vibe single was released four times before peaking at number three in 1994 and the artist has now had five Top 20 hits.

Jive has also struck a joint venture deal with Pete Waterman's PWL production company. Signed 18 months ago, the deal has already resulted in hits from Solid HarmoniE, Will Mellor and Steps.

Jive managing director Steve Jenkins says, "I predicted the current explosion in pop music two years ago when I signed the deal with Pete and I reckon it will be around for another two years at least."

Other changes include taking an international approach to A&R and producing US acts, including Backstreet Boys, across Europe. A new management structure has also emerged following the appointment of four new heads of department - Adam Fisher (promotions), Peter Berry (press), Hans Griffiths (sales and marketing) and Scott McLaughlin (A&R), who joins from dance label Multiply where he was involved with acts including Sash! [see breakout].

Jenkins, who joined Jive in 1989 from Impulse, says, "We're not bothered by how others view Jive or how much market share we gain. Our priority is to make good records that people want to buy." Jenkins believes one of Jive's strengths is the fact it has not lost sight of its independent roots. "We still have the mentality of an independent here," he says.

"I know what all our acts are up to anywhere in the world. I've already listened to the first three finished tracks off Robert's [R Kelly] new album which is due out in April," Jenkins adds.

Steps' manager Tim Byrne says, "It's been an incredible experience working with Jive. Everyone takes a personal interest which we wouldn't have got at a major." The majors might argue that last point, but few could knock the success Jive's new approach has delivered. Yinka Adegoke 'I predicted the current explosion in pop music two years ago and I reckon it will be around for another two years at least'

McLaughlin immediately made his impact felt with the launch of the Pepper dance label and plans to release 10-12 singles before the end of the year.

McLaughlin was attracted to Jive because it is an independent with a global structure and has A&R contacts worldwide, including head of European A&R Martin Dodd in Benelux and Konrad von Loehneysen in Germany.

He says, "I came to Jive to create a dance sensibility. Even though we have a global infrastructure, we still operate on the scale of an indie."

Managing director Steve Jenkins adds, "I would like to see our dance area develop into an artist-led area. I think that in a couple of years Steve will be a great real A&R man discovering great bands."