10 years in the music biz!

AUCKLAND, Tuesday: Aeroplane Music Services is about to celebrate a new milestone – a decade as one of New Zealand’s leading music licensing experts.

Aeroplane creative director Wayne Bell said: “I’ve been at Aeroplane for seven years now and I’m super proud of what we have achieved so far, but I feel like we’re just getting started.”

Founder and co-director Jan Hellriegel said: “Well that was fast! Ten years. Mind you, time flies when you are having fun. I’m so proud of what we have achieved and look forward to seeing what the future brings.

“From humble beginnings to the present day, there have been some milestone moments along the way.

“The challenges of 2020 saw the birth of digital music compilation Music From Tomorrow Morning, a 28-track collection of music from local artists who wrote and recorded songs with the theme of sunrise & new beginnings.

“The Beck’s Music Project was a fun NZ Music Month campaign in 2014, encompassing a digital compilation album of NZ indie music, playable music street posters and live shows.”

“Aeroplane has worked with Special, Shine, True, The Enthusiasts, Charm, the Discovery promo team – and ‘the wonderful’ King Street Hamilton.”

In conjunction with Genesis Energy, Aeroplane released Warren Maxwell’s single Moments with profits going to the Foundation of Youth Development.

Commercial licensing highlights include Vogel’s and Chris Knox’s Not Given Lightly, KFC and The Meters’ Clap Your Hands, The Swingers Counting the Beat for Countdown, plus licensing Flying Nun tracks for overseas companies, Tory Burch, Milk Makeup and Greyskate magazine.

Music supervision includes NZ films such as The Heart Dances, Poi E, The Dark Horse, Two Little Boys, Herbs: Songs of Freedom, Fresh Meat and Shihad: Beautiful Machine and TV shows Super City, Step Dave, Taranaki Hard, The Almighty Johnsons, Radio Punks Documentary, The Tender Trap plus Aussie series Wanted 2.

Over the years Aeroplane has licensed tracks for the Flying Nun catalogue and Songbroker Music Publishing, including Shortland Street, The Brokenwood Mysteries, Nothing Trivial, Westside, 800 Words, The Gulf , as well as films Shout at the Ground, Human Traces, Karamea, and The Justice of Bunny King.

Recent projects involve music supervision for RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, The Masked Singer New Zealand and independent documentary film Fiona Clark: Unafraid.

Aeroplane will soon be launching a new initiative, Melody – Knowledge is Creative Freedom, an online educational resource to help local musicians navigate their way through the varying aspects of the music industry.

Hellriegel says Aeroplane has worked alongside many agencies, including Special, Shine, True, The Enthusiasts, Charm, the Discovery promo team – and “the wonderful King Street Hamilton”.

• www.aeroplanemusic.co.nz