Idolator

After weeks of rumors, Billboard has confirmed that Sanctuary Record Group—the home of such acts as Morrissey, Motorhead and Widespread Panic—will shut down its U.S. operations this summer:

[Sanctuary] will continue to run its catalog, licensing and new media operations. U.K. executives arrived in New York last Thursday and told Sanctuary Records staffers that they would cut operations by June 30, according to a source at the label.

The label will still work on current records, as well as those coming to market, like former Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan's solo debut "Are You Listening?," which is due out May 15.

And what a smash that's gonna be! Sanctuary was always one of the most head-scratchingly "diverse" labels out there (Morrissey? Motorhead? Widespread Panic?), so this news isn't exactly a surprise. But even though there had been talk of troubles at the label for the last few months, the group was still filling up its release schedule, which includes Tegan and Sara's upcoming The Con, a co-release with Vapor Records; Idlewild's just-released Make Another World; and a new Happy Mondays album (we pity the poor exec who's going to inherit that 800-pound gorilla). If you've got any Sanctuary-related tips, please send 'em along to tips@idolator.com.

Sanctuary Records to wind down U.S. label [Billboard]