Universal Republic Records’ artist Owl City continues to garner accolades at an unprecedented pace in 2010, with the RIAA awarding his smash album Ocean Eyes platinum certification this week for selling more than a million units of his Universal Republic debut.
Owl City aka Adam Young has fast become the self-starter role model of music’s digital age, passing the 3 million sales milestone for his hypnotic anthem “Fireflies” at the beginning of the year – the debut single from the platinum-plus Ocean Eyes. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart twice, still enjoying an incredible 7 month chart-run, achieving millions of downloads and non-stop radio play as it closes in on a combined 20 million total views on Vevo. Not bad for a song that was recorded on a laptop via a late night recording session in his parents’ basement. “Owl City/Adam Young’s platinum achievement for his wonderful album ‘Ocean Eyes’ represents what every new artist – and I suspect, every fan – dreams about when it comes to the power and immediacy of new music,” stated Avery Lipman, Co-President of Universal Republic Records. “We hear so much about the challenges of our industry, Owl City’s amazing, multi-platform success story is indicative of what’s great about the many ways our business is changing. We congratulate Adam, and we also applaud everyone at Universal Republic for their hard work in mining the resources that have helped Adam’s dream to become reality.”
Owl City continues to break boundaries with the record-breaking hit, and the release of his second single, the ethereal “Vanilla Twilight,” with the atmospheric video debuting last week to rave reviews and over 1 million views after one day. The clip was filmed in Pittsburgh, PA, and directed by Steven Hoover, who helmed the acclaimed “Fireflies” video and has a surprising cameo by basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal.
Owl City is also embarking on a sold-out U.S. tour, which kicked off on March 30th in Boise, ID, with Lights and Paper Route in tow as support acts. The much-buzzed about trek as become the hottest live ticket of the spring touring season, with an unprecedented second matinee show added for Owl City’s April 24th New York City appearance at Terminal 5. The tour winds up on May 5th in St. Louis, MO, with Owl City heading across the pond for a series of UK and France shows.
Adam Young is also lending his support to the family of slain San Diego teenager Chelsea King, dedicating his performance on April 8th at San Diego’s SOMA to the Chelsea Light Foundation, the charitable organization set up by Chelsea’s parents to help tighten laws relating to sex offenders. All merchandising proceeds from the show will go to the Chelsea Light Foundation.
Hailing from rural Owatonna, Minnesota, online fans and critics were the first to discover Owl City, passionately supporting his alluring digital rhythms and evocative melodies, making Young one of the most compelling artist development stories in recent memory.
A previous fan favorite from Owl City has also turned up on the new album Almost Alice, the companion music compilation to the mega-hit 3D movie Alice In Wonderland. The Owl City song “The Technicolor Phase,” from his 2008 debut album is featured on the eclectic collection of music inspired by the Tim Burton-directed film.
Signature Owl City songs featured on his platinum-plus Universal Republic debut, Ocean Eyes include “Hello Seattle,” “Umbrella Beach,” and “Dental Care,” among others.
About Universal Republic Records
Universal Republic Records, launched in 1995 by Monte and Avery Lipman, has quickly evolved into one of the most successful new labels of the last decade. A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, Universal Republic is home to a diverse array of superstar artists as well as innovative imprints and digital business ventures. It is comprised of Universal Republic and Republic Nashville Records, and is in partnerships with Big Machine, Cash Money, Lava Records and Downtown Records, among others. The company’s roster boasts such chart-topping artists as Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, Enrique Iglesias, Amy Winehouse, Colbie Caillat, Lil’ Jon, Hinder, 3 Doors Down, Owl City, Godsmack, Jack Johnson, Damian Marley and Chamillionaire, among many others.
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