Indie Label Pieater Teams With Community Music For A&R and Catalogue Partnership

Pieater, the iconic indie label founded by members of Big Scary alongside manager Tom Fraser, has announced a groundbreaking A&R partnership with artist services ecosystem and platform Community Music.

Founded in 2010 by Fraser alongside Big Scary's Joanna Syme and Tom Iansek, Pieater has gone on to become one of the most influential independent labels in the country, releasing music by names such as #1 Dads, No Mono, and Airling.

Already know for their artist-first approach, the nascent partnership sees Pieater joining Community Music's ecosystem to formalise their creative alignment.

Per a press release, Fraser will continue to guide the Pieater roster, but will also work with Community Music to help drive artist and independent label collaboration across the network. His role also involves release planning and creative development across the broader Community Music network, alongside his continued supporting of the artist community’s growth.

“Pieater has been quietly shaping indie music culture for years, not just through their artists, but through the way they operate: with care, purpose and a real sense of community,” says Community Music’s Vice President, Francesca Caldara. “We’ve long admired their approach, and this partnership is a natural evolution of that shared philosophy.

“We’re proud to support them in this next chapter and excited by the impact we can make together.”

A press release also describes the newly-announced partnership as a reflection of the two companies’ shared belief in thoughtful curation, creative autonomy and building long-term careers, while also setting the groundwork and blueprint for future collaborations forged in the notions of mutual respect and creative trust. 

“We’ve always tried to surround ourselves with people who believe in our artists, take risks on new music, and show up as real humans,” adds Fraser. “As an independent Australian-owned company with global reach, Community Music embodies that spirit, and made sense for us. 

“Add in the wider resources of parent company UNIFIED Music Group, it will be a wonderful new family to embrace and uplift our artists' recorded music. I'm hoping we can continue to show the importance of small, unique groups of people making music, and releasing collectively under a banner.

“Doing things alone can be tiresome, finding your people and doing it with them makes navigating the challenges of this industry more palatable,” he adds. “You have others to share all the highs and lows with together, pool your skills and learn to make your own impact on the music scene. 

“Through companies like Community Music, there is such a wonderful opportunity for the next batch of music collectives to thrive, and I hope we can continue to show them what's possible.”

While Community Music will manage the recorded music catalogie of Pieater, the label maintains full creative control over its artist direction and release strategy.

Community Music first launched by UNIFIED Music Group in October 2024, with the initiative aiming to allow artists to exercise and enhance their independence and choice in terms of music distribution and amplification, while also providing access to its ‘Community Centre’, a custom-built information hub for music release management.