December 17, 2007 15:21

Robbie Williams 'could quit' EMI

Singer may leave label after last album

Robbie Williams 'could quit' EMI

Robbie Williams could quit EMI after his next studio album.

The singer signed a record £80m deal with the label in 2002 to produce four albums for the company. However, his manager Tim Clark indicated that changing music industry conditions could mean the artists would not remain on the label.

“I would be very wary about signing him to any major label at the moment,” he explained, adding that “all options” were open once Williams has completed his contract.

The news comes after former labelmate Paul McCartney branded EMI “boring” likening himself to "a couch" and Coldplay “an armchair”.

Williams is contracted to release a new studio album, ’Let’s Swing Again’, due in February 2008.

Clarke’s comment suggest that Williams could follow in the footsteps of McCartney and Radiohead, who have both left EMI in the past two years.

He said that the internet offered artists opportunities without the need for record labels, with Clarke explaining: “What we really don’t want is the dead hand of multinationals throttling these brilliant opportunities.”

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