Tiny Engines relaunch with new management structure so artists own all their masters

Co-founded in 2008 by Miller and Daley, Tiny Engines rose to fame by releasing records by then-up-and-coming acts such as Illuminati Hotties, Mannequin Pussy, Spirit of the Beehive, The Hotelier, Wild Pink, and Strange Ranger, among others.

In November 2019, Stevie Knipe of Adult Mom accused the label of a plethora of bad accounting practices such as missed royalty payments, breaches of contract, withholding control of master recordings, and more. Other artists on their roster went on to shared similar statements about their own experiences.

Co-founder Chuck Daley eventually admitted to "years of delayed payments and accounting statements" in an interview with Billboard. The label ceased to release new music, and transferred ownership of Adult Mom’s masters back to the band. Other artists bought out their contracts, such Illuminati Hotties’ Sarah Tudzin who chose to release a mixtape to fulfil her exit deal stipulations. After this, the label went on hiatus.

pic.twitter.com/r84OinJfTe

— Tiny Engines (@tinyengines) June 30, 2023

Will Miller, previously a co-owner with Chuck Daley, has now returned as the sole owner of Tiny Engines.

“Accounting is up to date and artists have been paid in full,” explains a press release. Tiny Engines is also moving to a model in which the artists own their masters; supposedly 80% of the label’s contracts have been amended to reflect that, and “the other 20% should be completed by the end of 2023.”

“After leaving the day-to-day operations of Tiny Engines at the beginning of 2020, I was excited to come home last year to revive the label and return to our roots,” Miller said in a statement. “I am committed to making sure artists and their records are being cared for properly and treated with the required respect. I also want to ensure that artists are being paid what they are owed.”