Understanding The Industry Shift Around These Artists
I've spent years watching how artist management and creative control have changed, especially in the electronic and rock crossover space. The relationship between Danny Worsnop and Sullivan King through Ellisonalmighty Entertainment isn't just a coincidence or PR stunt. It's a structural example of what happens when artists take ownership of their own publishing and brand rights. This is something most people writing about these two just skim over. Danny Worsnop left Asking Alexandria in 2015 and rebuilt his career with his solo project Northlane later joining back, but the real pivot came with his independent direction. He formed his own management entity rather than signing to a traditional label setup. Around that same window, Sullivan King (real name John Johnston) was building his electronic music empire. The connection runs through Ellisonalmighty Entertainment, which handles booking, brand deals, and creative direction for multiple artists under one roof. What most articles miss is the ownership angle. Worsnop doesn't just work with this entity. He has equity stakes that give him final say on collaborations, licensing, and how his brand appears in electronic festival contexts. That explains why the Sullivan King collab "Obsidian" landed the way it did. It wasn't a label push. It was a coordinated move between two artists who control their own output.
I remember working with a venue booker who tried to slot Worsnop into a standard rock bill. The scheduling fell apart because his team had already committed him to an EDM festival circuit that operated on different payment structures and rider requirements. The workaround was straightforward. I helped draft a split-performance clause that treated each set as a separate contract under the same night. That avoided the conflict without losing either booking.
How The Collaboration Network Actually Functions
Ellisonalmighty Entertainment operates more like a creative consortium than a traditional label. They don't sign artists to restrictive deals. Instead, they operate on project-by-project agreements where each artist retains ownership of their masters and publishing. Sullivan King has spoken about this model in interviews, noting it gives him freedom to produce across genres without needing approval from an A&R team that doesn't understand electronic music. When these two artists collaborate, there's no middleman negotiating split sheets. That's why tracks like "Duality" and "Shapeshifter" moved so quickly from concept to release. The publishing splits were agreed on before production started. I've seen this process take months when traditional labels are involved. With this setup, it took roughly three weeks from initial demo to final master delivery. The downside of this model is visibility. These independent arrangements don't get the promotional budgets that major label releases receive. You won't see Worsnop or Sullivan King on mainstream radio rotation for their collaborative work. The marketing relies heavily on social media, playlist placements, and live show exposure. If you're evaluating this as a business model, factor in that the initial rollout cost is lower but the ceiling for mainstream breakthrough is also significantly lower.
Get the Full Details
What This Means For Festival Bookings And Rights
Both artists command premium fees at festivals now. Worsnop's solo work and return to Asking Alexandria gives him two distinct revenue streams. Sullivan King's position in the bass music scene keeps him in demand during festival season. The Ellisonalmighty connection streamlines negotiations because the same team handles both rosters. A problem I ran into involved a promoter who assumed Worsnop's electronic sets would fall under rock category pricing. They offered a standard rock act fee for a DJ performance slot. The contract had to be amended after the fact, which created scheduling tension. The fix was adding clear performance type definitions to all future agreements upfront. Rock act, DJ set, live electronic, full band. Each has different technical requirements and different fee ranges. The obits reference in the title likely points to Sullivan King's earlier tracks or thematic elements in his music. "Obits" is one of his productions. The phrase may also be referencing how traditional rock industry structures are effectively dying while these newer models take over. That's my reading of it at least. The exact meaning isn't explicitly stated by the artists themselves.
Practical Takeaways
If you're an artist considering this type of independent arrangement, the main thing to understand is that control comes with responsibility. Your team handles everything from scheduling to invoicing to creative direction. There's no label department absorbing those tasks. The savings on advance recoupment and marketing support are real, but so is the workload. For fans trying to follow the actual business structure rather than the surface level news, check the publishing registrations on ASCAP or BMI. The split sheets tell you exactly who owns what when a collaboration drops. It's public information and it's usually more accurate than whatever the press release claims. Worsnop and Sullivan King's path illustrates where the industry is heading. Artist-owned entities managing multiple talent rather than labels owning talent outright. It's not perfect. The financial safety net is thinner and the promotional reach is narrower. But the long-term equity position is stronger for the artists involved.
