Our Story

The Birth of Pop Preservation Society
In 2014, Victor Stranges was invited to perform a solo acoustic show at the historic Mission To Seafarers in Melbourne, Australia. His booking agent suggested he enlist a backing singer for harmonies, and Stranges immediately thought of his then sixteen-year-old son, Samuel. Together, they embarked on a journey of “preserving the classics, one hit at a time,” performing songs from Frankie Valli to The Ramones. They named their duo Pop Preservation Society, inspired by The Kinks’ 1968 baroque pop-rock album, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society. The duo's mission was to “defend and protect the rightful place of the greatest songwriters in music history.”

Transition to a Family Partnership
After a successful 20-plus year career in the advertising, direct marketing, printing, and graphic arts industries, Stranges made the decision to leave the corporate world and pursue his passion for music full time. In 2018, he and his wife, Nerida, established Pop Preservation Society as a family partnership. Stranges began increasing his live performances, both as a solo artist and with his band, Victor Stranges & The Methinks. By 2019, he was performing up to 240 shows a year. However, the momentum was interrupted in 2020 when Melbourne’s government-mandated lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly halted their performance business.

Adapting and Innovating During the Pandemic
During this challenging period, Stranges began assisting his long-time friend, Michael Matthews, with A & R and promotional work for various clients. This led to Stranges recording and producing two singles for Melbourne rock group, Man City Sirens. With encouragement from Matthews, Stranges decided to start a record label, with Man City Sirens as the first artist signed in 2021. Stranges even found time to collaborate with co-producer, Frank Apicella under the name, Saturday's Child for a rendition of an Arlo Parks' song, Cola. An ambitious music video accompanied the single and was shot as a 1960s period piece in 4K with a film crew of over twenty . 

Expanding the Roster and Achieving Success
Stranges soon began working with post-punk revival band, Lipstereo, who joined the label’s roster. The group gained modest success in Australia and the United States, with their music video, Stop airing on ABCTV’s national music show, Rage. Stop and their second single, Little Spaceships also featured on MTV in the US and South America. Lipstereo also featured on AXS TV, reaching over 44 million homes in the US. Stranges organised the recording of two EPs (Modern Mythology and Modern Mythology Too) with legendary Australian record producer, Mark Opitz AM (INXS, Cold Chisel, The Angels), and additionally financed the filming and recording of the Live At Bakehouse EP. The band also represented Australia at the Let Me Help - Children Of The World global charity concert streamed live from New York City in October 2022.

Breakthrough Achievements
In 2022, Lipstereo's debut EP, Modern Mythology, reached the US Top 10 commercial radio charts for Modern Rock Specialty and the Top 20 college radio charts in the US and Canada. Pop Preservation Society partnered with several promoters and marketing agencies in the US, leading to viral social media posts on TikTok and Instagram, garnering millions of views. Both Modern Mythology and their second EP, Live At Bakehouse, were Rolling Stone Australia’s Record Of The Week in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The band received coverage in NME, Classic Rock Magazine, and was featured prominently on radio stations in the US, Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark, Ireland, the UK, and Australia.

Growth and Expansion
To accommodate the growing success, the family partnership was dissolved to form a larger private company under the same label name. In May 2024, and once again with encouragement from Michael Matthews, Pop Preservation Society officially became a music publisher, with Peter Freebairn as their first signing, along with a record deal. Freebairn, previously a published artist with BMG Music, released his debut solo album, Silhouettes & Cigarettes, in May 2024 through the label.

Entering the Digital Era with PPS Elevate
In 2024, a co-venture between Pop Preservation Society and cutting-edge data company ARX Group enabled the business to become a data and content aggregator, with the ability to reach audiences in the multiple millions. Pop Preservation Society established its third main strategic business unit under the name PPS Elevate, a platform designed to optimise artist promotion in the digital era by leveraging advanced AI data analytics and high-volume email communication. PPS Elevate helps artists connect with their audiences more effectively, addressing the challenges of audience engagement and data overload common in today’s competitive landscape.

Looking Ahead: 2024 and Beyond
Victor Stranges reflects on the future: “In an exciting new chapter, we’re on a mission to discover and sign exceptional songwriters who own their catalogues and control their publishing. Our goal is to make life easier for artists by freeing them from the burdens of social media, allowing them to focus on what they do best—writing, recording, and performing. The current streaming model, dominated by platforms like Spotify, has proven unsustainable for many trying to develop real careers in music. Reports of streaming farms and other deceptive practices highlight the industry's lack of transparency, often leaving artists struggling to earn a basic wage while chasing ‘likes’ online. We’re here to change that narrative. We want to put food on the table for the artist. Our vision is to help artists reach real customers and expose their music to audiences they never thought possible. We’re set to reshape the industry with a new model empowered by AI, creating opportunities that go beyond the limitations of streaming."