Warner Bros. Records
Warner Brothers начал свою деятельность как киностудия в 1918 году, а в 1958 году компания занялась созданием пластинок. Компания Warner Bros. Records, расположенная в Бербанке, штат Калифорния, начала свою деятельность, подписав контракт с Tab Hunter, знаменитой кинозвездой того времени. Какое-то время лейбл подписывал контракты с артистами, которые были связаны с фильмами и телевизионными шоу Warner Bros. Studios, но в 1960-х они начали обращаться к новым талантам, и родилась легенда записи.
- Жанры – С ранних лет Warner Bros. занимались поп-музыкой, но они также записывали Евангелие, классику, джаз и фолк. На протяжении многих лет они поддерживали разнообразный список артистов, которые записывают в жанрах, которые варьируются от поп-музыки и рока до хип-хопа и хэви-метала.
- Известные художники – В 1960 году Warner Bros. подписали Everly Brothers, популярную сенсацию, в первом контракте на миллион долларов в истории музыкальной индустрии, а также на Bill Haley & the Comets. Среди других творческих художников Warner Bros. были Питер, Пол и Мэри, Боб Ньюхарт и Петула Кларк. В 1970-х годах Warner Bros. подписали звуковую палитру таких артистов, как Black Sabbath, Grateful Dead и Dionne Warwick. Сегодня лейбл продолжает демонстрировать разнообразие талантов, от Эммилу Харрис до Red Hot Chili Peppers.
красные горячие перчики чили
Wichita
Named after a small city in the uncommonly creative prairie state of Kansas, Wichita was founded in 2000 by Mark Bowen and Dick Green.
It has gradually and holistically built up its coterie of indie mainstays since then.
They didn’t stay under the radar for long, though, releasing albums from early-noughties legends Bloc Party, delightfully sophomoric FIDLAR, sad-boy king Conor Oberst, and indie-dance outfit Simian Mobile Disco.
Wichita is cheeky and audacious and they don’t commit themselves to raising the profile of any one genre.
Rather, they use every color in the palette, creating a collage of tendencies and stylistic visions: pop, electro, acoustic, and psychedelic jazz.
Republic Records
| Parent company: | Universal Music Group |
| Based in: | New York City, United States |
| Yearly revenue: | $18 million |
| Major artists: | Ariana Grande, Drake, Post Malone, Taylor Swift, Stevie Wonder, The Weeknd, James Blake |
Founded in 1995 and relaunched in 2012, Republic Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was created by two brothers, Monte and Avery Lipman, who started releasing albums as a hobby. Bloodhound Gang was the first artist signed by Republic Records, which was quick to land bigger artists.
After establishing a partnership with the Universal Music Group, Republic Records managed to enlist the talents of major pop acts such as Ariana Grande, Post Malone, and The Weeknd. They were also the first major label in the United States to sign a deal with the digital music distribution service DistroKid.
Out of Republic Records’ entire roster, Taylor Swift is arguably the standout. Monte and Avery Lipman offered the country-music favorite a profitable deal in 2018, shortly after her contract with Big Machine Records ended.
TOP 10 TECH HOUSE LABELS
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Toolroom: Toolroom is a UK-based tech house label founded by Mark Knight in 2003. The label has released numerous chart-topping singles and albums and is known for its high-quality productions, featuring some of the best up-and-coming and established tech house artists. |
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Hot Creations: Hot Creations is a UK-based tech house label founded by Jamie Jones and Lee Foss in 2010. The label has a reputation for releasing innovative and cutting-edge music, and its roster includes some of the biggest names in the tech house scene. |
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Repopulate Mars: Repopulate Mars is a US-based tech house label founded by Lee Foss in 2017. The label has a futuristic and space-themed aesthetic and is known for releasing bold and experimental tech house tracks that push the boundaries of the genre. |
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Dirtybird: Dirtybird is a US-based tech house label founded by Claude VonStroke in 2005. The label has a fun and quirky vibe and is known for releasing tracks with infectious basslines, catchy hooks, and a distinctive sense of humor. |
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Relief Records: Relief Records is a US-based tech house label founded by Green Velvet in 1993. The label has a rich history in the Chicago house scene and is known for its raw and gritty productions that blend elements of techno, acid, and classic house. |
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Glasgow Underground: Glasgow Underground is a UK-based tech house label founded by Kevin McKay in 1996. The label has a diverse roster of artists and releases a wide range of tech house tracks that showcase the label’s dedication to quality and innovation. |
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Catch & Release: Catch & Release is a US-based tech house label founded by Fisher in 2019. The label has a focus on fun and upbeat tracks that are perfect for the dancefloor, and its releases have quickly become staples of the tech house scene. |
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Moon Harbour: Moon Harbour is a Germany-based tech house label founded by Matthias Tanzmann in 2000. The label has a reputation for releasing high-quality and innovative tech house tracks that feature a wide range of influences, from deep house to techno. Moon Harbour has a roster of talented artists from all over the world, and its releases are known for their strong grooves and infectious rhythms. |
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Solid Grooves: Solid Grooves is a UK-based tech house label founded by Michael Bibi and Simon Shaw in 2014. The label has a focus on groove-heavy tracks that are designed to get people moving on the dancefloor. Solide Grooves has a roster of talented artists, including its co-founders, and its releases are known for their high-energy and infectious beats. |
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Snatch Records: Snatch Records is a UK-based tech house label founded by Riva Starr in 2010. The label has a focus on tracks that blend elements of classic house and techno with modern production techniques. Snatch Records has a roster of talented artists, and its releases are known for their unique sound and ability to cross genre boundaries. The label has also expanded into events and has a strong presence in the club scene. |
Here you can find our article where we explain how to contact labels like these, and here you can find an article with detailed information on the tech house genre and how to produce itOn Beatstats, you can find the complete list of the best tech house artists and labels from the birth of Beatport until today.”
OWSLA
Хотя OWSLA является относительно новым лейблом, основанным в 2011 году дабстеп-артистом Skrillex, он уже оказал значительное влияние на мир электронной танцевальной музыки. Вы найдете OWSLA на Сложная музыка список лучших лейблов EDM. Название лейбла происходит от Watership DownРичард Адамс фантастический роман о кроликах. OWSLA находится в Лос-Анджелесе, штат Калифорния.
- Жанры – Skrillex, основатель OWSLA, музыкант, композитор и ди-джей, имеющий опыт работы в разных музыкальных жанрах, включая EDM, дабстеп и пост-хардкор. Он выпускает свой собственный материал через OWSLA, и артисты, которые записывают на его лейбле новаторские и революционные в жанре EDM.
- Известные художники – OWSLA может похвастаться большим количеством известных исполнителей EDM, включая Kill the Noise, Zedd, Koan Sound, Birdy Nam Nam и самого Skrillex. Один из EP Skrillexs, Bangarangвыиграл две премии Грэмми в 2013 году за лучший танцевальный / электронный альбом и лучшую танцевальную запись.
10 – Sick Bedroom Records
★★★
Founded in 2015 by Sascha Schürz alias ” Sash_S “. Sick Bedroom Records is officially one of the best rising EDM record labels in Austria and worldwide. The intention of founding the label was to create a platform for young talents to provide them with a springboard. The label mainly designed for the release of productions in the field of Electro-House ‘(especially Big-Room and Progressive-House)’. There are no obligations for artists who released on “Sick Bedroom Records” and publish some songs only about the label.
Website – https://www.sickbedroomrecords.com/ Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIDrEDzpgOqB7zQeHbkvgYQFacebook – Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/melodic-tunes
Interscope Records
| Parent company: | Universal Music Group |
| Based in: | Santa Monica, United States |
| Yearly revenue: | $57 million |
| Major artists: | Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Blackpink, U2, Kendrick Lamar, Olivia Rodrigo, Maroon 5 |
Interscope Records was founded in 1990 as a division of the motion picture production company Interscope Communications. Strangely enough, the latter was defunct in 2003 and Interscope Records survived until today. This California-based label owes its success to its partnership with Universal Music Group, its endless roster of commercially-successful artists, and a vital 1992 decision.
In the early ’90s, Interscope Records hit gold after acquiring the exclusive rights to the Death Row Records releases. Perhaps one of the first major record labels to predict the hip-hop boom of the following decades, Interscope wasn’t afraid of taking a clear side in the gangsta rap controversy that dominated public opinion at the time. As a result, they made lots of money.
Interscope Records is hardly a hip-hop label, though. First and foremost, the people at Interscope seem to have a knack for supporting artists that perform well on the charts. Recent examples include the sensational K-pop act Blackpink, the beloved Billie Eilish, and the promising Olivia Rodrigo.
Подземный Поп
Subteriterranean Pop, независимый лейбл со штаб-квартирой в Сиэтле, штат Вашингтон, был основан в 1988 году и оказался в авангарде внедрения гранж-музыки в мейнстрим в начале 1990-х годов. Несмотря на то, что движение гранж исчезло, Sub Pop по-прежнему широко уважают за свой уникальный список инди-художников.
- Жанры – Начав с гранж-музыки, Sub Pop стал уважаемым лейблом для инди-рок-групп. Джонатан Коэн, старший редактор рекламный щитВ своем интервью он написал, что Sub Pop сохранил свою актуальность в музыкальной индустрии, оставаясь на связи с «пульсом андеграундной сцены».
- Известные художники – Суперзвезда гранж-группы Nirvana начала свою работу с Sub Pop, выпустив кавер Любовь Базз и дебютный альбом группы, отбеливательс лейблом в 1989 году. Sub Pop также работал над ранним материалом с гранж-рокерами Soundgarden, TAD и Mudhoney. Сегодня Sub Pop активно присутствует на независимой рок-сцене, с артистами, среди которых Shins, Hot Hot Heat, Fleet Fox, и Почтовая служба.
BMG Rights Management
| Parent company: | Bertelsmann Music Group |
| Based in: | Berlin, Germany |
| Yearly revenue: | $627 million |
| Major artists: | The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Kylie Minogue, Quincy Jones, Nena, Morrissey, Lenny Kravitz |
BMG Rights Management is the fourth big player in the worldwide record industry market. Unlike most labels on the list, it was never acquired by one of the big three. Instead, it’s solely owned by the Bertelsmann Music Group. A corporation of its own, BMG Rights Management is simultaneously a record label and a music publisher.
Based in Berlin, Germany, BMG Rights Management’s roster features an impressive array of international musicians, going from the local pop-rock icon Nena to the legendary American producer Quincy Jones. While it was once owned by Sony, BMG regained its independence in 2008, retaining many of its major music rights contracts.
While BMG Rights Management isn’t quite at the same level as the big three, it does have a steady yearly revenue superior to $500 million. In 2017, the company invested approximately $100 million to acquire the BBR Music Group, best known for its country music catalog. It was one of the biggest transactions in the history of the European music market.
Columbia Records
Columbia Records со штаб-квартирой в Нью-Йорке является старейшим лейблом, который до сих пор выпускает записи. Компании-учредители Columbia Records, Columbia Phonograph и American Gramophone Company, были основаны в 1887 году, всего через девять лет после того, как Томас Эдисон выдвинул идею сделать записи на цилиндре в фольге.
- Жанры – С самого начала Columbia Records поставили себя на передний край инноваций в области записи и формирования популярной музыки. Одним из лейблов первой записи был Джон Суза Звезды и полосы навсегда, выпущенный в 1897 году. За эти годы Columbia Records выпустили саундтреки для таких мюзиклов, как южной части Тихого океана а также Моя прекрасная леди и записи, которые охватывали жанры от поп-музыки до рок-музыки.
- Известные художники – В 1940-х и 1950-х годах Columbia Records работали с такими музыкантами, как Фрэнк Синатра, Тони Беннетт, Билли Холидей и Рой Акафф. Среди других легендарных художников Колумбии – Барбра Стрейзанд, Леонард Коэн, Дженис Джоплин, Боб Дилан и Брюс Спрингстин. Колумбия была меткой выбора для нью-йоркской филармонии. Нынешние артисты также называют Columbia Records дома, такие как Бейонсе, Manic Street Preachers и Kasabian.
Parlophone Records Limited
В дополнение к тому, что Parlophone был основан в 1896 году, что делает его одним из старейших лейблов в мире, он стал лейблом, подписавшим Beatles для контракта на запись в 1962 году. Parlophone был впервые создан в Германии компанией Carl Lindström. и лейбл открыл офис в Соединенном Королевстве в 1923 году.
- Жанры – После образования своего британского офиса Parlophone стал известен как лейбл джазовой музыки, но после подписания Beatles лейбл стал силой, с которой приходится считаться в жанрах поп и рок-музыки, а также в британской музыке в целом. Парлофон также работает с артистами в таких разных жанрах, как электрофанк, например, музыкальный дуэт Chromeo, и инди-дрим-поп, как группа Saint Motel.
- Известные художники – Parlophone имеет список светил, которые записывались с ними на протяжении многих лет, включая Radiohead, Pet Shop Boys, Coldplay и Kylie Minogue. Лейбл работал над альбомами с Кейт Буш, Тиной Тернер и Pink Floyd. Более новые художники Parlophone включают Габриэль Аплин, Gorillaz, и Элиза Дулиттл.
Universal Music Group
| Parent company: | Universal Music Group |
| Based in: | Hilversum, Netherlands |
| Yearly revenue: | $6.8 billion |
| Major artists: | The Beatles, Queen, Lady Gaga, Drake, Taylor Swift, BTS, Kanye West (Ye), Adele, Elton John, Coldplay, Metallica, KISS, and many, many more |
While revenue reports show that Universal Music Group hasn’t been as profitable as Sony Music Entertainment in recent years, they’re still the number one music company in the world in terms of market share. Out of the “big three” music-industry players, Universal stands out as the “big one.”
While most major music labels are based in New York, the corporate headquarters of Universal Music Group sit in the discrete Dutch city of Hilversum—home to less than 100,000 people. Even though it’s considered to be a Dutch-American conglomerate, Universal has its historical roots in the United Kingdom.
The whole music company started when the British Decca Records (yes, the one with The Rolling Stones) decided to expand into the U.S. market. Decca Records teamed up with the film company Universal Pictures and was eventually merged with the media conglomerate MCA Inc. Before becoming the Universal Music Group we know today, the business was bought, sold, and reshaped numerous times, with big buyouts coming from Japan’s Matsushita Electric and Canada’s Seagram.
Universal Music Group was always a huge market player, but it established its unrivaled dominance in 2012, the year it acquired and integrated EMI’s catalog for a “cheap” $1.9 billion. Today, it controls 32% of the global music industry and generates close to $7 billion every year.
1 – Spinnin Records
★★★★★
Dutch independent record label founded in 1999 by Eelko van Kooten and Roger de Graaf.With numerous crossover hits from artists such as Sander van Doorn, Afrojack, Eric Prydz, Martin Solveig and Inna, Spinnin’ Records is currently recognized as the leading dance label in the world serving both the commercial and underground market.
Besides having a huge share in airplay on Dutch radio stations, Spinnin Records hosts 26 sub-labels including Sander van Doorn’s Doorn Records and Afrojack’s Wall Recordings. Over the past few years, Spinnin’ Records and its sub-labels became more and more dominant and acquired big shares in the charts on digital music stores including those on Beatport.
In the Netherlands, Spinnin Records is responsible for the majority of dance music broadcasted on both radio and TV. Some of the most important releases include Robin S’s ‘Show Me Love 2008’ which topped the Dutch charts at the #1 position for two weeks, Yolanda Be Cool vs D-Cup’s ‘We No Speak Americano’ that topped that same chart in 2010 for seven weeks, Duck Sauce’s ‘Barbra Streisand’, Martin Solveig’s ‘Hello’ and the list goes on.
Acquired by Warner Music Group in September 2017 for over $100 million. One of the Best EDM Record Label ever.
Website – http://www.spinninrecords.com/Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/user/SpinninRecFacebook – Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/spinninrecords
READ MORE – 10 Best Laptop For Music Production In 2021
4 – Trap Nation
★★★★★
Trap Nation is an American record label that is primarily known for releasing its music on its YouTube channel. Trap Nation was founded in September 2012 by Andre Willem Benz when he was 15 years old. By the end of 2016, Trap Nation was included in the ten fastest-growing YouTube channels by Tubefilter, receiving an average of 70 million new plays a week. As of 2019, Trap Nation has more than 27 million subscribers and averages 560,000 new subscribers a month as of 2018.
Website – https://nations.io/ Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa10nxShhzNrCE1o2ZOPztgFacebook – Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/alltrapnation
READ MORE – Top 10 Techno Music Artists In 2021
Transgressive Records
Transgression is kind of the catchword of the entire indie movement, isn’t it? Transgressing expectations, boundaries, and tired norms – that’s the genre for you.
Formed in 2004 by Tim Dellow and Toby L, two blokes who met at a Bloc Party concert, Transgressive is the dreamy, unrestrained provenance of indie-pop and rock acts Alvvays, Neon Indian, and Hippo Campus.
Mainstream crossovers like Flume and Damon Albarn also sing Transgressive’s praises through their singular musical visions.
In Transgressive’s own words, the elements of adventure and surprise animate all of their representation choices, and they never deviate from their defiant, cheeky ethos.
5 – Monstercat
★★★★
Monstercat (formerly known as Monstercat Media) is a Canadian-based independent electronic dance music record label located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The label was founded in July 2011 by Mike Darlington CEO, and Ari Paunonen, COO. Monstercat signs artists for releases only, rather than long-term exclusivity deals, which lets its artists retain copyright control of their song and the ability to release tracks on other record labels.
The label follows a cycle, releasing a track every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in addition to an hour-long podcast that is live streamed every Tuesday at 1 PM, PST on the Monstercat Twitch. tv channel. Every 30 track release, give or take a few, a new album is released, containing 30 tracks and two continuous mixes of the album.
Releases are made available on the label’s site, iTunes, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Spotify, Xbox Music, Google Play Music, Apple Music, Beatport, along with many other digital music services, and are featured on the Monstercat YouTube and Twitch channels, alternatively, a small snippet of any released track is also promoted on their Facebook, Instagram, and Vine pages. One of the Best EDM Record Label ever
Website – http://www.monstercat.com/Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/user/MonstercatMediaFacebook – Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/monstercat
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2 – NCS (NoCopyrightSounds)
★★★★★
NoCopyrightSounds is a record label dedicated to releasing FREE music for the sole purpose of providing YouTubers/Video Creators music that is safe from any copyright issues. We give everyone permission to use the music we release (even commercially) on their YouTube videos or any other media creation. The only requirement is that you must correctly attribute (credit) the artist and provide a link to the video on NCS of the track you have used. One of the Best EDM Record Label ever
Website – http://nocopyrightsounds.co.uk/Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/user/NoCopyrightSoundsFacebook – Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/nocopyrightsounds
READ MORE – 10 Best Earplugs For Musicians Must Buy
Motown
В 1959 году Берри Горди, автор песен и предприниматель, основал Motown, самый типичный лейбл для соул-музыки. Название Motowns отдает дань своему городу происхождения. Детройт известен как Мотор Сити, поэтому Горди изменил «город» на «город» и назвал свой новый лейбл Motown. Лейбл оказал огромное влияние на популярную музыку в течение десятилетий с момента его основания. Она принесла соул, ритм-энд-блюз и другие виды афро-американской музыки в мейнстрим и несет ответственность за 180 песен номер один во всем мире.
- Жанры – Не многие лейблы могут похвастаться созданием собственного отличительного звука, но это именно то, что сделал Motown, и его звук по-прежнему отмечается как Motown Sound. Душевный стиль Motown – это сплоченная смесь джаза, бибопа и госпел, с большим количеством эффектов реверберации.
- Известные художники – Motown выпустил музыку с некоторыми из самых известных имен в музыкальной индустрии, включая Jackson 5, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Искушения, Марвин Гэй, Смоки Робинсон и Чудеса. Влияние Motown Sound на популярную музыку просто невозможно переоценить. Он сформировал направление рок-н-ролл, ритм-энд-блюз и даже хип-хоп. Среди нынешних художников Эрика Баду, Себастьян Коул и Рич Хоми Куан. Эрика Баду
3 – OWSLA
★★★★★
Good people. Good times.
Owsla (stylized in all caps) is an American record label and creative collective.It was founded by Skrillex and co-founded by Tim Smith, Kathryn Frazier, and Clayton Blaha in 2011.Skrillex announced the label on August 17, 2011. The label’s first release was Porter Robinson’s Spitfire.
The name “Owsla” is a reference to Richard Adams’ fantasy novel Watership Down, in which anthropomorphized rabbits must evade a military group of the same name.
Website – http://owsla.com/Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/user/OWSLAofficialFacebook – Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/owslaofficial
READ MORE – What Is A Rave Party || Rave Culture
Columbia Records
| Parent company: | Sony Music Entertainment |
| Based in: | New York, United States |
| Yearly revenue: | $3 billion |
| Major artists: | Beyoncé, AC/DC, Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, Miles Davis, Leonard Cohen, The Clash |
If you’re lucky enough to have a 19th-century record in your private collection, there’s a good chance it’s branded with the Columbia logo. Established in 1887 as the Columbia Graphophone Company, Columbia Records is yet another American record label that managed to survive for over 100 years. It was THE music company of pre-’50s America, partly thanks to the success of its disc records and patented Grafonola.
To survive the Great Depression, the Columbia Graphophone Company merged with its British counterpart, the Gramophone Company. It was but the first of a series of mergers and acquisitions that allowed Columbia to remain active until the present day.
Always ahead of the curve, Columbia pioneered numerous music technologies, including the LP and the stereo record. They complemented their state-of-the-art hardware with an incredible music catalog, ranging from big-band and avant-garde jazz to punk rock and pop music.
Nowadays, Columbia Records is one of the most vital subsidiaries of the Sony Music Entertainment conglomerate, banking yearly revenues of approximately $3 billion.
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records, расположенный в Нью-Йорке, был основан Ахметом Эртегюном, турецким иммигрантом, в 1947 году. С первых лет существования Atlantic высвободил себе имя в соул-музыке и за короткое время утвердился в качестве ритма и блюза номер один. лейбл в Соединенных Штатах. Чтобы подписать качественные акты, они активно занимались поиском талантливых художников. Сегодня они остаются основным игроком, особенно в рок-музыке всех видов.
- Жанры – В свои первые годы Atlantic оставил свой след прежде всего в ритм-н-блюзе и соул-музыке, но в течение десятилетий он занимался все большим количеством жанров, включая рок-музыку от прогрессивного рока до альтернативного рока и хэви-метала. Наряду с широким спектром рок-музыки Atlantics они также выпускают записи исполнителей хип-хопа, джаза и блюза.
- Известные художники – Атлантик работал с Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Cream и Аретой Франклин. Совсем недавно Atlantic выпустил оригинальную запись для бродвейского хита Гамильтон. Они также работают с хард-рок-группой Halestorm, авторами песен Ed Ed Sheeran и Marina and the Diamonds, а также с певцом кантри-музыки Shooter Jennings. Катящиеся камни
Captured Tracks
Founded in 2008, Brooklyn-based Captured Tracks lives and creates under the radar, making them an elusive, dangerously cryptic outfit in an already mystifying genre.
Their roster is a who’s who of lounge-worthy, arthouse, chilled-out magic-makers like Beach Fossils, Wild Nothing, DIIV, and Mac DeMarco.
Their sound is ethereal, spaced-out, and expansive and their artists all share a certain sonic tendency, best described as an introspective, blissful, serene kind of postmodern poetry.
If you want to encounter a sculptural, art school dropout-approved musical ecosystem, you’d be well off to familiarize yourself with Captured Track’s buzzy, woefully trendy roster.
RCA Records
| Parent company: | Sony Music Entertainment |
| Based in: | New York, United States |
| Yearly revenue: | $38 million |
| Major artists: | Elvis Presley, ABBA, David Bowie, Dave Matthews Band, Miley Cyrus, Martin Garrix, Foo Fighters, Justin Timberlake, Enrique Iglesias |
Nowadays, RCA Records is a modern major record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment and with an impressive roster of old and new artists. With yearly revenues sitting at around $38 million, RCA Records continues to be among the biggest players in town. Yet, this New York-based company is more than just a record label, it’s a piece of American history pretty much as old as the phonograph.
The story of RCA Records starts over 100 years ago, in 1900. It was then the phonograph manufacturer Victor Talking Machine Company was founded. The business was sold to the Radio Corporation of America in 1929 and gave way to RCA Victor. While RCA Victor published records early on, it was mainly considered to be a phonograph company.
Impressively, the RCA brand survived the Great Depression and World War II unscathed, partly thanks to the success of the 33 RPM format. In the mid-’50s, they paid a then-astronomical sum of $35K to acquire the rights to Elvis Presley’s music, a decision that proved to be unbelievably profitable.
Over the years, RCA Records was bought and sold by multiple corporations, including the General Electric Company and the Bertelsmann Music Group. In 2008, it was acquired by its current parent company, Sony Music Entertainment.
Carpark Records
Proving Washington D.C.’s mettle beyond politics, Carpark is obscure, cerebral, and reflective, refusing to use cheap tricks or marketing sparkle to garner critical attention.
If you ever spend a breezy, introspective afternoon listening to the serene indie-synth of Cloud Nothings, then you’re already a Carpark acolyte.
They lean toward the electro, synthy, minimalist side of indie with a passion for experimental tangents and unforeseen stylistic choices.
Many on their roster should brace themselves for broader underground success; Rituals Of Mine, Over The Atlantic, and Young Magic are too good to stay a secret for long.
Matador
If you swim in the currents of the underground, you know the looming giant Matador, founded in the gritty and turbulent NYC of the late eighties, and now a mainstay of the Beggars Group.
They have a razor-focus on marketable, arresting new talent and they cast their discerning gaze on genres as rarefied and strident as indie, punk, experimental rock, and electro-alternative.
The most prolific, intrepid acts in modern music owe much of their rise to Matador – think Belle and Sebastian, Kim Gordon, Yo La Tengo, and Spoon.
Theatrical musician Perfume Genius probably summed it up best: “To me, signing to Matador was like getting into a really good school.”
Mute
Born in 1978 and raised in London and New York, Mute Records was an early advocate of post-punk, new wave dream-makers Depeche Mode, surrealist auteurs Nick Cave & The Bad Seed, and the introspective intellectual Moby.
Artistic freedom and a willingness to explore both the minimalist and maximalist tendencies within indie-electro and new wave inform Mute’s recording and managing decisions.
Some of our post-modern dance faves like Goldfrapp, New Order, and Cabaret Voltaire call Mute home, and they have not lost any of their visionary dynamism and luxuriant ethos in the forty-five years since their founding.
Their project Mute Song has a lush, verdant catalog that is 20,000 songs deep.
Stax Records
Stax Records был создан в 1959 году братьями и сестрами Джимом Стюартом и Эстель Экстон, которые создали название компании из первых двух букв каждой из их фамилий. Стюарт и Экстон основали лейбл в Мемфисе, штат Теннесси, как платформу для выпуска любимой музыки. Stax считается вторым после Motown самым влиятельным и самым продаваемым ритм-энд-блюзовым лейблом в музыкальной индустрии.
- Жанры – Stax специализировался на соул-музыке, которая отличалась более чистым звучанием, чем у Motown, с мелким, без излишеств и более редким производством. Во время своего расцвета было 167 песен, записанных артистами Stax, которые поразили рекламный щит Горячие 100 и 243 песни попали в топ-100 в ритм-энд-блюзовых чартах.
- Известные художники – Самым известным артистом Stax был феномен соул-музыки и ритма-блюза Отис Реддинг. На лейбле было много других первоклассных артистов, таких как Альберт Кинг, Джонни Тейлор, Руфус и Карла Томас. Среди новых художников Stax – Букер Т. Джонс, Бен Харпер и Тина Мари.
Sony Music Entertainment
| Parent company: | Sony Group Corporation |
| Based in: | New York, United States |
| Yearly revenue: | $8.86 billion |
| Major artists: | Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Wu-Tang Clan, Harry Styles, Mark Ronson, Celine Dion, John Legend, Judas Priest, and many, many more |
At one point, it seemed as though Japan was going to take the United States’ place as the world’s largest economy. The country’s historically rapid economic evolution stagnated before the turn of the millennium, but its gigantic corporations continued to operate successfully. The poster child of the Japanese economic miracle, the Sony Group Corporation still makes for one of the world’s most profitable business conglomerates.
What does this have to do with music, you wonder? Well, Sony happens to own a music division (and a massive corporation itself) that’s the world’s most profitable record label, banking a whopping yearly revenue of close to $9 billion. Their impressive list of owned/associated labels is almost too complex to navigate and includes many serious money makers, from RCA Records to Legacy Recordings.
As one of the “big three” music corporations in the world, Sony Music Entertainment owns the rights to about one-third of the artists you love and cherish. The entertainment conglomerate is so impossibly large it would be torturing to list all of its successful artists. At first glance, though, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen are two of the names that ring a bell.
ATO Records
Расположенный в Нью-Йорке, независимый лейбл ATO Records был основан Дейвом Мэтьюсом и менеджером Кораном Кэпшоу в 2000 году. ATO Records, который SonicBids Blog описывает как «народно-ориентированный», расшифровывается как «Согласно нашим записям», и они являются одним из самых влиятельных лейблов на независимой музыкальной сцене.
- Жанры – Вы найдете множество жанров, представленных артистами на ATO Records. В то время как лейбл делает акцент на фолк-музыке, под этим большим зонтиком вы найдете немало: блюз, фолк-рок, психоделический рок, акустические певцы и авторы песен, альт-кантри и южный рок.
- Известные художники – У ATO Records есть первоклассный артистический состав, в том числе Alabama Shakes, блюзовая группа, и Drive-By Truckers, группа из альт-кантри. Среди других звездных артистов ATO – фольклорные рок-группы My Morning Jacket, Primus и Old Crow Medicine Show.
Warner Music Group
| Parent company: | Warner Music Group |
| Based in: | New York, United States |
| Yearly revenue: | $5.3 billion |
| Major artists: | Neil Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dua Lipa, Muse, Michael Bublé, Ed Sheeran, Deftones, Cher, and many, many more |
The story of the Warner Music Group begins in 1957, the year Paramount Pictures (Warner Bros. rival film studio) landed its first number-one single. The song, released via Paramount’s now-defunct Dot Records, was the relatively forgettable “Young Love” by Tab Hunter. Looking to mimic their rivals’ success, Warner Bros. founded its music division in 1958. It was the start of one of the biggest music companies that have ever existed.
With yearly revenues superior to $5 billion, Warner Music Group is more than a record label. It’s a beast of an entertainment conglomerate with a spot in the NASDAQ stock market and a whopping collection of subsidiaries. Most famously, the corporation owns the flagship labels Atlantic Records, Elektra Records, Parlophone Records, and Warner Records.
The story of the Warner Music Group is less about music and more about business. With the backup of Warner Bros.’s titanic influence, the music company managed to sit at the top for more than half a century.
