Epitaph Records was founded in the 1980s by Bad Religion guitarist
Brett Gurewitz to put together a record label that was artist-friendly.
The label helped propel the punk revitalization of the 1990s with
releases from bands such as The Offspring and Rancid. Key artists on
the label today are:
The Distillers
Dropkick Murphys
From First To Last
Matchbook Romance
2) TVT
TVT was formed by Steve Gottlieb in 1985 as Tee Vee Toons, a vehicle
for releasing collections of television theme songs. The label has
since grown into a powerful force in the development of rap and hip
hop. Among TVTs key artists today are:
Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz
Sevendust
Ying Yang Twins
3) Victory
Victory is a Chicago-based label founded by Tony Brummel. They are one
of the most prominent labels in the world of Punk Pop A significant
number of Victory artists take part in the annual Taste of Chaos and
Warped concert tours. Current key artists include:
A Perfect Murder
Atreyu
Hawthorne Heights
4) Matador
Matador was founded by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in New York City. The
labels first major success was the 1990 release of the album A
Catholic Education by Teenage Fanclub. The label is part of the Beggars
Group of independent labels and maintains a very diverse roster of
artists. Current key artists include:
Belle and Sebastian
Cat Power
New Pornographers
Pavement
5) Koch
Koch is the fastest growing independent record label. It is a division
of the Koch Entertainment Company. Koch was founded in the late 1990s
and maintains a varied and diverse artist roster including a number of
artists who formerly recorded for major record labels. Key current
artists include:
Joan Baez
Howard Jones
Lil Romeo
Ringo Starr
6) Rap-a-Lot
Rap-a-Lot is a Houston-based R&B label founded in Houston in 1986.
They have played a key role in the development of Houstons rap scene
which has exploded nationally. Key current artists include:
Geto Boys
Pimp C
Scarface
7) Saddle Creek
Saddle Creek was founded as Lumberjack Records in Omaha, Nebraska in
1993 by Rob Nansel and Mike Mogis. The label was catapulted into
national awareness through the success of Conor Oberst, aka Bright
Eyes. His music is a blend of folk and indie rock now referred to as
the Omaha sound. Key label artists include:
Bright Eyes
Broken Spindles
Cursive
8. Fueled By Ramen
Fueled By Ramen was started as a label by Less Than Jake guitarist
Vinnie Fiorello and John Janick in 1996. The label is a key player in
the development of Punk Pop and released early recordings by Fall Out
Boy, Jimmy Eat World and Yellowcard. Among the key artists currently on
the label are:
Less Than Jake
Panic! At the Disco
9) Sub Pop
Sub Pop will forever be tied to the emergence of grunge in the early
1990s out of Seattle, Washington. The label grew out of a fanzine also
called Sub Pop and began to sign recording artists in 1986. They were
the first label to sign Nirvana and Soundgarden to recording contracts.
Sub Pop has survived the demise of grunge and continues to be a force
in the development of independent recorded music. Key artists today
include:
The Postal Service
The Shins
Sleater-Kinney
10) Rykodisc
Rykodisc began in 1984 as the first cd-only record label. In their
early years they became known for releasing much of Frank Zappas vast
catalogue on compact disc. Through the years they have become known for
stellar re-issues of classic pop and rock music as well as promoting
new artists. Key current artists include:
Brian Eno
My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
Josh Rouse
This Information is Brought to You By EZ Record Deal, the ultimate
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Linda Lane
is a 5 star writer for The Music Business Center, read more of her
music business success articles and subscribe to the Music Biz Center
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