Independent record labels

Cherry Red: This is a London based record label which was set up in 1978. The company started off promoting rock concerts in 1971 and then in 1978, following a boom in independent record labels following the punk rock movement the company began releasing records. The first single released by the company was Bad Hearts by a local punk band called The tights, in June 1978. Early material released by the company included work by The Hollywood Brats, Destroyer All Monsters and The Runaways. The sales of Dead Kennedys album, Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, put the company in a good position financially and allowed them to develop to the next stage.

They have marketed other smaller record labels including Heartbreak Records and Glaxo Babies.

As of the late 1980s the company has focused on reissuing records for artists such as Latoya Jackson, Marc Bolan and Toyah.

Music released by the company now tends to focus around hip hop and soul.

Warp records:

Founded in Sheffield in 1989 by Steve Beckett and the Rob Mitchell. The first release from the company was by Forgemasters, ‘Track With No Name’, selling only 500 copies. The nest album however, Nightmares on Wax’s Dextrous, charted and sold 30,000 copies. The company has always tended to focus on releasing electronic music and are considered one of the most influential record labels. The labels artists include Grizzly Bear, Maximo Park and Jackson and his computer band. The company have released various compilation of their work, one of their music videos. They have their own online digital music store known as Bleep, launched in 2004.

Epitaph:

Fueled by Ramen:

This label was started by Vinnie Fiorello, the guitarist from Less Than Jake, and John Janick in 1996. Most releases from this label are Punk-Pop and they released early work by Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World and Yellowcard. Artists currently signed to the label Panic! At the Disco. Was founded in 1980 by Brett Gurewitz, the Bad Religion guitarist. The label mainly releases punk albums and in the 1990’s they released tracks from bands such as The Offspring and Rancid. Artist signed to the label today include The Distillers, Dropkick Murphys and Matchbook Romance. The label aims to be artist-friendly.