Vanity label

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A vanity label is a record label founded as a wholly or partially owned subsidiary of another, larger and better established (at least at the time of the vanity label's founding) record label, where the subsidiary label is (at least nominally) controlled by a successful recording artist, designed to allow this artist to release music by other artists he or she admires. The parent label handles the production and distribution and funding of the vanity label, but the album is usually released with the vanity label brand name prominent. Usually, the artist/head of the vanity label is signed to the parent label, and this artist's own recordings will be released under the vanity label's brand name. Creating a vanity label can be an attractive idea for the parent label primarily as a "perk" to keep a successful artist on the label's roster happy, providing an ego boost and a venue to bring fellow artists to the public's attention. The parent label also hopes that the vanity label's association with the famous artist will entice that artist's audience to purchase other records on the vanity label, although only a relatively small number of new artists introduced by vanity labels have gone on to become major successes in their own right.

[edit] Status

In 2004, record companies drastically cut funding to many vanity labels, as they were seen to have underperformed. The future of vanity labels is in question.

Vanity labels, along with genre specific subsidiary labels, mask the amount of concentration in the music industry. They create the illusion that there are far more record labels then there actually are. On the other hand, many subsidiary labels and vanity labels are given a great deal of autonomy, so that the overall result is greater distribution and exposure of what can be labeled "independent music".

[edit] Prominent vanity labels

Vanity Label	Founding Artist	Founded	Notable Artists Released	Parent Label (at founding)	Status
Brother Records	The Beach Boys	1966	The Beach Boys The Flames Stephen Kalinich Zarathurstra & Thelibus	Capitol Records	active
Bizarre Records	Frank Zappa	1967	The Mothers of Invention Alice Cooper	Warner Bros. Records	re-issued on Reprise Records
Apple Records	The Beatles	originally ran from 1968-1975, revived 1988 for Beatles CD rereleases	The Beatles John Lennon Paul McCartney/Wings George Harrison Ringo Starr Badfinger Mary Hopkin Yoko Ono David Peel Ravi Shankar John Tavener James Taylor	EMI, under the Parlophone brand in the UK and the Capitol Records brand in the US	active (2006); see also Apple Corps
Threshold Records	The Moody Blues	1969	The Moody Blues Blue Jays The Graeme Edge Band	London Records (now Decca Records)	—
Grunt Records	Jefferson Airplane	1971	Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, Starship	RCA Records (now Sony BMG Music Entertainment)	imprint not used after 1987
Rolling Stones Records	Rolling Stones	1971	Rolling Stones	Atlantic Records (WEA) (now Warner Music Group)	albums now released by Universal Music Group
Swan Song Records	Led Zeppelin	May 10, 1974	Led Zeppelin Bad Company	Atlantic Records (WEA) (now Warner Music Group)	closed (1983)
Duck Records	Eric Clapton	—	Eric Clapton	Reprise Records (WEA) (now Warner Music Group)	active
Fiction Records	The Cure then Snow Patrol after 2001	1978	The Cure (until 2001) Snow Patrol Delays Yeah Yeah Yeahs Kate Nash	Elektra, then Polydor after the Cure's departure in 2001	active
Qwest Records	Quincy Jones	1980	New Order (in the US) Frank Sinatra George Benson	A&M Records Warner Bros. Records	active (2007)
Es Paranza Records	Robert Plant	1983	Robert Plant	Atlantic Records (WEA) (now Warner Music Group)	—
Paisley Park Records	Prince	1986	Prince Sheila E. George Clinton	Warner Bros. Records (WEA) (now Warner Music Group)	closed (1994)
Roc-A-Fella Records	Jay-Z	1996	Jay-Z Kanye West Beanie Sigel Memphis Bleek Jadakiss	Universal Music Group	active (2008)
Maverick Records	Madonna	1992	Madonna Alanis Morissette Deftones The Prodigy (in the US) Michelle Branch Mest Story of the Year The Rentals Tantric Candlebox Erasure	Warner Bros. Records	inactive (managed by Warner Bros. Records since 2006)
Nothing Records	Trent Reznor	1992	Nine Inch Nails Marilyn Manson 12 Rounds Pop Will Eat Itself The The	Interscope Records  (now Universal Music Group)	defunct as of 2004. Reznor has now formed a similar label, The Null Corporation
Numa Records	Gary Numan	1984	Gary Numan Paul Gardiner	Pinnacle Records	closed (1995)
Grand Royal	The Beastie Boys	1992	The Beastie Boys Bis At the Drive-In Jimmy Eat World Atari Teenage Riot Sean Lennon Luscious Jackson	Capitol Records	dissolved in 2001. Back catalogue distributed by GR2 Records, created when a group of fans purchased Grand Royal's assets.
MJJ Music	Michael Jackson	1993	Michael Jackson Brownstone 3T Tatyana Ali	Epic Records (Sony Music Entertainment)	seeking new distribution partner (2004)
Attack Records	Morrissey	originally ran from 1969-1980, revived 2003	Morrissey Nancy Sinatra Damien Dempsey Jobriath James Maker Kristeen Young Remma	Sanctuary Records	active (2005)
Peak Records	Russ Freeman	1994	David Benoit Eric Marienthal The Rippingtons Russ Freeman	Concord Music Group	active (2007)
Roswell Records	Dave Grohl	1995	Foo Fighters Probot	originally Capitol Records, then RCA Records (Foo Fighters) Southern Lord Records (Probot)	active (2008)
Palace Records	Will Oldham	1996	Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Will Oldham Papa M Matt Sweeney	Drag City Records	active (2007)
Aftermath Entertainment	Dr. Dre	1996	Eminem D12 Eve 50 Cent	Universal Music Group	active (2008)
Melankolic Records	Massive Attack	September 1996	Alpha Horace Andy Craig Armstrong Day One Lewis Parker Sunna	Virgin Records	active (2007)
Vapor Records	Neil Young	1996	Neil Young Jonathan Richman Tegan and Sara Los Abandoned Spoon Acetone	originally Sanctuary Records, then Universal Music	active (2007)
HellCat Records	Tim Armstrong	1997	Rancid Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros Transplants The Slackers Dropkick Murphys The Distillers	Epitaph Records	active (2007)
Adeline Records	Billie Joe Armstrong	1997	Green Day AFI The Living End Jesse Malin	Warner Music Group	active (2007)
Elementree Records	Korn	1997	Videodrone Orgy Deadsy	Epic Records	dissolved after Korn's departure from Epic
ATO Records	Dave Matthews	1997	Ben Kweller David Gray My Morning Jacket Crowded House Gov't Mule Gomez	Sony BMG	active (2007)
Third Man Records	Jack White	1999	White Stripes The Raconteurs The Muldoons	V2 Records, then Warner Brothers	active (2007)
Big Brother Recordings	Oasis	2000	Oasis Happy Mondays	Sony BMG	active
Honest Jon's	Damon Albarn	2000	The Good, the Bad & the Queen The Ailerons Blur	Parlophone	active (2007)
Shady Records	Eminem	2000	Eminem D12 Cashis 50 Cent Stat Quo	Universal Music Group	active (2008)
Flawless Records	Fred Durst	2000	Puddle of Mudd She Wants Revenge Big Dumb Face	Geffen Records	active (2007)
Serjical Strike Records	Serj Tankian	2001	Axis of Justice Bad Acid Trip Buckethead Death by Stereo Fair to Midland Kittens for Christian Serart Serj Tankian	The Universal Motown/Universal Republic Group	active (2009)
UTP Records	Juvenile	2001	Juvenile Young Buck (until 2002) 2 Pistols Partners-N-Crime	Warner Music Group	active
US Records	Usher	2002	One Chance Rico Love Ryon Lovett	J Records	active (2007)
Idlewild Records	They Might Be Giants	2002	They Might Be Giants	none	active (2007)
BME Recordings	Lil Jon	2002	Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys Trillville Lil Scrappy E-40 Crime Mob	TVT Records, then Warner Bros. Records	active
Brushfire Records	Jack Johnson	2002	Jack Johnson Matt Costa G. Love & Special Sauce Rogue Wave	Universal Republic	active (2007)
Grand Hustle Records	T.I.	2003	T.I. Young Dro DJ Drama Big Kuntry	Atlantic Records	active (2007)
Knockout Entertainment	Ray J	2005	Ray J Brandy Shorty Mack Willie Norwood Michael Copon TKO	Koch Records Epic Records	active (2008)
G-Unit Records	50 Cent & Sha Money XL	2003	50 Cent G-Unit Lloyd Banks Mobb Deep Tony Yayo Young Buck	Interscope Records	active (2007)
Machine Shop Records	Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson of Linkin Park	2004	Linkin Park Fort Minor Holly Brook Alexa Ray Joel Army of Anyone	Warner Bros. Records	on hiatus after disagreement with Warner Bros. (2009) [1]
Heiress Records	Paris Hilton	2004	Paris Hilton	Warner Bros. Records	active
DC Flag Records	Joel and Benji Madden of Good Charlotte	2004	Hazen Street Lola Ray MC Chris	Epic Records	active
Decaydance Records	Pete Wentz	2005	Fall Out Boy Gym Class Heroes Four Year Strong Panic at the Disco The Academy Is... Cobra Starship Lifetime The Cab The Hush Sound	Fueled By Ramen	active (2009)
Big Orange Clown Records	Shawn Crahan	2005	Gizmachi	Sanctuary Records	active (2008)
Raybaw Records	Big & Rich	2005	James Otto Cowboy Troy	Warner Bros. Nashville	dissolved in 2008
Liberty & Lament Records	Lucero	2005	Lucero	Warner Bros.	active (2007)
Helium-3	Muse	2006	Muse	Warner Bros.	active (2007)
Born & Bred Records	Dropkick Murphys	2007	Dropkick Murphys	Warner Bros.	active (2007)
Super Records	McFly	2008	McFly	Island Records	active (2008)
Moonfog Productions	Satyricon	1994	Darkthrone, Satyricon, DHG, Khold	Tatra Records	active (2009)
G.O.O.D. Music	Kanye West	2004	Kanye West, Common, John Legend, Kid Cudi	Koch Records	active (2009)
Search & Destroy	Fightstar	Late 2008/Early 2009	Fightstar	Gut Records	active (2009)

("--" indicates information not available)

[edit] References

• "Vanity labels: good business or an ego boost?" New York Times, 5/10/92