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 Brian Wilson & Mike Love 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 | 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 |
| 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) |
| UZI Suicide | Guns N' Roses | 1987 | Guns N' Roses Hanoi Rocks |
Geffen | inactive; owned by Geffen |
| Jaded Records | Jay Sean | 2003 | Jay Sean | Cash Money Records | active |
| 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) |
| Respond Records | Paul Weller | 1983 | Tracie The Questions A Craze |
Polydor Records | Closed 1986 |
| Nothing Records | Trent Reznor | 1992 | Nine Inch Nails Marilyn Manson 12 Rounds Pop Will Eat Itself The The |
Universal Music Group under Interscope Records |
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 | Beastie Boys | 1992 | Beastie Boys Bis At the Drive-In Jimmy Eat World Atari Teenage Riot Sean Lennon Luscious Jackson Bran Van 3000 |
Capitol Records | dissolved in 2001. Back catalogue distributed by GR2 Records, created when a group of fans purchased Grand Royal's assets. |
| Peak Records | Russ Freeman | 1994 | David Benoit Eric Marienthal The Rippingtons Russ Freeman |
Concord Music Group | active (2007) |
| Moonfog Productions | Satyricon | 1994 | Darkthrone, Satyricon, DHG, Khold | Tatra Records | active (2009) |
| Roswell Records | Dave Grohl | 1995 | Foo Fighters Probot |
originally Capitol Records, then RCA Records (Foo Fighters) Southern Lord Records (Probot) |
active (2008) |
| genre b.goode | TISM | 1995 | TISM | Shock Records | Inactive since 2004, revived in 2010 for the re-recording of Shut Up – The Footy's On The Radio |
| Palace Records | Will Oldham | 1996 | Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Will Oldham Papa M Matt Sweeney |
Drag City | active (2007) |
| Aftermath Entertainment | Dr. Dre | 1996 | Eminem Game 50 Cent Cashis Slim da Mobster Hayes |
Universal Music Group under Interscope Records | 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) |
| Mötley Records | Mötley Crüe | 1997 | Mötley Crüe | Hip-O Records (former), Warner Music Group (current) | active |
| Tool Dissectional | Tool | 1999 | Tool | Volcano Entertainment/Zomba | active |
| Way Moby | "Weird Al" Yankovic | 1999 | "Weird Al" Yankovic | Volcano Entertainment/Zomba | active |
| Third Man Records | Jack White | 1999 | White Stripes The Raconteurs The Muldoons The Dead Weather |
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 Slim da Mobster Slaughterhouse Yelawolf |
Universal Music Group | active |
| Flawless Records | Fred Durst | 2000 | Puddle of Mudd She Wants Revenge Big Dumb Face |
Universal Music Group under 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 |
Universal Music Group under 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 Justin Bieber |
J Records |
active (2007) |
| Idlewild Records | They Might Be Giants | 2002 | They Might Be Giants | none | active (2007) |
| Brushfire Records | Jack Johnson | 2002 | Jack Johnson Matt Costa G. Love & Special Sauce Rogue Wave Animal Liberation Orchestra |
Universal Music Group under Universal Republic | active (2007) |
| 1st & 15th Entertainment | Lupe Fiasco | 2001 | Lupe Fiasco Sarah Green Pooh Bear a.k.a. MDMA |
Warner Music Group under Atlantic Records | active (2012) |
| Grand Hustle Records | T.I. | 2003 | T.I. Young Dro B.o.B DJ Drama Big Kuntry King Iggy Azelea 8Ball & MJG |
Warner Music Group under Atlantic Records | active (2010) |
| Attack Records | Morrissey | 2003 | Morrissey Nancy Sinatra Damien Dempsey Jobriath James Maker Kristeen Young Remma |
Sanctuary Records | active (2005) |
| Knockout Entertainment | Ray J | 2005 | Ray J Brandy Shorty Mack Willie Norwood Michael Copon TKO |
E1 Music | active (2008) |
| Machine Shop Records | Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson of Linkin Park | 2004 | Linkin Park Fort Minor Skylar Grey Alexa Ray Joel Army of Anyone |
Warner Bros. Records | active (2012) |
| Heiress Records | Paris Hilton | 2004 | Paris Hilton | Warner Bros. Records | inactive |
| 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 |
Warner Music Group under 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) |
| Young Money Entertainment | Lil Wayne Mack Maine |
2005 | Lil Wayne Nicki Minaj Drake Mack Maine Tyga Gudda Gudda Jae Millz Lil Chuckee Lil Twist T Streets Short Dawg Cory Gunz Shanell aka SnL Porcelain Black |
Cash Money Records | Active |
| Helium-3 | Muse | 2006 | Muse | Warner Bros. | active (2007) |
| Born & Bred Records | Dropkick Murphys | 2007 | Dropkick Murphys | Warner Bros. | active (2007) |
| 1017 Brick Squad | Gucci Mane | 2008 | Waka Flocka Flame OJ Da Juiceman Frenchie Wooh Da Kid Slim Dunkin |
Warner Bros. | active (2009 |
| Roc Nation | Jay-Z | 2009 | Jay-Z J.Cole Wale Melanie Fiona Jay Electronica Rita Ora |
Sony Music Entertainment/Atlantic Recording Corporation | Active (since 2009) |
| Search & Destroy | Fightstar | Late 2008/Early 2009 | Fightstar | Gut Records | active (2009) |
| G.O.O.D. Music | Kanye West | 2004 | Common Kid Cudi Pusha T Cyhi Tha Prynce Big Sean Mr Hudson John Legend Mos Def Consequence |
Sony Music Entertainment/Atlantic Recording Corporation | Active (since 2005) |
| Sergeant Records | Douglas Vale | 2007 | Douglas Vale Tyler Hilton Kejsi Tola Sunrise Avenue Macklemore Pharoahe Monch |
Warner Music Group | Active (since 2008) |
| Tass Radio Records | T-Beats and Unkgeta | 2008 | T-Beats Unkgeta AmphetamineThaEmcee |
Universal Music Group under Interscope Records | Active |
| N.E.E.T. Recordings | M.I.A. | 2008 | Nguzunguzu Sleigh Bells Rye Rye |
XL Recordings, Interscope Records | active |
| Ticker Tape | Radiohead | 2011 | Radiohead | XL Recordings | active |
| E Works | Eels | 2000 | Eels | DreamWorks | active |
Read more about this topic: Vanity Label
Famous quotes containing the words prominent, vanity and/or labels:
“The vain man does not wish so much to be prominent as to feel himself prominent; he therefore disdains none of the expedients for self-deception and self-outwitting. It is not the opinion of others that he sets his heart on, but his opinion of their opinion.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“Alas! While your ambitious vanity is unceasingly laboring to cover the earth with statues, with monuments, and with inscriptions to eternalize, if possible, your names, and give yourselves an existence, when this body is no more, why must we be condemned to live and die unknown?”
—Thomas Paine 1737–1809, U.S. writer and magazine editor. Pennsylvania Magazine, pp. 362-4 (1775)
“The Prime Minister has an absolute genius for putting flamboyant labels on empty luggage.”
—Aneurin Bevan (1897–1960)