EPIC RECORDS

'Epic Records' is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony BMG.

Contents

History

Imprint labels

Epic Records artists

Epic Records Executives

See also

External links

History

Epic was launched originally as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 by CBS. Its bright-yellow, black and blue logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz and classical releases. This has included such notables as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Juilliard String Quartet, Antal Doráti conducting the Hague Philharmonic and George Szell conducting the Cleveland Orchestra.
Ten years later, Epic earned its first gold records and developed into a formidable hit-making force in rock and roll, R&B and country music. Among its many acts, it included Bobby Vinton, The Dave Clark Five, The Hollies, Tammy Wynette, Donovan, The Yardbirds, Lulu, and Jeff Beck. Several of the British artists on the Epic roster in the 1960s were the result of Epic's distribution deal with EMI in which Epic recordings were issued by EMI on the Columbia label before the contract with EMI expired at which point CBS Records formed a British Epic Records branch to market Epic label material.
During the 1970s, its success extended to include ABBA (in the UK only), Sailor, The Clash, Sly & the Family Stone, Boston, REO Speedwagon, Johnny Nash, Heart (on sister label Portrait Records), The Isley Brothers, Edgar Winter and Charlie Rich.
The people who were dedicated to the label's success in the 70's and early 80's were, Ron Alexenburg, Jim Tyrrell, Bruce Harris, Jim Charne, Ira Sherman and others to numerous to mention.
The likes of The Stranglers, Meat Loaf, The Jacksons, The Kens, Michael Jackson, Electric Light Orchestra, Ozzy Osbourne, Sade, Luther Vandross, Gloria Estefan, George Michael, Cyndi Lauper, and Duran Duran paved the way for Epic's multiplatinum 1980s and 1990s successes. Jessica Simpson, Shakira, Fiona Apple, Jennifer Lopez (from the WORK label) and Mandy Moore emerged in the 1990s.
Other artists signed to Epic include The Fray, Incubus, Modest Mouse, Good Charlotte, Live, AC/DC, KISS, Duran Duran, Rage Against the Machine, Chevelle, Editors, Prong, Pearl Jam, Suicidal Tendencies, Macy Gray, B
★ Witched (via Glowworm Records), Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (via Ruthless Records), Tori Amos, Nicole Bennett, FireHouse, Céline Dion (on the 550 imprint) and Melanie Thornton.
It is currently part of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. Sony Corporation bought all of CBS's labels in 1988, and created a joint venture between its music division and BMG in 2004.
Legacy Recordings continues to reissue the label's classic and historical albums.

Imprint labels

Past and present imprint labels of Epic Records include:

★ 550 Music (defunct)

★ MJJ Music (defunct)

★ Epic Street – Formed for hip-hop artists.

★ Daylight Records

★ Beluga Heights - Established By Big Time Producer Jonathan "J.R." Rotem

★ DC Flag Records

★ Glowworm Records

★ Hidden Beach Records – Specializing in R&B and Soul

★ Okeh Records - For reissues of Okeh label material.

★ Portrait Records (defunct)

★ Ruthless Records (defunct) – Hip-hop label formed in 1987 by Eazy-E and Jerry Heller

★ Work Records (defunct) – also known as '"WORK" and "The WORK Group". Formerly operated as Chaos Recordings.

Epic Records artists

Epic Records Executives

★ Charlie Walk - Epic Record's President

★ Nick Raphael - Epic UK Managing Director

★ Jo Charrington - Epic UK Head of A&R

See also

★ List of record labels

External links

★ Epic Records – Official website

★ Sony Music, Parent Company of Epic

★ Music Content

★ Epic Records on Myspace