SIRE RECORDS

'Sire Records Company' is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records

Contents

Label history

Beginnings

Acquisition by Warner

See also

Label history

Beginnings

The label was founded in 1966 as ''Sire Productions'' by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer. Its early releases as a record label were issued in 1968, distributed by London Records. The label was then distributed by Polydor Records from 1970 until 1971, during which the now-famous logo was first introduced, and then by Famous Music from 1972 to 1974, during which the progressive rock band Focus charted with their 1972 hit "Hocus Pocus." During the seventies, Sire released many well received complilation LPs, including the 3 volume "History Of British Rock" series, and well received comprehensive complilations by such diverse artists as The Turtles, Duane Eddy, The Small Faces, and Del Shannon. The label also scored another Top 40 hit in 1977 with The Climax Blues Band's "Couldn't Get It Right".

Acquisition by Warner

In the later 1970s, Sire transformed itself into a large independent record label and went on to sign artists from the burgeoning punk rock and New Wave scenes, including: The Ramones, The Dead Boys and Talking Heads. After a brief period of distribution by ABC Records, Sire was acquired by Warner Bros. Records in 1978. During the 1980s, Sire achieved mainstream concentration after having launched the recording careers of Madonna and Ice T, who were signed to the label in 1982 and 1986 respectively—as well as with Depeche Mode and The Cure. Into the 1990s, the label achieved more commercial notoriety with acts, such as: Seal, k.d. lang, Tommy Page and A House. Mandy Moore was signed to Sire, but after creative differences, soon parted ways, later resulting in her signing with The Firm music.
In 1995, Sire left Warner Bros. to operate under its sister label Elektra Records, where Stein was appointed president. Sire later left the Elektra umbrella, but remained at Warner Music Group. In 2000, Sire Records and the US division of London Records were merged to become "London-Sire Records" (still part of Warner Music Group). This partnership dissolved April 2003, at which point the company went back to being called Sire Records. In the time since, it has returned to the Warner Bros. Records fold.

See also

★ Sire Records artists

★ List of record labels