VANITY LABEL

A 'vanity label' is a term given to a situation where a famous recording artist is allowed to run a "label within a label" and 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.
Record labels generally do this for a few reasons:

★ It pleases and retains the famous recording artist.

★ It allows for potentially high amounts of sales for artists on the vanity label with relatively little promotional expense, since fans are attracted to those artists via the association with the famous artist.
Many music critics like vanity labels as they allow bands in niche genres or with experimental or unusual music to receive more distribution than would normally be present.

Contents
Status
Prominent vanity labels

Status


In 2004, record companies have drastically cut funding to many vanity labels, as they are 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".

Prominent vanity labels


Vanity Label Founding Artist Founded Notable Artists Released Major Label Partner (at founding) Status
Reprise Records Frank Sinatra 1960 Frank Sinatra
Jimi Hendrix
Nancy Sinatra
Neil Young
Fleetwood Mac
Steely Dan
Green Day
My Chemical Romance
Smashing Pumpkins
none (purchased by Warner Bros. Records in 1963) now considered a major record label
Brother Records The Beach Boys 1966 The Beach Boys
The Flames
Capitol Records active
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
Parlophone (Capitol Records 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 Virgin Records
Grateful Dead Records Grateful Dead 1973 Grateful Dead
Jerry Garcia Band
Ratdog
Old and in the Way
none disbanded in 1977, but revived in the late 80's for archival and live releases. currently active
Swan Song Records Led Zeppelin May 10, 1974 Led Zeppelin
Bad Company
Atlantic Records (WEA) (now Warner Music Group) disbanded (1983)
Duck Records Eric Clapton Eric Clapton Reprise Records (WEA) (now Warner Music Group) active
Fiction Records The Cure 1978 The Cure (until 2001)
Snow Patrol
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Elektra, then Polydor after the Cure's departure in 2001 active
Qwest Records Quincy Jones 1980 New Order
Frank Sinatra
George Benson
A&M 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.
Warner Bros. Records (WEA) (now Warner Music Group) closed (1994)
Maverick Records Madonna 1992 Madonna
Alanis Morissette
Deftones
The Prodigy (in the US)
Michelle Branch
Story of the Year
The Rentals
Tantric
Candlebox
Warner Bros. Records effectively dissolved following lawsuit in 2004
Nothing Records Trent Reznor 1992 Nine Inch Nails
Marilyn Manson
Pop Will Eat Itself
The The
Interscope Records  (now Universal Music Group)
defunct as of 2004.
Grand Royal The Beastie Boys 1992 The Beastie Boys
Bis
At the Drive-In
Jimmy Eat World
Atari Teenage Riot
Sean Lennon
Capitol Records dissolved in 2001. Back catalogue distributed by GR2 Records, created when a group of fans purchased Grand Royal's assets.
MJJ Records 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)
Rephlex Records Richard D. James (Aphex Twin) & Grant Wilson-Claridge 1991 AFX
Aphex Twin
Cylob
µ-Ziq
Squarepusher
Mike & Rich
Caustic Window
DMX Krew
Warp Records
active (2007)
Bad Boy Records Sean Combs 1993 The Notorious B.I.G.
Ma$e
Atlantic Records now considered a major record label
Peak Records Russ Freeman 1994 David Benoit
Eric Marienthal
The Rippingtons
Russ Freeman
Concord Music Group active (2007)
Palace Records Will Oldham 1996 Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Will Oldham
Papa M
Matt Sweeney
Drag City active (2007)
HellCat Records Tim Armstrong 1997 Rancid
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
Transplants
The Slackers
Dropkick Murphys
The Distillers
Epitaph Records active (2007)
Adeline Records Billie Joe Armstrong 1997 Green Day
AFI
The Living End
Warner Music Group active (2007)
ATO Records Dave Matthews 1997 Ben Kweller
David Gray
My Morning Jacket
Crowded House
Gov't Mule
Gomez
Sony BMG active (2007)
Idlewild Records They Might Be Giants 2002 They Might Be Giants none active (2007)
Brushfire Records Jack Johnson 2002 Jack Johnson
Matt Costa
G. Love & Special Sauce
Universal Republic active (2007)
Grand Hustle Records T.I. 2003 'T.I.'
Young Dro
DJ Drama
P$C
Big Kuntry
Atlantic 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 active
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
Panic! at the Disco
Cobra Starship
The Academy Is...
Fueled By Ramen active (2007)
Born & Bred Records Dropkick Murphys 2007 Dropkick Murphys Warner Music active (2007)

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