


It wasn’t until the 80s that they turned things around in what Billboard Magazine hailed as a “Remarkable turnaround.” Over the next decade, the RCA Record label slid into an economic plummet. In 1968, RCA was at the forefront of the recording industry and decided they needed a contemporary look, so they rebranded the company into RCA Records. His first single, “Heartbreak Hotel,” put RCA ahead of other record labels and made Elvis a household name. RCA Record’s revenue in the music market would forever change when they signed a singer from Mississippi by the name of Elvis Presley. At the time, the battle wasn’t for crooners or folk artists but over who could produce the best high-quality symphony recordings. RCA Victor is famous for introducing the world to the vinyl album, which played at 33 1/3 RPM and was popular until the 90s when compact discs entered the market.ĭuring the 40s and 50s, RCA Victor’s most significant competitor was Columbia Records. The acquisition paid off, and the Victor Talking Machine Company became so successful that to keep pace with development, RCA created a subsidiary company called RCA Victor in honor of its acquisition. In 1929, RCA realized they could broaden their revenue stream by supplying phonographs of these artists and bands, so they purchased the world’s largest manufacturer of phonographs, the Victor Talking Machine Company. The radio business boomed, as did the popularity of singers like Josephine Baker and big bands like Benny Goodman. Radio Corporations of America (RCA) began in 1919 as an electronics company and pioneered the tube radio. Today, Interscope Records is still the renegade label, signing artists on the fringe like Marilyn Manson to a children’s Christian choir.īiggest Artists: Alicia Keys, Tems, Chris Brown Yet, despite such negativity, Interscope had high sales and earnings during these times. In addition, critics blamed Tupac Shakur’s album ‘2Pacalypse Now’ for influencing the shooters of Texas police officers.Īfter several lawsuits and years of critical press, Interscope Records parted ways with Death Row Records. Social and political leaders accused Interscope Records of releasing music that glorified violence and abusing women. The gamble paid off with their first hit record in 1993.Ĭontroversy arose when In 1992, they acquired the “gangsta rap” label Death Row Records.
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Together, they worked out a deal with Atlantic Records in which Interscope would have creative license to produce and work autonomously. Ted Field, who inherited a significant sum of money as a Marshal Field heir, invested it with then successful producer Jimmy Iovine (Patti Smith U2). But despite such notoriety, the small label has had plenty of criticism and scrutiny. Heralded as “the little label that could,” Interscope Records has become one of the world’s most successful record labels. Ted Field and Jimmy Iovine founded Interscope Records in 1990. Here’s our list of the 10 biggest record labels in the world:īiggest Artists: Dr. We’ve created and organized this list by categorizing and ranking each record label based on its previous year’s revenue and overall market share. Who are your favorite artists signed to the biggest record labels? Leave a comment below.Imran also joined Columbia in 2013 and has worked closely with rapper Russ, whose debut album “There’s Really a Wolf” is approaching platinum status, pop singer Rachel Platten and most recently duo Ayo & Teo. He began his career in 2004 as an assistant in the A&R department at Universal Motown Records Group before moving over to Republic. Prior to joining Columbia, he spent five years at Mick Management and began his career in 2003 at Republic Records. We have been fortunate to foster new talent in a company where artists can push creative boundaries with the support of the most forward thinking staff.”Įshak joined the company in 2013 and, according to a press release, played an integral role in the signing and development of Hozier, whose debut album sold over 2 million copies domestically, as well as Ruth B and Leon Bridges, who was nominated for two Grammys he also works closely with The Chainsmokers. Stated Imran: “I want to thank Ron Perry for this incredible honor and entrusting Justin and me to oversee one of the most coveted positions in the entire business.
