In the very earliest days of the music recording industry a vintage record label, which still operates today, was born. Perhaps the most iconic of all record labels – certainly the oldest record label operating today. This is, of course, Columbia Records. On 28 March 1887, the American Graphophone Company was founded to commercialize the … Read more
Have you ever been intrigued by the question, “What is Hip Hop music?” Well, if you have, you’re in the right place as I am going to give you a tour of the genre. I don’t think that I’m speaking out of turn in saying that it is a cornerstone of cultural expression worldwide. Hip … Read more
I bet that you are wondering what all the fuss is about Rough Trade Records? Well, for those of a certain age, Rough Trade Records was synonymous with the birth and blossoming of the independent music scene. Championing punk, post-punk, and alternative music genres, Rough Trade fostered a community of artists and fans dedicated to … Read more
Stiff Records, one of the most famous independent record labels, was short-lived in its first, independent incarnation. There can be little doubt that it was a genuine game-changer in the music industry. Established in 1976 by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera, carved a niche in the independent music landscape, but was destined to fade away … Read more
Have you ever wondered where House Music originated and who its pioneers were? Then, let me tell you. It originated in the late seventies and early eighties at a Chicago nightclub known as the Warehouse, and pioneered by the club’s resident DJ, Frankie Knuckles, House Music grooves to a steady, four-on-the-floor beat, pulsing at 120-130 … Read more
In its first incarnation, EMI Records was a British record label and one of the most famous record labels in the world. It was synonymous with assisting the careers of iconic musicians, such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Queen, and shaping the landscape of popular music worldwide. It is also a byword for bad … Read more
What is it About the New Wave Music Genre? After the destructive nature of (British) Punk Rock, New Wave offered something more constructive. It took the bits it wanted from punk – the DIY approach, the energy and so on – and fused them with the glamour of the early seventies. It then added a … Read more
In 1893, Carl Lindström, a Swedish inventor living in Berlin, Germany founded a company to produce, phonographs (or gramophones). It soon diversified into producing shellac records and soon it had a suite of record labels, one of which, Parlophon was founded in 1896. The British Branch of Parlophon was established as Parlophone in August 1923 … Read more
The history of punk rock music, and especially British punk rock, is complex and multifaceted. It reflects not only a musical movement but also a cultural and social phenomenon that has an enduring legacy, both musically and in terms of popular culture. It’s interesting to look back on the evolution of music genres, and there’s … Read more
A relatively short-lived record label in its original incarnation, I.R.S. Records was formed only in 1979 and folded in 1996. It was, therefore, very much an icon of the 1980s, blazing a trail through the music industry in that decade. A beacon for artists who trafficked in the avant-garde – those who preferred college rock, … Read more