Top 10 Best Record Labels
When it comes to shaping the music we love, record labels play a huge role behind the scenes. From discovering groundbreaking talent to crafting iconic sounds, these companies have had a major impact on music history. Some labels have launched careers of the biggest stars in the industry, while others have nurtured niche artists who have changed entire genres. Each label brings its own unique vision, style, and roster of artists to the table, creating a legacy that influences both music and culture.
Everyone is missing one key aspect of record retail: catalog albums. Albums that are more than a year old account for 30% of a label's sales. This puts Warner Records at the top since their catalog is so rich. If you throw in their whole distribution arm (WEA) - Warner, Elektra, Atlantic - you have almost all of the great albums of the past 50 years. Albums that still sell every day include Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Metallica. WEA accounts for 30% of all record sales in the US, mainly on the strength of their catalog sales.
Island Records, and especially Chris Blackwell, brought us some of the best music of all genres and popularized genres others wouldn't have.
Rihanna is signed to Def Jam. She is so awesome. Many others are from Def Jam. Really, it is doing a great job in the music industry.
Island/Def Jam has done such a great job. Just look at Justin Bieber. He is a great singer with a highly respectable image.
50 Cent, Eminem, and Dre are amazing. They each have great qualities. Eminem is one of the best of all time. Every album is different but all are amazing. Dre is one of the best producers of all time and he's been rapping for 30 years! Let's not forget that he discovered Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. 50's Get Rich or Die Tryin' was a major hit and he has more than 300 million dollars. Kendrick Lamar is also very promising.
Aftermath is considered to be the spiritual successor of the late West Coast label Death Row Records. Founded by Dr. Dre after his departure from Death Row, he has signed legends like Eminem, 50 Cent, The Game, and Busta Rhymes. Aftermath is still a strong label with Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak on their roster.
Atlantic Records is known to be among the top 3 of the most influential labels of all time. Led Zeppelin, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Phil Collins, AC/DC, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Wiz Khalifa, Sean Paul, David Guetta, Skrillex, Charlie Puth, and Flo Rida were Atlantic's biggest hitmakers. They all dominated the music industry in their time, including the two legendary female rappers Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott. They're also known to be the greatest rock and soul label of all time.
From Ray Charles to Aretha Franklin to Led Zeppelin to Wiz Khalifa, Atlantic Records is pretty much the dominant and most influential label of modern music from all corners. And with Atlantic absorbing some of Parlophone's catalog (because of WMG purchasing some of EMI) to be distributed in the US, the record label will become more influential than ever.
Young Money has Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne, and others. They are the label. They have the queen of rap, which should put them higher on this list.
This record label is so amazing, and they have nothing but the greats in it.
I also want Young Money to sign me up if they think I have a good voice. I am 14 years old and live in Germany. I love singing and sing all the time, even sometimes at school. It's my dream to work for Young Money Label (YML).
Cash Money is one of the most productive record labels at present and comprises artists who are the best-selling in the hip-hop industry. It is also one of the record labels with numerous members. Brian Williams, aka Birdman, is doing a really good job with this record label.
This company has some of the best artists ever, but I still have to admit it's not as big as JAIDJMG. Seriously, I think they brag about it too much in every song they do.
Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Birdman, Drake, Tyga - what's there to love? These rappers are so horrible it's a miracle that this record label even made it to the top 100.
Natasha Bedingfield sure looked cute as an Epic Records artist. If you haven't listened to her songs, it could be a good idea. Also, from the Epic Records catalog is the soundtrack to Aquamarine (the 2006 children's film).
Epic Records has signed legendary artists like Michael Jackson (the biggest solo artist of all time) and holds the biggest catalog from a solo artist. That alone elevates the rank of Epic.
Rihanna, Chris Rene, Kanye West, Jay-Z, etc.
Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Jackson 5, Lionel Richie, Amos Milburn, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Temptations - ALL Motown! These legends are just a few of Motown's finest. The greatest soul singers all flock to Motown. Without it, artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, or MJ would be nobodies. The face of music would be different, weaker. Motown changed and improved the direction of music.
Are you kidding me? Number 6! How about number 1? Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Diana Ross, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Mary Wells, Rick James. That's just off the top of my head!
No one compares with Eminem in the rap game. He is a legend and will remain the king of rap forever! And I know he is doing well with his record label too. He is finding real talents and bringing them out to the mainstream. Every artist on Shady Records knows what they are actually rapping about. They don't spit like other artists on other labels. Salute to the LEGEND!
This label is flawless. Every single rapper is a true lyricist. Just listen to their cypher. Not to mention they dominated the game from '99-'06. Plus, they have three of the best-selling rappers ever.
This record label provides heaps of freedom for the artist and does not push them to do things they don't want to do. They allow artists to express their work freely and have their own image.
If you are ever offered a deal with Interscope Records, I advise that you say yes.
Interscope Records is known to be the biggest rap and alternative label of all time. With legendary rappers like Tupac, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, and N.W.A, they've left a legendary status in the rap and hip-hop music world.
They are also known for producing great alternative artists like Lana Del Rey and Billie Eilish.
The Newcomers
The absolute greatest, no question.
Published the highest-selling single in history - Bing Crosby's White Christmas.
Famously turned down the Beatles but signed The Rolling Stones soon after. Had some other great 60s artists such as Tom Jones, The Who, Marianne Faithfull, and The Zombies.
They created a sub-label for more progressive music in the late 60s called Deram, which published many Moody Blues albums and both Genesis and Bowie's debuts. They also had Camel, Bryan Adams, Nat King Cole, Them, Buddy Holly, Ten Years After, Thin Lizzy, Cat Stevens, John Mayall, and Morrissey.
I'm just curious as to how a label can be #36 on a list with the following bands: Slayer, Hammerfall, Nightwish, Sabaton, Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Kreator, Epica, Sonata Arctica, Soulfly, Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth, Sepultura, Black Sabbath, Immortal, Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth, Blind Guardian, Motörhead, ACDC, Meshuggah, and Metallica, to name a few. How is this not number one?
I love Nuclear Blast. They have a lot of metal bands that aren't as big as giants like Metallica and Slayer but are still pretty well-known. Some examples are Enslaved and Sonata Arctica.
Capitol Records has produced blockbusters like Katy Perry, Lewis Capaldi, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Pink Floyd, Maggie Rogers, and many more. Capitol is among the top labels for pop and alternative music.
Coldplay and Pink Floyd are signed to Parlophone (some Pink Floyd albums are under Columbia in the US, if I'm not mistaken). Beyoncé is signed to Columbia, as is Bob Dylan.
Although Capitol has significance in early jazz and pop/rock, there have been barely any great artists signed to this label since 1980.
The Beatles are better than all these new artists you name. So is Pink Floyd. Only Bob Dylan and The Doors come close. Katy Perry, hip hop, you've got to be kidding me.
A record company for all metalheads, whether you like soft metal or hard and rough metal. Summed up: a lot of great metal bands on this label.
The best artists are here. Great labels when speaking of quality albums. This record label is one of the best five around the world, I'd say.
Dream Theater, Megadeth, Machine Head, Opeth, Obituary, Annihilator, Fear Factory... A lot of great bands and excellent musicians.
This label consists of real raw lyrical and flow ability. The artists on the label, hands down, put every other rapper out there to shame.
Everyone at Strange makes great music. It should be ranked higher. Tech, along with Krizz, Ces Cru, Rittz, Stevie Stone, Murs, and Brotha Lynch, are the best. Their music is superior, as most music sounds the same.
The guys at Strange bring something different with every album.
Fueled by Ramen has established itself as one of the greatest band labels of all time. With artists like Paramore, Panic! at the Disco, Gym Class Heroes, Travis Barker, and many more, Ramen has made a significant mark.
Panic! At The Disco, Paramore, Fun., Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes, Twenty One Pilots, The Academy Is..., A Rocket to the Moon, and many more.
Greatest indie/alternative names in the business work here.
Nirvana and Soundgarden. Enough said.
Best independent label out there.
Beach House, The Notwist, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Sleater-Kinney, The White Stripes, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Death Cab for Cutie, Afghan Whigs...
Geffen is an amazing rock label! Nirvana, Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, Blink-182, Weezer, and Papa Roach. There's so much more. I honestly believe it's the best record company ever created!
Oh, and there's Elton John, John Lennon, and Eagles. No big deal, right?
Geffen also did soundtracks to Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1998), Silverado (1985), and Bratz: The Movie (2007). They soon entered the tween pop music scene with the Slumber Party Girls, Melissa Joan Hart, and Daechelle.
Good bands and artists were signed. Nirvana, both Rob Zombie and his original band White Zombie, and many others.
The Beatles made this record label. There was even a small part of Apple Records that lasted for three months called Zapple Records, which had only two albums: the second John and Yoko avant-garde album and George Harrison's Electronic Sound.
Apple is awesome.
This record label is the prettiest I've ever seen. I am infatuated with it. By far the most beautiful record label on Earth, created by the greatest band of all time.
Columbia Records holds its name with the record label that has the greatest vocalists of all time, especially female artists like Beyoncé, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Chloe x Halle, Adele, and even Rosalía. To be honest, I've always seen Columbia as an opera label because of these artists.
Here are just some names who have worked with Columbia: Adele (in America), Louis Armstrong, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Cher, Celine Dion, Judy Garland, Marvin Gaye, Bette Midler, Katy Perry, The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, and Barbra Streisand.
Hustle Gang music and its trap style have enabled a lot of other rappers to be viewed as artists by the masses. It continues to shake the whole game with new talents and unexpected competition that competes with the giants of the hip-hop industry. In fact, they are the other giants in the hip-hop game with the most recognized, admired, and listened-to artists. DJ Drama's "Ghetto" featuring Cassper Nyovest increased Hustle Gang's viewership. B.o.B and T.I. are the solid foundation that cements the growth of the label and its artists.
They have St. Vincent! It's a good indie label, and I'm bored of people saying certain labels are amazing just because they have Green Day. I'd be embarrassed to take my mum to see them.
They've got such brilliant and dedicated talent. Crown the Empire is one of the most dedicated bands out there.
Rise puts out the best bands. Memphis May Fire, Knuckle Puck, and Sleeping with Sirens make real music.
Hands Like Houses, Crown the Empire, Of Mice & Men, Memphis May Fire, Chelsea Grin. The list goes on and on, you guys.
Universal has some of the biggest artists in the game right now. They include Ariana, Drake, Nicki, Lil Wayne, The Weeknd, Post Malone, Demi Lovato, and they've signed with Taylor Swift. Their artists are always on top of the charts and doing so well. Plus, they bring artists together to collaborate: Ariana and The Weeknd on "Love Me Harder," Ariana and Nicki on "Side to Side," "Bang Bang," and more, Nicki and Drake, and more!
They control like 28-29% of the music industry. Should be at the top of the list if we're honest.
This is the biggest label. Its gains are always superior.