the atlantic records group
The Atlantic Records Group consists of Atlantic, Bad Boy, Elektra and Lava Records. In 1947, Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson started an independent jazz and R&B label in New York City, which they named Atlantic Records.
Growing from a one-room operation into one of the preeminent companies in the rapidly evolving music industry, the Atlantic label soon became recognized and revered around the world - a name synonymous with artistry and quality.
For nearly six decades, Atlantic recordings have had a profound impact on the development of modern music, while entertaining and engaging listeners with songs that have rooted themselves in our collective consciousness. Atlantic's rich history is distinguished by an array of legendary artists who broke new ground and set new musical standards, among them such icons as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane and Led Zeppelin.
Today, Atlantic continues to be marked by musical diversity, embracing a spectrum of chart-topping performers who span the contemporary pop, rock, R&B, and hip-hop landscapes. The company is home to many of the world's most popular recording artists, among them Yolanda Adams, Bjork, Ryan Cabrera, Tracy Chapman, Phil Collins, The Darkness, Craig David, Missy Elliott, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Jet, Jewel, Juvenile, Kid Rock, Lil' Kim, matchbox twenty, Jason Mraz, Sean Paul, P.O.D., Rush, Staind, Sugar Ray, Rob Thomas, T.I., Trick Daddy, Twista, and many more.
Bad Boy Records was formed in 1994 by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. In just over ten years, under the guidance of Combs, Bad Boy has grown to become one of the most dominant urban labels in the music business, with acts that have had significant crossover success. Bad Boy Records has sold more than 75 million records worldwide and its Grammy Award-winning catalog and roster of multi-platinum artists include B5, Boyz N Da Hood, Mase, Carl Thomas, 8 Ball & MJG, Mario Winans and P. Diddy himself. Bad Boy has been home to popular rappers such as Notorious B.I.G., The Lox, and Mase, as well as R&B stars Faith Evans and 112 and pop group Dream.
Elektra Records was founded more than half a century ago in the heart of New York City's Greenwich Village by legendary music pioneer Jac Holzman. Over the years, this boutique label set the standard for breaking new ground in the worldwide music scene.
Elektra was one of the primary forces in folk music in the 1960s, virtually inventing the artist-driven environment that fueled the Southern California rock boom a decade later. Elektra was also one of the first Warner Music Group labels to "go global" with such border-crossing successes as Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell. Elektra's impressive legacy also includes renowned artists such as The Doors, Linda Ronstadt, and Jackson Browne.
Lava Records was established in 1995 by Jason Flom. Since Lava's inception, among the artists the label has brought to prominence are Kid Rock, matchbox twenty, Uncle Kracker, Sugar Ray, The Corrs, Vanessa Williams, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Simple Plan. Lava's newest artists include Antigone Rising, Toby Lightman, O.A.R. and Smile Empty Soul.
Roadrunner Records has earned its place as one of the most prominent international independent record labels. The Roadrunner catalog boasts early releases from such seminal artists as King Diamond, Type O Negative, Sepultura and Annihilator. More recently, the label has experienced unprecedented success with multi-platinum artists Nickelback and Slipknot, Gold-certified Stone Sour and Killswitch Engage, as well as modern heavy hitters Black Label Society, Trivium and Machine Head. Though primarily known as a metal and hard rock label, Roadrunner's roster also includes acts such as The Dresden Dolls and newcomers Madina Lake. Still headquartered in the Netherlands, Roadrunner occupies offices in New York, now the A&R hub for the label, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and Australia.
www.atlanticrecords.com www.badboyonline.com www.lavarecords.com www.roadrunnerrecords.com