History Island Records

1 history

1.1 rise of brand
1.2 polygram acquisition
1.3 under universal music group
1.4 island 50
1.5 island s sixth decade: 2009–2017

1.5.1 island s sixth decade: artists

history
rise of brand

island records founded in jamaica on 4 july 1959 chris blackwell, graeme goodall , leslie kong, , partially financed stanley borden rko. name inspired harry belafonte song island in sun . blackwell explained in 2009: “i loved music much, wanted it, or close could.”

tom hayes, label s sales manager between 1965 , 1967, referred period of label in uk “organized chaos”. “my boy lollipop”, sung millie small, label s first success in uk , led world tour involved blackwell. blackwell explained in 50-year-anniversary documentary interested in building long-term careers @ stage in time, rather short-term projects. suzette newman has been close colleague of chris blackwell s since working in days of island records, , while there ran mango world music label. suzette newman , chris salewicz editors book “the story of island records: keep on running”.

blackwell relocated england in may 1962 garner greater levels of attention after local jamaican sound systems proved overwhelmingly successful. vast majority of artists had signed blackwell s fledgling label while in jamaica agreed allow musical entrepreneur release music in uk. while in england, blackwell travelled throughout city carrying stock him , sold record stores in city. did not provide copies radio stations, not play of island music; music not reviewed press. meanwhile, goodall left start doctor bird record label in 1965.

blackwell signed spencer davis group label (at time, many island releases being distributed philips/fontana). group became popular , island started own independent series spotlight uk rock talent. signed artists john martyn, fairport convention, free, , influenced growing fm radio market. late 1960s , 1970s, major label in england artists roxy music, king crimson, traffic, wailers, cat stevens, steve winwood , many others. (in us, many of releases issued on a&m prior island signing unsuccessful distribution deal capitol. after failed, island largely independently distributed label in us.)

for toots , maytals, group introduced term reggae in song 1968 single reggay , chris blackwell 1 decided on line-up of group before introducing them international audience. blackwell had signed bob marley, , toots , maytals. in november 2016, jackie jackson described formation of group in radio interview kool 97 fm jamaica. accompanied paul douglas , radcliffe dougie bryan in studio, jackson explained,

re original members of toots , maytals band. first toots , maytals, 3 guys: toots, raleigh, , jerry. …and signed island records, chris blackwell. , recording band. 1 day summoned chris house. , says, alright gentleman, think s time. toots , maytals looks s going big thing . time had signed bob (marley). in camp, island records, there toots , maytals / bob marley; talking reggae going international now. kept on meeting , (blackwell) decided backing band of songs, recording band, should maytals band. came under toots , maytals. became maytals also. , hit road in 1975...we opening act eagles, linda ronstadt, , jackson browne. opening act 2 weeks.

the first toots , maytals album released , distributed chris blackwell s island records funky kingston. maytals had added full-time backing band included drummer paul douglas , bassist jackie jackson, , chris blackwell joined group in studio co-producer album. music critic lester bangs described album in stereo review perfection, exciting , diversified set of reggae tunes single artist yet released. blackwell says, maytals unlike else...sensational, raw , dynamic. blackwell had strong commitment toots , maytals, saying ve known toots longer – longer bob (bob marley). toots 1 of purest human beings ve met in life, pure fault.

despite initial establishment work blackwell completed single-handedly, island struggled business in late 1970s , 1980s. bob marley s 1981 death detrimental company, after having engineered marley s international breakthrough few years earlier, while irish rock band u2, had signed island in march 1980, growing in popularity, had not yet reached international superstar status come. in 1982, paul morley , producer trevor horn started ztt label under island banner , blackwell known approve excessive spending label. morley recalls in 2009 book island records:

i grew appreciate how chris blackwell, , therefore island records, not 1 thing, or 1 style, or 1 system, or 1 way of doing things ... [i began] reflecting how world functions , reinvents precisely because fluid, dangerous, exhilarating union of systems , beliefs , best way of allowing world progress mix , place in glorious conflict these various systems , beliefs.

in 1983, blackwell used label finance new film production , distribution company called island alive. in august 1987, company not able pay us$5 million sum owed u2 in royalties joshua tree album, had diverted funds finance several unsuccessful films. u2 responded negotiating deal whereby invested unpaid royalties company in exchange stake in company estimated around 10 per cent.

the label s 4th & broadway division, operating since mid-1980s, achieved success marketing alternative hip hop , dance-pop music artists such eric b , rakim , stereo mcs. mango (chaka demus , pliers) island dance-oriented subsidiary, while singer robert palmer achieved worldwide success rock song addicted love in 1986. african musicians such king sunny ade , angélique kidjo championed blackwell.

polygram acquisition

in july 1989, blackwell sold island records , island music polygram uk group £180 million (us$300 million)—he explained in 2009: “it had gotten big , corporate me , couldn t handle it.” following sale, island no longer independent company, blackwell given position on polygram s board , stayed on ceo of polygram s new island entertainment division ten years. polygram began reissuing of island catalogue on compact disc , expanded island s reach through global manufacturing , distribution network, label relatively unfocused in 1990s.

blackwell ended association company in 1997, corporate life hindered independent ethos of personal life. never had job until sold island polygram in 1989. had gotten corporate, commented afterwards. blackwell left found palm pictures company , run chain of boutique hotels in miami, , caribbean, including exclusive goldeneye estate, once jamaican home of james bond creator ian fleming. in may 1998, of polygram , associated labels purchased seagram announced plan integrate polygram umg produce estimated cost savings, within couple of years, of between us$275 million , $300 million annually. seagram further explained acquisition unite significant international presence thriving domestic business, more three-quarters of polygram s sales outside us.

under universal music group

in december 1998 , first 3 months of 1999, umg placed 3 divisions under management of island brand: 1 in uk, 1 in us, , 1 in germany. in each territory, these companies merged under umbrella groups:

in uk, island records group.
in us, island, mercury, , def jam , 14 other record labels merged island def jam music group; however, within year, island/mercury decided build upon success of def jam recordings , re-incorporated label island def jam music group. on april 1, 2014, universal music announced disbandment of idjmg, 1 of 4 operational umbrella groups within universal music. effective of same day of announcement, island records , def jam operate autonomous record labels.
in germany, island , mercury merged become divisions of island mercury label group.

however, in 2001, umg merged french company vivendi s.a. create vivendi universal s.a.; music company remains under name universal music group (umg).

in us, island became predominantly pop/rock label, urban artists assigned either def jam or def soul, new island/def jam r&b imprint. following takeover of island umg, flagship band u2 dissatisfied after chief jason iley moved mercury label in mid-2000s , signed mercury uk , interscope records us. however, successful artists such tricky , pj harvey impressed label , signed on artists. tricky explained: knew freedom. knew wanted do. , while harvey later stated:

i came work them, sort of formed—the way looked, way sounded: there. , felt, like, supported going go.

the label celebrated 50th anniversary in 2009.

island 50

in 2009, island records marked 50th anniversary of foundation in jamaica chris blackwell series of live concerts , exhibition under island 50 banner. events celebration of street-cool, independent outlook , striking visual imagery @ label s creative core. these festivities centred around week-long run of shows @ shepherd s bush empire , bush hall in london. concerts featured performances tracing label s history reggae , jazz roots modern era. among artists appeared sly & robbie, ernest ranglin, paul weller, compass point stars, i-threes, aswad, kid creole & coconuts, grace jones, steel pulse, keane, tom tom club, toots & maytals, mighty diamonds, yusuf / cat stevens, bombay bicycle club, baaba maal , u2. island 50 tribute event held on 4 nights @ montreux jazz festival in switzerland, marianne faithfull, grace jones , sly & robbie appearing, , chris blackwell holding question & answer session.

there major exhibition @ vinyl factory gallery in soho, held in open space beneath record shop phonica. exhibition featured display of treasured musical artifacts, including trabant car sleeve of u2 s achtung baby, nick drake s guitar, dress worn amy winehouse @ 2008 grammy awards, handwritten lyric sheet winehouse s song love losing game , bob marley s passport application form. exhibition contained 800 prints showcasing work island of photographers adrian boot, jean-paul goude, anton corbijn, gered mankowitz, keith morris , brian cooke, , london exhibition featured live performances @ vinyl factory gallery dj shadow , pj harvey.

into island s sixth decade: 2009–2017

following 50th anniversary in 2009, island records entered sixth decade on tide of optimism. years followed saw fresh success number of established acts, including pj harvey, keane, paul weller , bombay bicycle club , exciting wave of new signings. in largest live production since 2009 anniversary, label staged concert weeknd , jack garratt on osea island, small island in essex, part of bespoke one-day festival 400 guests, including label staff, media , 200 fans obtained tickets via ballot.

2016 proved particularly successful year label in uk: on seven-week period between april , june, 4 separate island acts spent @ least 1 week @ number one. albums concerned pj harvey s hope 6 demolition project, drake s views (which spent 2 weeks @ number one), ariana grande s dangerous woman , catfish & bottlemen s ride.

island s sixth decade: artists

pj harvey s eighth studio album, 2011 s let england shake, 1 of key records of island s sixth decade. made in cliff-top church in dorset, won 2011 mercury music prize, making harvey artist land prestigious award twice (she had prevailed ten years stories city, stories sea). mumford & sons, grew out of series of jam sessions in london in 2007, signed licensing deal island in 2009. heralded standard bearers vibrant new wave of folkish, countrified rock, debut album, sigh no more, sold 2 million, reaching number 2 in britain , america. won best british album @ brit awards in february 2011. follow-up, babel, did better in 2012, becoming uk s fastest-selling album of year, going number 1 in britain , , winning album of year @ 2013 grammy awards. island secured signing of florence + machine after songwriter florence welch dropped out of local art college in camberwell, south london. 2009 debut album, lungs, sold 4 million , spent on 12 months in uk chart before being crowned british album of year @ brit awards in 2010. lungs followed 2011 s theatrical ceremonials, , 2015 s more introspective how big how blue how beautiful.

keane of big successes of island s sixth decade. having topped charts 5 million-selling debut album hopes , fears in 2004, went on secure 5 consecutive number 1 albums in uk (a feat bettered beatles) subsequent releases under iron sea (2006), perfect symmetry (2008), night train (2010) , strangeland (2012) topping charts. paul weller s relationship island dates fourth solo album, 1997 s heavy soul, , 2000 follow-up heliocentric. returned label in 2008 , began outstanding trilogy of releases contained of strongest solo work 22 dreams (2008), mercury music prize-nominated wake nation (2010) , sonik kicks (2012).

north london quartet bombay bicycle club released 4 albums on island, each 1 signalling change of direction: indie-rock of 2009 s had blues shook them loose paved way 2010 s folkier flaws, modern rock of 2011 s different kind of fix , broad-based invention of 2014 s long, see tomorrow. having built loyal live following, catfish & bottlemen signed island in 2014. after reaching platinum sales status in uk top ten debut album, balcony, welsh rock band won bbc introducing award @ first bbc music awards in 2014 , crowned british breakthrough act @ brit awards in 2016 (an award voted radio 1 listeners). second album, 2016 s ride, uk number one.

island responsible securing major british breakthroughs 2 of 21st century s biggest international superstars in drake , weeknd. success of toronto hip hop artist drake came after label had worked patiently build profile on number of years, culminating in success of fourth album views , attendant singles in 2016. 1 dance , drake s first number 1 single in uk, had 1.95 million sales become britain s biggest-selling single of 2016. single s 15-week run @ number 1 equalled mark second longest in uk chart history. island-signed mike posner having held number 1 spot took pill in ibiza 4 consecutive weeks before being replaced 1 dance, island held top spot in uk singles chart 19 consecutive weeks between march , august 2016. crown record-breaking year, drake named world s best-selling recording artist of 2016 international music industry organisation ifpi in february 2017.

canadian singer , songwriter weeknd cemented position 1 of world s leading recording artists, 2016 success of third album starboy. success culmination of strategy had seen island build uk profile on four-year period dated 2013 studio album kiss land. island s commitment further nurturing careers of global superstars reiterated in june 2016 signing of sean paul. jamaican singer, rapper , songwriter released no lie , first single island, in november 2016.

signed island via licensing deal independent label pmr, disclosure formed 2 brothers reigate in surrey, guy , howard lawrence. duo discovered joys of nineties house, techno , two-step garage while studying music production @ college, , went on enjoy success 2 island albums settle (2013) , caracal (2015), making extensive use of array of guest vocalists including sam smith, jamie woon, eliza doolittle, lorde , gregory porter. 1 of acts guested on settle alunageorge, boy-girl duo london (singer aluna francis , musician , producer george reid), released debut album, body music, on island in 2013. disclosure, jessie ware signed island through link independent label pmr. soulful singer-songwriter brixton, ware nominated 2012 mercury music prize smooth debut album, devotion, , enjoyed further success 2014 s tough love. island act enjoy significant breakthrough yorkshire singer john newman, topped uk charts first solo single, love me again , , debut album tribute.