Existing record labels

Columbia records evolved from the American Graphophone Company, and was founded in 1888. Columbia records originally co-founded CBS in 1927, but since left the partnership behind. Columbia is the oldest brand name, and was the first company to produce pre-recorded records, rather than blank cylinders. From 1961-1990, records were released outside the US and Canada, under the CBS record label. Current artists signed to the label can be seen below, or on the Columbia records website.

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Record companies discover, nurture, and promote artistic talent, they are by far the largest investors in artists' careers.

A few statistics about record companies;

-Record companies are estimated to annually invest US$4.3 billion worldwide in artists and repertoire combined with marketing. This represents 27% of industry revenues.

-The major labels combined have around 7,500 artists on their rosters and tens of thousands more are signed to independent labels. New talent is the lifeblood of the industry and 1/5 of those artists were signed in the previous 12 months.

-The majority of artists still aspire to be signed by a major or independent record company. Both research and a multitude of anecdotal evidence support this.

Columbia Records prides itself on being "The mother of all record labels. 125 years old, and still awesome".

Columbia records is an American record label founded in 1942, and was the first West-Coast record label in the US. The Capital Records building in Los Angeles was the first circular office building. It was built in 1956,and is considered a landmark. Capitol Studios has been a staple of the recording industry with iconic artists like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and The Beach Boys first giving life to its rooms and to this day, major icons of popular music continue in their footsteps..

Katy Perry
Coldplay
The Beach Boys
The Beatles
Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Young Money Entertainment was founded by, rapper Lil Wayne, in 2003. Cortez Bryant was originally the president of YM, but Mack Maine took over in 2009 so that he could focus more on managing Young Money artists: Lil Wayne, Drake and Lil Twist. Since 2003, Young Mula has been on a steady rise to the top of hip-hop, starting from the streets of New Orleans to signing some of the biggest names in music.

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The label released three compilation albums:

We Are Young Money (2009)
Rich Gang (2013)
Young Money: Rise of an Empire (2014).

Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London, England, formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis. Travis began to manage acts and distribute bands such as Scritti Politti and began the label. Soon after, Rough Trade also set up a distribution arm that serviced independent retail outlets across Britain, a network that became known as the Cartel. Interest and investment of major labels in the UK indie scene in the late 1980s, as well as overtrading on behalf of Rough Trade's distribution wing, led to cash flow problems, and eventually to bankruptcy, forcing the label into receivership. However, Travis resurrected the label in the late 90s, finding success with The Libertines, The Strokes and Antony and the Johnsons.