1) 4AD is a British independent record label founded in 1980 that focuses on alternative rock, dream pop, post-punk, electronica, and indie rock. They signed underground American artists in 1992 and have had distribution deals with major labels. 2) Columbia Records is one of the major record labels owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Founded in 1887, they sign a wide variety of artists across genres including pop, rock, R&B, and indie folk like Foster the People. 3) Domino Recording Company is a UK-based independent label founded in London that has offices in Brooklyn and Germany. They focus on creativity over style and have had success with artists like Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand

1. RECORD LABEL
RESEARCH
A2 G324 Advanced Portfolio in Media

2. Who are the dominant record
labels within your genre?
A record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands
and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution,
marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings
and music videos; conducts talent scouting and development of new
artists ("artists and repertoire" or "A&R") and maintains contracts with
recording artists and their managers.
The top 3 record labels that are dominant within my chosen genre which
I chose are; 4AD, Domino and Columbia records.

3. 4AD is a British independent record label that started in 1980 by Ivo Watts-Russell
and Peter Kent, originally funded by Beggars Banquet. Its genre within the record
labels included; alternative rock, dream pop, post-punk, electronica, indie rock,
noise pop and so on. The label's deal with Warner Bros. Records in the United
States in 1992 would start the beginning of a new phase in 4AD history.
New signings that year included American underground acts Kendra
Smith, Tarnation, Air Miami and The Amps. While the record label didn’t handle any
distribution outside the UK, it had many willing distributors in many countries such
as France (Virgin records) Japan (Nippon Columbia) and Canada (PolyGram &
Vertigo Records). The deal with Beggars was completed by early 1999, and since
then it has owned 4AD and its distribution worldwide.
Brief information about the record label

4. WHAT KIND OF
ARTISTS DO
THEY SIGN?

5. What is their ethos?
The initial idea for the record label was that it would be a ‘testing ground’ for
Beggars Banquet. The only band that followed this path was Bauhaus, who
were signed to Beggars Banquet right before 4AD purchased the label. The
characteristics of this record label varies throughout such as it having solo
artists as well as having bands and groups within the label.
Their ethos mostly come under ‘alternative’ or ‘indie folk’ as most of the groups
and solo artists’ genre within the record label produce songs that link to
alternative or indie folk. The record label is pretty much laid back and they
accept bands or artists that are very hard working towards making music as well
as producing. 4AD gives out great opportunities for underground artists to be
able to become successful in future time; though it could be tough since Indie
record labels would have to be more extra.

7. Brief information about the record label
Columbia Records is an American record label that is owned by Sony Music
Entertainment. It was found in 1887, evolving from an earlier enterprise to
the Volta Graphophone Company. Columbia is the oldest surviving brand
name in the recorded sound business, being the second major record
company to produce recorded records.
In January 2006, Sony BMG UK split its front-line operations into two
separate labels. RCA Label Group, mainly dealing with Pop and R&B and
Columbia Label Group, mainly dealing with Rock, Dance and Alternative
music. Mike Smith is the Managing Director of Columbia Label Group, Ian
Dutt is Marketing Director and Alison Donald is Director of A&R.

8. WHAT KIND OF
ARTISTS DO
THEY SIGN ?

9. What is their ethos?
Columbia records is now owned by Sony Entertainment and the company
merged with Epic Label. The artists that Columbia records have signed are a
variety; from pop to rock to R&B to indie folk. This gives us an idea that this
record label varies its idea of music genre.
I believe that this record label is one of the major record labels currently as
the artists that are signed under this company are the following; One
Direction, Katy Perry, The Chainsmokers and many more. But one group
which could go under the Indie pop music genre is Foster The People.
This group has a range of music genre such as Indie pop, alternative rock,
indietronica, alternative dance and neo-psychedelia. Columbia records are
very open when it comes to signing groups or artists as long as they are
determined to achieve the best result. The way they market their artists is
through social media as well as producing music videos.

11. Brief information about the record label
Domino Recording Company is as British independent record label that is based in London.
There is also a wing of the label that’s based in Brooklyn, New York which handles releases
in the United States, as well as a German division called Domino Deutschland and a French
division called Domino France. In addition, Stephen Pastel occupy over the subsidiary label
Geographic Music, which releases more unusual British and World music. In 2011, the
company announced that it was beginning a book publishing division, The Domino Press.
The label's first release was the Sebadoh EP Rocking the Forest, licensed from Sub Pop
records for release in the UK. Many of the early releases were by American artists who in
the USA were signed to Drag City (Smog, Will Oldham, Royal Trux), a relationship which
continues to this day. Success was not immediate, as labels such as Domino, who were
releasing more established American rock and unusual British music, were marginalised
during the Britpop era, but a steady stream of new signings gave the label increasing
credibility. Recent high-profile releases from Anna Calvi, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys,
and The Kills have only acted as a catalyst to this, and Domino is now one of the longest
running and most successful independent record labels in the UK.

12. WHAT KIND OF
ARTISTS DO
THEY SIGN?

13. What is their ethos?
The Domino Recording Company was found in London. The label’s start-up capital
consisted of a weekly £40 Enterprise Allowance Grant; some demos from friends in
the American underground, the idea that self-expression was still possible in
corporate nineteen nineties and a phone and a fax machine. Twenty years later the
Domino headquarters are a short walk away from Bell's first 'office' and the
company's ambitions, operating procedures and ethos remain the same – to
represent and release music by artists who have no choice but to make music and to
draw them to the attention of the outside world.
The record label Domino is highly interested in creativity rather than in any particular
sound or style. The label became synonymous with their new set of artists who
provide a catalogue for Domino’s newly opened New York office in order to release in
the American market.