Best Record Label of all time?

When I get paid, I am soooo contributing to the site so I can do polls ;-)

My vote: SST Records. No other record label ever employed more of my favorite bands.

Produced such artists as Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James...

And early Chuck Berry.

I also forgot to mention one of my all time favorite Blues guitarists, Buddy Guy, who spent much of his early career recording for Chess.

Honorable mention: Apple, Verve, Black Vinyl, Permanent Press, Not Lame, and Alligator.

such a catchy slogan.}(

I'll add Capricorn instead.

(fill in the rest)

Best. Slogan. Ever.

Alternative Tentacles
Relapse
Dischord

to name a few :)

Love Memphis soul! :D

I Vote:

Sub Pop
IRS
4AD
Mute (yeah, I was alternative before it was cool)
Interscope
Death Row

alternative tentacles
dischord
hell cat
byo

Not really. I actually prefer Naxos. No other label that I know of is as broad, deep and wide in its catalog. They even do world pop!

For having the vision (and business sense) to sign Elvis.

Rockabilly Elvis was a god. Shitty movie star Elvis was a joke.

A successful movie career (meaning critically acclaimed) would have meant all the difference. In fact, he did recieve good marks initially.

But just like today, if critics have any sort of animosity towards a performer, they can really cast a shadow over a career - whether he/she can act or not.

Sun also signed Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash I think.

And other seminal rockabilly artists. If not for Sun records, there might not be the Flamin Groovies, The Cramps, and the Reverend Horton Heat.

As Muddy said, "The Blues Had A Baby, And They Called It Rock N Roll".

Sam Phillips was the first to record Howlin' Wolf. Also James Cotton, Big Walter Horton, Earl Hooker, Little Junior Parker, Pinetop Perkins, Little Milton, and loads more. He released blues sides on Sun, but also recorded artists and contracted them out to RPM/Modern and Chess/Checker.

John-Paul-George-&-Ringo The Beatles
(Can you just picture a recording session that would have the like's
of Elton John, The Who, Rod Stewart and the Rolling Stones just stoping buy to take a little trip :)

"Get'n High With The Little Help From My Friends"

*

If you're into Rap, these two labels are prime.

What the fuck did Jermaine Dupree ever produce that any real hip hop heads respect? Da Brat? Kriss Kross? Lil Bow Wow?

"Real" hip hop heads? As both a radio jock and a mobile DJ, I know MANY "real" hip hop heads that respect the hell out of the things So So Def is doing ... just because YOU don't doesn't detract from SoSo Def's influence today.

No one worth mentioning.

Hell, Death Row had deeper talent depth than So So Def AFTER Dre and Snoop left.

Viable: Capable of success or continuing effectiveness;

For example:

Da brat
Bone Crusher

Both on So So Def records and have charting singles this week.

And SST Records have current viable artists?

But, of course, your question was "who did Dupree produce that's viable today?"

Mariah Carey
TLC
on and on and on...

for them to be viable, eh? What does SST have to do with anything? If you know anything outside the cozy confines of mainstream music, you'd know SST has been defunct for years, but that's besides the point: I stated my opinion that So So Def is very low on the totem pole of rap labels in the grand scheme of things, and you chose to make some childish, irrelevant cheap shot against the record label I chose to trumpet my admiration for.

I'm just gonna cut my losses and put you on ignore, since you can't resist any opportunity to push a perfectly benign disagreement on musical taste into a flame war.

They'll see how the only point you can make come from your opinion.

What you said is "What the fuck did Jermaine Dupree ever produce that any real hip hop heads respect? Da Brat? Kriss Kross? Lil Bow Wow?"

I told you I know plenty of hip hop fans and pros who respect what the label does.

Then you asked what Dupree has produced that is viable. I then answered.

You boldly state how SST is the best record label, then you set the standard for what a good record label is by the viable artists it produces. When I point out several, including those produced by the label, who are very viable and then point out no one on yours was or is, you get insulted. Remember, you set the standard of what constitutes the best label.

The problem is, you're very opinionated about your music. You have a different standard of what constitutes "viability" and "success" than the music business itself does. And you get insulted when anyone disagrees with you.

Can't remember......

Darn it.

P.

Beggar's Banquet

Apple

To name but a few...

STIFF, too!

no question

KRISTIN HERSH
THROWING MUSES
TANYA DONELLY
LISA GERRARD
BREEDERS
COCTEAU TWINS
DEAD CAN DANCE
LISA GERMANO
MODERN ENGLISH
PIXIES
THE WOLFGANG PRESS
BAUHAUS

:loveya:

Honorable Mentions:
Verve
Atlantic
Sun
Blue Note
SST
IRS
TwinTone

:kick:

Apple
Maverick
Nothing Records (interscope)

(there's more i'm forgetting here, oh well)

... you had to be there.

-- Allen

Say no more!

a 25hour-a-day party? Sounded incredible.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002UAX/ref=m_art_li_1/103-6145707-5985464?v=glance&s=music

It was ethier that or Electric ladyland

Fat wreck cords, they aren't that great but they get a bonus for the name

Minit
Rounder
Alligator

and of course Motown.

Rounder has an anniversary series that is SOOO great....everything from Rory Block to Beau Soleil to Professor Longhair

They were the best as far as record companies go, IMO.

But as for labels that exist, I'll say Cargo America.

Run by Swan. Signed The Juicy Fruits, The Undeads, and of course, Winslow Leech, composer of the best song ever..."Faust"

anyone else see phantom of the paradise?

before they were absorbed into the Warner Brothers family.

The Drifters
Clyde McPhatter
Joe Turner
Laverne Baker
The Robins
Ray Charles

I spent my young life putting slips in that set of records. My father was in the music business for 35 years.I even used to know who was on what label. Funny feeling to know your so far out of it.

Can't help it. It's local.

The crazy thing is I'm not even sure if I'm joking.

Even if most of the Buddah artists haven't held up with time, I at least give Buddah the nod for one of the neatest concepts behind a record label ever. Read some of their promotional materials from the late sixties ("All manner of artists but more than anything music to make people happy..." and statements along those lines) and their whole deal seems so optimistically weird and revolutionary in its own trashy pop culture sort of way.

In terms of record label artwork (sort of a non-existent concept these days) I give the nod to the late sixties-early seventies Uni label or the mid-seventies Kama Sutra label (the one with Adam and Eve in the forest.)