Epic Records is an American record label that runs as a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
Originally conceived as a jazz imprint in 1953, it has since expanded to represent various
genres.
Today, the company is one of three main flagship labels for Sony Music, with the other two
being Columbia Records and RCA Records.
Their roster currently includes Michael Jackson, Fifth Harmony, Andre 3000, Avril Lavigne,
A Great Big World, Ciara, Sara Bareilles, Future, Nicole Scherzinger, Tamar Braxton,
The Fray, Sade, Bobby Shmurda, and Meghan Trainor.
History Beginnings
Epic Records was launched in 1953 by Columbia Records for the purpose of marketing jazz,
pop and classical music that did not fit the theme of its more mainstream Columbia Records
label.
Initial classical music releases were from Philips Records which distributed Columbia
product in Europe Pop talent on co-owned Okeh Records were transferred to Epic which made
Okeh a rhythm and blues label.
Epic's bright-yellow, black, and blue logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz
and classical releases.
This has included such notables as the Berlin Philharmonic, Charles Rosen, the Juilliard
String Quartet, Antal Doráti conducting the Hague Philharmonic and George Szell conducting
the Cleveland Orchestra.
Expansion of genres and mainstream success By 1960, the label's musical base had been
expanded to include all genres.
This was done in part to prevent the roster of Columbia Records from being overstuffed
with newer artists.
Subsequently, Epic became better known for its signing of newer, fledgling acts.
By the end of the 1960s, Epic earned its first gold records and had evolved into a formidable
hit-making force in rock and roll, R&B and country music.
Among its many acts, it included Roy Hamilton, Bobby Vinton, The Dave Clark Five, The Hollies,
Tammy Wynette, Donovan, The Yardbirds, Lulu, July, Helen Shapiro and Jeff Beck.
Several of the British artists on the Epic roster during the 1960s were the result of
CBS's Epic/Okeh units' international distribution deal with EMI; Epic recordings were issued
by EMI on the Columbia label.
Also during the 1960s, Epic oversaw the smaller subsidiary CBS labels including: Okeh Records
and Date Records.
In 1968, the Epic imprint was added in the UK and distributed by CBS after the distribution
deal with EMI expired that year.
Epic was involved in a notable "trade" of artists.
Graham Nash was signed to Epic because of his membership in The Hollies.
When the newly-formed Crosby, Stills & Nash wanted to sign with Atlantic Records, Ahmet
Ertegün worked out a deal with Clive Davis whereby Richie Furay's new band Poco would
sign with Epic.
Epic's commercial success continued to grow in the 1970s with releases from ABBA in the
UK, Boston, Cheap Trick, The Clash, Charlie Daniels, Gabriel, Heart, Heatwave, The Isley
Brothers, The Jacksons, George Jones, Labelle, Meat Loaf, Johnny Nash, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon,
Minnie Riperton, Pegasus, Charlie Rich, Sly & the Family Stone, Steve Vai, and Edgar Winter.
Also contributing to the labels success was its distribution of Philadelphia International
Records, which produced additional hit records by acts such as The Three Degrees and McFadden
and Whitehead.
Its 1980s and 1990s mainstream success were fueled by its signing and releasing of albums
by notable acts such as Michael Jackson, Shakin' Stevens, Culture Club, Gloria Estefan and
the Miami Sound Machine, Adam Ant, Living Colour, Prong, Dead or Alive, Europe, Cyndi
Lauper, Ozzy Osbourne, Pearl Jam, Sade, Luther Vandross, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Céline
Dion among others.
The label's greatest pay-dirt achievement came with the release Thriller, the 1982 album
by Michael Jackson, which went on to achieve approximately 51-65 million in worldwide sales,
becoming the biggest selling album in history.
More recently, other successful acts on the label have included Anastacia, Lana del Rey,
Jennifer Lopez, The Fray, Shakira, Korn, Fiona Apple, Ozzy Osbourne, Nate Storm, Modest Mouse,
Chevelle, JLS, Mandy Moore, and Rage Against the Machine.
1980s-2000s Sony bought CBS Records in 1987, and the company
was renamed Sony Music in 1991.
In 2004, Sony merged with another powerhouse music distributor, BMG, bringing labels such
as RCA, Arista, Columbia, Epic, Jive, and many others under one parent company, Sony
BMG.
In February 2009, singer/songwriter Amanda Ghost was appointed president of Epic Records.
Later in the year, Sony BMG Music merged Epic and Columbia's operations, and subsequently
formed the Columbia/Epic Label Group — but both labels continue to operate as separate
brands.
Sony BMG's Legacy Recordings reissues the company's classic and catalog titles.
In addition, in the 1990s, European operations of Sony Music was integrated into two separate
labels, Epic and Columbia.
It was followed by Australian and New Zealand operation of Sony Music in 1997.
The Japanese operation is called Epic Records Japan Inc..
2010 to present: Epic under L.A. Reid and Sylvia Rhone
In July 2011, L.A. Reid became the CEO of the Epic Records which also includes various
former Jive Records artists.
Reid has already begun a new "era" in signing artists, having signed up YouTube sensation
Karmin.
Through Sony Music Entertainment's restructuring, artists such as TLC, Toni Braxton, Avril Lavigne,
Outkast, Future, Yo Gotti and Ciara have joined Epic.
Epic also signs the winners of The X Factor.
It was confirmed in February 2012 that Sylvia Rhone, former president of Universal Motown,
would be launching a new record label through Epic Records.
As of April 2014, Epic Records was home to 51 artists.
L.A. Reid was reportedly interested into signing Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, but both turned
down Epic, saying that they were happy releasing material independently.
On March 18, 2014, it was reported that Sylvia Rhone would be president of Epic Records accompanying
CEO L.A. Reid.
Rhone was formerly CEO of Universal Motown Records until 2011.
In November 2014, it was announced that Mosley Music Group created a joint venture with Sony
Music and the imprint will be distributed by Epic Records.
It formerly operated under Interscope Geffen A&M from 2006 until late 2014.
In the terms of the new partnership, Epic will provide marketing, publicity, handle
distribution and overall label services for the imprint.
The joint venture was created due to Timbaland's recent collaboration with L.A. Reid on Michael
Jackson's "Xscape".
Most of MMG's roster will be under Epic, but OneRepublic is expected to remain with Interscope
Records.
Imprint labels The following is a list of labels Epic Records
has distributed: Current
Mosley Music Group Beluga Heights
Collective Music Group DC Flag Records
Freebandz Immortal Records
Glowworm Records Battery Records
Verity Gospel Music Group Vested in Culture
Volcano Entertainment Former
550 Music Beluga Heights Records
Blue Sky Caribou Records
Cold Chillin' Records Date Records
Epic Records Nashville Epic Street
Cleveland International Records CTI Records
Tuff City Records Hidden Beach Records
Gamble Glacial Pace
Invictus Records Jet Records
Kirshner Records LaFace Records
MJJ Music Nemperor Records
Ode Records OKeh Records
Pasha Records Philadelphia International Records
Portrait Records Ruthless Records
Scotti Brothers SOLAR Records
T-Neck Records Tabu Records
TSOP Work Records
Virgin Records, Epic Records artists
Current artists
Logos
See also List of record labels
Epic/Sony Records RCA Records
Columbia Records References
External links Epic Records – Official website
Sony Music, Parent Company of Epic Epic Records on Myspace
Epic US/UK A&R team contact list