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Do you have a favorite record label?

There has been much consolidation in the music industry, so many independent labels are now parts of corporate conglomerates, but through out the history of recorded music individual labels have had identities.

  I grew up in Detroit in the sixties so of course Motown was front and center in my consciousness.  I just returned from a few days in Memphis and loved visiting the Stax, Sun Records, and especially the Rock and Soul Museums.

  I don’t listen to much Jazz but I am aware that labels such as Blue Note had distinct profiles.  The same is true for Reggae and World Music labels.

  My genre is Classical and many small independent labels have really driven the creativity in the industry.  While the so called major labels were duplicating the Classical Top 100 ad infinitum, labels such as Naxos, Musical Heritage Society, Erato, and then later Hyperion, BIS, Chandos and most importantly cpo have greatly expanded the amount of repertoire available to listeners.  It’s never been a better time to be a listener.

  Other favorites?  Any genre goes, and perhaps offer a few words about why you value that label

mahler123
mahler123 OP
4,144 posts
 

Decca had their act together at that time.  I bought a few of the big box Decca reissue boxes that are a great intersection of performance and sound.

mahler123 OP
4,144 posts
 

I second the many recommendations for the ECM label.  I first encountered them in the seventies with many Keith Jarret recordings.  Over the years I have bought an occasional LP or later CD and it does seem like the label has a consistent identity.  Many of their releases are genre boundary straddling.  The consistently have great sound and art work

jsalerno277
518 posts
 

+1 on your classical list.  My favorite classical label is 2L.  Their philosophy is to engineer recordings as the conductor would hear the performance.  The use an elevated array of mics at center with other mikes right and left at different depths.  Some members may not like the upfront presentation, preferring an engineered recording simulating seating row 20 center.  Other notable labels include Linn Records, Cedilli (check out the natural timbre achieved on the complete Beethoven concertos of discussion this week performed by The Dover Quartet), and Proprious.  Did you leave out Reference Recordings for any reason such as it is more audiophile mainstream?  

nogaps
183 posts
 

I was just reading about another, but similar topic and came across this. I wasn’t aware of it.

Apparently, Deutsche Grammophon has the international rights to distribute the digital portion of all of ECM’s catalog, and some of its physical output(CDs, vinyl). I believe ECM remains an independent entity.  Less surprising I guess is that DG is part of the Universal Music Group, which is much like the BORG of the music industry. (see the video link I posted up on top)

Another tidbit.. Manfred Eicher, founder of ECM (1969, Edition of Contemporary Music, focusing on contemporary jazz and classical music) started out as a production assistant/producer at DG.

Probably old news to some, but new to me. 

jsalerno277
518 posts
 

I forgot to mention the Pentatone label, now under the Decca conglomerate.  Check out the following, which I consider some the best from the label:

  1. Smetana:  Ma Vlast
  2. Schubert:  Landler
  3. Hayden: Die Schopfung
  4. Bates:  The Revolution of Steve Jobs opera

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