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Sire Records

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Sire Records
Parent companyWarner Music Group
Founded1966;58 years ago(1966)
FounderSeymour Stein
Richard Gottehrer
Distributor(s)
GenreVarious
Country of originUnited States
Official websitewww.sirerecords.com

Sire Records(formerlySire Records Company) is an Americanrecord labelowned byWarner Music Groupand distributed byWarner Records.

History

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Beginnings

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The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions bySeymour SteinandRichard Gottehrer,each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company.[1]Its early releases, in 1968, were distributed in the US byLondon Records.From the beginning, Sire introduced underground, progressiveBritishbands to the American market. Early releases included theClimax Blues Band,Barclay James Harvest,Tomorrow,Matthews Southern Comfortandproto-punksThe Deviants.

When distribution by London ended after two years, US distribution was handled by various companies:Polydor Recordsin 1970 and 1971, during which time Sire's famous logo was introduced; byFamous Musicfrom 1972 to 1974, during which time the progressive rock bandFocuscharted with their 1972 hit "Hocus Pocus";and byABC Records,which inherited Sire's distribution deal when it acquired Famous Music. Sire was distributed byPhonogram Inc.in Europe from 1974 to 1977.

In the 70s, Sire released a number of compilation albums, including the 3 volume "History Of British Rock" series, and acts such asThe Flamin Groovies,Renaissance,The Turtles,Duane Eddy,theSmall Faces,andDel Shannon.Sire had one of its biggest successes when Climax Blues Band reached number 3 on the USBillboardHot 100chart in 1977 with "Couldn't Get It Right".Also in 1977, Stein, who had previously worked with theShangri-Lasin the 1960s, convinced the group to reform and return to the studio. But the trio working together again proved to be short-lived and they asked to be let out of their contract; the new songs they had recorded were not released by the label.

Acquisition by Warner

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In the mid-1970s, Sire transformed itself into a successfulindependent record labeland went on to sign artists from the burgeoningpunk rockandnew wavescenes, including theRamones,the Dead Boys,the Undertones,andTalking Heads.Sire returned to major label distribution in 1977 with a new deal with Warner Bros. Records. The following year Warner Bros. and Sire entered negotiations whereby Warner Bros. would purchase Sire Records outright, making Sire one of Warner Bros. subsidiary labels. Over the next several years, Sire saw success in the US and Canada with acts such asthe Pretenders,Madonna(their biggest act),Soft Cell,the Cure,Depeche Mode,The Smiths,Martini RanchandEcho & the Bunnymen.During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the label had continued success with a roster that includedMinistry,k.d. lang,Ice-T,Seal,andTommy Page.

In 1994, Sire switched distribution from Warner Bros. Records to sister labelElektra Records,also part of parent companyWarner Music Group(WMG). Stein had been appointed president of Elektra Records under Elektra's newly appointed CEOSylvia Rhone,so Stein would also be overseeing distribution of Sire releases by Elektra as well as running Elektra day-to-day. Sire left Elektra distribution in 1997 as it became a stand-alone label. But in 2000, Sire and the US division of London Records were merged to become one label,London-Sire Records.This partnership, however, was dissolved in April 2003, at which point the company went back to being called Sire Records, and it returned to distribution with Warner Bros. Records once again.

In 1998, Sire signed a deal with the bandThe Tragically Hipto distribute their music outside of Canada.[2]

In 2009, official music videos displayed on the Sire Records website[3]were taken down[4]because of a copyright claim by parent Warner Music Group, afterroyalty negotiations between WMG and YouTube(which Sire had been using to host the videos) broke down in December 2008. In September 2009, both parties came to terms, with Warner Music restoring its music onto YouTube.

In July 2017,Rani Hancockwas named the new president of Sire Records. Label co-founder Seymour Stein remained on as chairman.[5]Hancock had previously been the executive vice president and head of A&R atIsland Records.[6]In July 2018, Stein departed from Sire Records after a total of 51 years involved at Sire or its parent WMG.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Personality Clash: Seymour Stein Vs Tim Dellow | Clash Music Exclusive General".Clashmusic.com. November 9, 2009.RetrievedMarch 22,2011.
  2. ^Larry LeBlanc (May 9, 1998)."Sire makes Tragically Hip deal".Billboard.Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 57–.ISSN0006-2510.
  3. ^"Warner Bros Records".Warner Bros Records.RetrievedJuly 4,2014.
  4. ^"Warner Music to Warner Music: You are pirates!".Boing Boing. May 3, 2009.RetrievedMarch 22,2011.
  5. ^Halperin, Shirley (July 10, 2017)."Sire Records Names Rani Hancock President; Founder Seymour Stein Remains Chairman (EXCLUSIVE)".Variety.RetrievedOctober 10,2017.
  6. ^Schneider, Marc (July 10, 2017)."Rani Hancock Named President of Sire Records".Billboard.RetrievedOctober 10,2017.
  7. ^"Seymour Stein Is Leaving Warner Music and Sire Records, the Label He Launched 51 Years Ago".Billboard.com.RetrievedJanuary 23,2020.
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