Claiming to be the first CD-only independent record label in the United States, Rykodisc was founded in 1983 in Salem, Massachusetts, by Arthur Mann, Rob Simonds, Doug Lexa and Don Rose. The name "Ryko," which the label claimed was a Japanese word meaning "sound from a flash of light," was chosen to reflect the company's CD-only policy. In the late 1980s, however, the label also began to issue high-quality cassette / vinyl and MiniDisc versions of many releases under the name Ryko Analogue.[1]
Artwork designed by Conrad Warre for the inside of Rykodisc CD reissues (1993–1994); bottle green transparent jewel cases designed and developed by Warre with Philips Dupont Optical
In 1998, Chris Blackwell left Island Records and bought Rykodisc for a reported $35 million as a means of acquiring music marketing and distribution expertise for his new venture, a media company called Palm Pictures. In 1999, one year after the Blackwell buy-out, the office in Salem, Massachusetts, was closed, and many industry veterans were laid off. In 2001 Blackwell parted ways with Rykodisc. The label was then located in New York City with offices in Los Angeles and in Beverly, Massachusetts.
On March 23, 2006, it was announced that Warner Music Group acquired the Ryko Corporation for $67.5 million.[3] The Zappa Family Trust and Ryko parted ways in 2012 with the Zappa Family Trust reacquiring Frank Zappa's recorded music catalogue and Universal Music Enterprises taking over distribution of the Zappa catalogue.[4][5] Also in 2006, the independent publishing company Evergreen Copyrights purchased the Rykomusic publishing catalogue, among others.[6] In September 2010, Evergreen was acquired by BMG Rights Management.[7]
^Marchese, Joe (11 June 2012). "Freak Out! Zappa Family Trust Strikes Deal For Reissue Of 60 Albums From Universal, Roll-Out Begins In July". The Second Disc. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
^. Archived from the original on 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
^"Ryko Distr. Merged with ADA, Staffs Shuffled | Billboard.biz". Archived from the original on 2012-07-24. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
April 11, 2023
rykodisc, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, 2012, lear. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Rykodisc news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group operating as a unit of WMG s Independent Label Group and distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance RykodiscParent companyWarner Music GroupFounded1983 1983 FounderArthur Mann Rob Simonds Doug Lexa Don RoseDistributor s Alternative Distribution Alliance in the U S WEA International Inc outside the U S GenrePop rockCountry of originU S Official websitewww wbr rhino wbr com Contents 1 History 2 Rykodisc artists 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory EditClaiming to be the first CD only independent record label in the United States Rykodisc was founded in 1983 in Salem Massachusetts by Arthur Mann Rob Simonds Doug Lexa and Don Rose The name Ryko which the label claimed was a Japanese word meaning sound from a flash of light was chosen to reflect the company s CD only policy In the late 1980s however the label also began to issue high quality cassette vinyl and MiniDisc versions of many releases under the name Ryko Analogue 1 Rykodisc had some notable successes in the CD reissue industry as artists such as Elvis Costello David Bowie Yoko Ono Frank Zappa the estate of Nick Drake Nine Inch Nails Sugar Robert Wyatt and Mission of Burma allowed Rykodisc to issue their catalogs on CD Rykodisc also re released the SST Records era recordings by the Meat Puppets It also was responsible for the first release of the I Am the Cosmos LP by the late Chris Bell of Big Star another band on the label Artwork designed by Conrad Warre for the inside of Rykodisc CD reissues 1993 1994 bottle green transparent jewel cases designed and developed by Warre with Philips Dupont Optical Over the years the label acquired Hannibal Records Tradition Records Gramavision founded by Jonathan F P Rose 2 Emperor Norton Records Restless Records and Cordless Recordings Rykodisc also founded a distribution company Ryko Distribution and a music publishing company Rykomusic The label s catalog exceeds 1 200 titles In 1998 Chris Blackwell left Island Records and bought Rykodisc for a reported 35 million as a means of acquiring music marketing and distribution expertise for his new venture a media company called Palm Pictures In 1999 one year after the Blackwell buy out the office in Salem Massachusetts was closed and many industry veterans were laid off In 2001 Blackwell parted ways with Rykodisc The label was then located in New York City with offices in Los Angeles and in Beverly Massachusetts On March 23 2006 it was announced that Warner Music Group acquired the Ryko Corporation for 67 5 million 3 The Zappa Family Trust and Ryko parted ways in 2012 with the Zappa Family Trust reacquiring Frank Zappa s recorded music catalogue and Universal Music Enterprises taking over distribution of the Zappa catalogue 4 5 Also in 2006 the independent publishing company Evergreen Copyrights purchased the Rykomusic publishing catalogue among others 6 In September 2010 Evergreen was acquired by BMG Rights Management 7 In 2009 Ryko Distribution was folded into Alternative Distribution Alliance 8 Rykodisc artists EditMain article List of Rykodisc artistsSee also EditList of record labelsReferences Edit Bruce Britt CD Only Rykodisc Label Decides to Give Vinyl a Spin Chicago Tribune July 14 1988 p 11C Jonathan F P Rose Theatre for a New Audience Tfana org 21 December 2010 Retrieved 2016 09 28 Ryko bought by Warner Ottawa Ontario Citizen March 25 2006 p D3 Christopher Morris 2012 06 11 UMG sets Frank Zappa re releases Variety Retrieved 2016 09 28 Marchese Joe 11 June 2012 Freak Out Zappa Family Trust Strikes Deal For Reissue Of 60 Albums From Universal Roll Out Begins In July The Second Disc Retrieved 2016 09 28 Temporarily Disabled Archived from the original on 2011 07 10 Retrieved 2009 06 16 BMG To Buy Evergreen Copyrights billboard com permanent dead link Ryko Distr Merged with ADA Staffs Shuffled Billboard biz Archived from the original on 2012 07 24 Retrieved 2009 06 16 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rykodisc amp oldid 1148063741, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
