Dino Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Dino Entertainment was a firm specializing in the compilation market of the late 1980s and early 1990s, releasing records such as the That Loving Feeling and Energy Rush range of CDs, in competition with Telstar Records
, Stylus
and K-Tel
.
Despite a relatively successful run at releasing various genre's of music under the Dino label, increasing competition in the Compilation sector forced Dino to close down in 1997 after releasing just over 130 different albums in eight years. Major companies such as EMI
and Virgin
became fiercely competitive in the wake of their successful Now That's What I Call Music brand, while BMG
launched their own Compilation subsidiary Global Television, Warner Music launched warner.esp.tv, Sony Music released their compilations under the Sony Music TV banner and Polygram became Universal
in 1999 and their TV advertised material was released on Universal Music TV.
However, prior to its demise, Dino did score many hits in varying genres of music. As noted, Dance was a speciality for the label although 1970s revival albums, Love Songs and A.O.R Rock collections all became big sellers for the label.
The first series Dino released were That Loving Feeling which launched in December 1989. Their particular longevity was because Dance compilations dominated the Compilation Chart in 1989 and 1990 and Love Songs made a welcome change to the older Music buyer.
Hardcore
These Dance compilations released by Dino contained the word Hardcore somewhere in the title and became a very successful series between 1991 and 1992. These albums were released as a single-CD format, with 20 tracks on each. Hardcore albums always contained big dance hits first, and then less well-known, underground tracks at the end, making the series an attractive purchase for mainstream dance fans as well as underground followers of the genre.
Energy Rush
After a series of one-off Dance compilations including Cold Sweat and Trance Dance, Dino launched a new Dance series called Energy Rush in late 1992 which out-lasted the Hardcore series by many years. The formats were identical, a single-CD release with chart hits at the beginning of the album and more club-orientated material at the end. Like Telstar's earlier Deep Heat series, each release had a suffix naming each volume. The series ended in 1995 when Dance music became less popular, with genres such as Brit-pop and R&B gaining more mainstream success.
Pure Swing
This successful series focused on current and past R&B and Hip hop
tracks or "New Jack Swing
", with the genre becoming more popular with mainstream buyers. The series launched in March 1995 and ran for several volumes until 1996. Usually issued as a single-CD, some of the releases (Pure Swing IV for example) were double-CDs.
Drivetime
The Drivetime series brought together popular 'driving anthems', with tracks often made popular through extensive Radio play, hence the title's borrowing of many Radio Stations' evening programme name. Although not a huge success in chart-terms, this series however contained many rare tracks previously difficult to find on CD at the time. The four volumes were all double-CD releases, each containing between 34 to 38 tracks ranging from the 1960s through to more recent radio hits of the time.
When Dino Entertainment closed in 1997, the brand transferred to Universal Music who released several compilations using the Drivetime name, although these were less successful, failing to track the Compilations Chart Top 20.
Telstar Records
Telstar Records was a record label founded in 1982 by Sean O'Brien and Neil Palmer with a government loan of £120,000. It was founded as a specialist compilation marketing label and had hits with a range of compilation franchises such as the Deep Heat, Kaos Theory and 100% ranges...
, Stylus
Stylus
A stylus is a writing utensil, or a small tool for some other form of marking or shaping, for example in pottery. The word is also used for a computer accessory . It usually refers to a narrow elongated staff, similar to a modern ballpoint pen. Many styli are heavily curved to be held more easily...
and K-Tel
K-tel
K-tel International is an "As-Seen-On-TV" company, which is most noted for its compilation music albums, such as "The Super Hits" series, "The Dynamic Hits" series and "The Number One Hits" series...
.
Despite a relatively successful run at releasing various genre's of music under the Dino label, increasing competition in the Compilation sector forced Dino to close down in 1997 after releasing just over 130 different albums in eight years. Major companies such as EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
became fiercely competitive in the wake of their successful Now That's What I Call Music brand, while BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
launched their own Compilation subsidiary Global Television, Warner Music launched warner.esp.tv, Sony Music released their compilations under the Sony Music TV banner and Polygram became Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
in 1999 and their TV advertised material was released on Universal Music TV.
However, prior to its demise, Dino did score many hits in varying genres of music. As noted, Dance was a speciality for the label although 1970s revival albums, Love Songs and A.O.R Rock collections all became big sellers for the label.
Series released by Dino Entertainment
That Loving FeelingThe first series Dino released were That Loving Feeling which launched in December 1989. Their particular longevity was because Dance compilations dominated the Compilation Chart in 1989 and 1990 and Love Songs made a welcome change to the older Music buyer.
- That Loving Feeling Volume 1 (12/89. #3. 14 wks)
- That Loving Feeling Volume 2 (03/90. #5. 26 wks)
- That Loving Feeling Volume 3 (06/90. #1. 31 wks)
- That Loving feeling Volume 4 (04/91. #4. 14 wks)
- That Loving Feeling Volume 5 (10/91. #2. 15 wks)
- That Loving Feeling Volume 6 (09/93. #3. 12 wks)
- That Loving Feeling Volume 7 (08/94. #4. 10 wks)
- The Very Best of That Loving Feeling (12/93. #2. 21 wks)
Hardcore
These Dance compilations released by Dino contained the word Hardcore somewhere in the title and became a very successful series between 1991 and 1992. These albums were released as a single-CD format, with 20 tracks on each. Hardcore albums always contained big dance hits first, and then less well-known, underground tracks at the end, making the series an attractive purchase for mainstream dance fans as well as underground followers of the genre.
- Hardcore Uproar (03/91. #1. 9 wks)
- Hardcore Dancefloor (07/91. #2. 10 wks)
- Hardcore Ecstasy (11/91. #1. 16 wks)
- Essential Hardcore (12/91. #1. 10 wks)
- Heavenly Hardcore (03/92. #2. 9 wks)
Energy Rush
After a series of one-off Dance compilations including Cold Sweat and Trance Dance, Dino launched a new Dance series called Energy Rush in late 1992 which out-lasted the Hardcore series by many years. The formats were identical, a single-CD release with chart hits at the beginning of the album and more club-orientated material at the end. Like Telstar's earlier Deep Heat series, each release had a suffix naming each volume. The series ended in 1995 when Dance music became less popular, with genres such as Brit-pop and R&B gaining more mainstream success.
- Energy Rush (10/92. #1. 6 wks)
- Energy Rush II (12/92. #7. 7 wks)
- Energy Rush Level 3 (01/93. #3. 6 wks)
- Energy Rush Presents Dance Hits 93 (04/93. #1. 12 wks)
- Energy Rush Phase 4 (06/93. #2. 6 wks)
- Energy Rush Factor 5 (09/93. #3. 5 wks)
- Energy Rush Presents Dance Hits of the Year (10/93. #3. 13 wks)
- Energy Rush Safe Six (12/93. #5. 7 wks)
- Energy Rush - Euro Dance Hits 94 (03/94. #5. 4 wks)
- Energy Rush 7th Heaven (04/94. #2. 5 wks)
- Energy Rush Xtermin8 (05/94. #1. 8 wks)
- Energy Rush Dance Hits 94 (08/94. #3. 8 wks)
- Energy Rush K9 (02/95. #3. 4 wks)
Pure Swing
This successful series focused on current and past R&B and Hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
tracks or "New Jack Swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
", with the genre becoming more popular with mainstream buyers. The series launched in March 1995 and ran for several volumes until 1996. Usually issued as a single-CD, some of the releases (Pure Swing IV for example) were double-CDs.
- Pure Swing (03/95. #3. 9 wks)
- Pure Swing II (06/95. #4. 5 wks)
- Pure Swing III (09/95. #3. 8 wks)
- Pure Swing IV (11/95. #1. 7 wks)
- Pure Swing V (01/96. #5. 6 wks)
- Pure Swing 96 (04/96. #9. 3 wks)
Drivetime
The Drivetime series brought together popular 'driving anthems', with tracks often made popular through extensive Radio play, hence the title's borrowing of many Radio Stations' evening programme name. Although not a huge success in chart-terms, this series however contained many rare tracks previously difficult to find on CD at the time. The four volumes were all double-CD releases, each containing between 34 to 38 tracks ranging from the 1960s through to more recent radio hits of the time.
- Drivetime (04/95. #5. 8 wks)
- Drivetime 2 (07/95. #4. 7 wks)
- Drivetime 3 (01/96. #4. 6 wks)
- Drivetime 4 (08/96. #8. 3 wks)
When Dino Entertainment closed in 1997, the brand transferred to Universal Music who released several compilations using the Drivetime name, although these were less successful, failing to track the Compilations Chart Top 20.
Other releases
- The Rhythm Divine ~ Two double-CD volumes of 1970s DiscoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
hits. - Blues Brother Soul Sister ~ Three double-CD volumes (and a 'Best of' collection) containing BluesBluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and SoulSoul musicSoul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
classics. - Rock 'n' Roll Lovesongs ~ Two double-CD volumes of classic Rock 'n' Roll hits.
- Rock 'N' Roll Is Here To Stay ~ "Two CD Collection of 40 Original 50's & 60's Rock 'n' Roll Hits." 2 different versions with different album artwork were available with one being in a dual-style thick jewel case and the other in a 2CD flip-over style jewel case.
- Stompin' Party ~ "40 Party Hits ranging from the 1950's to 1980's and known as "The World's Greatest Party Album" as stated on the album artwork."
- It's Electric ~ A successful single-CD collection of New RomanticNew RomanticNew Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
classics. Reached #2 in April 1994. - Ska Mania ~ A double-CD collection of SkaSkaSka |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
music from the late 1970s and early 1980s. - Rock Anthems ~ Two double-CD volumes of anthemic rock tracks. Volume 1 made #3 and stayed in the Compilation Chart Top 20 for 17 weeks.
- Eighties Soul Weekender ~ A cool collection of Soul classics from the early to mid-1980s.
- Pure Jazz Moods ~ A double-CD collection of JazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music. - Dance Massive ~ Three volumes of current Dance hits from 1994 to 1996.