Roadrunner Records
Encyclopedia
Roadrunner Records is an American
record label
that concentrates primarily on heavy metal
bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group
.
and later opened offices in the United Kingdom
, Germany
, France
, Japan
, Australia
, Denmark
and the latest in Canada
. Early successes included albums from King Diamond
(the first Roadrunner artist to enter the Billboard Top 200 albums chart) and Annihilator
. The label also handled early Metallica
releases in the Scandinavia
n region. The end of the 1980s saw the release of two albums that are now considered classics of their respective genres: Obituary
's Slowly We Rot
and Sepultura
's Beneath the Remains
.
The 1990s saw the arrival of acts such as Life of Agony
, Machine Head
, Suffocation
, Type O Negative
, and underground grunge rockers Willard
. As the 1990s wore on, several of Roadrunner's bands managed to make an impact on the mainstream, most notably Sepultura
and Type O Negative
. Sepultura's 1993 album, Chaos A.D., became the first Roadrunner band to crack the Top 40 on the Billboard album chart. Type O Negative became the first Roadrunner band to receive a certification from the RIAA; this was a Gold award (and later Platinum award) for the 1993 album Bloody Kisses
, which was certified in 1995. The band also became the first Roadrunner band to receive radio play. In 2000, Slipknot
became the first Roadrunner band to go Platinum. Nickelback
were also very successful on the label (except they were on another label at home in Canada). Derek Shulman
ran the label in the late '90s.
Beginning in 2001, Roadrunner was distributed by the Universal Music Group
through a share of the label owned by The Island Def Jam Music Group
. This deal has now expired.
On December 18, 2006, Warner Music Group
signed an agreement to purchase a majority in shares (73.5%) of Roadrunner Records' parent company, Roadrunner Music Group B.V. This deal became finalized on January 29, 2007 after receiving regulatory approval in Germany
.
On June 11, 2008, Roadrunner Records was voted as the "Best Metal Label" by Metal Hammer at their Golden Gods Awards, an award that it has won the past four years in a row. The award was accepted by Sharon Den Adel and Ruud Jolie of Within Temptation
, one of Roadrunner's biggest acts.
However, Roadrunner has also been accused of being a label only interested in current or trendy alternative music, reflected by their current roster of mainly popular and metalcore acts. The most notable example of this is the treatment of the main death and thrash metal bands on Roadrunner's roster throughout the 90s including Obituary
, Deicide
, Death, Gorguts
and Pestilence
who were either dropped or left the label after ill treatment. One of the earliest names on the label, King Diamond
(who was originally signed to then-Roadracer with the legendary Mercyful Fate
before embarking his solo act), left the label due to alleged lack of promotional support for the 1990 King Diamond
release, The Eye
. Type O Negative
left Roadrunner in 2006 following a dispute over the label releasing a "hits" compilation, The Best of Type O Negative
, without prior notification to the band, which led them to accept a more appealing offer from SPV Records
. More recently, in 2008 punk cabaret
chanteuse Amanda Palmer
was told by the label that they wanted to re-edit her video for "Leeds United" to make her look slimmer, causing a firestorm on the Internet from fans. On April 6, 2010, Palmer announced on her Twitter account that Roadrunner had dropped her. The most recent complaints about Roadrunner have come from one of the label's biggest bands Megadeth
.
Roadrunner Records was majorly affected by Warner Music Group's legal dispute against YouTube
, including having their account's YouTube partnership canceled. Most of the videos on their channel, however, are still viewable. There is even a disclaimer talking about Warner's dispute right on the channel.
On November 11, 2010, Warner Music Group announced they had acquired the remaining of Roadrunner's stock. Roadrunner will continue to operate as a distinct brand within WMG, according to sources. Cees Wessels, the label's founder, remains CEO.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
that concentrates primarily on heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
.
History
The label was launched in 1980 as "Roadracer Records" in the Netherlands. Roadrunner's initial business was importing North American metal-band recordings into Europe. In 1986, Roadrunner opened its US headquarters in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and later opened offices in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and the latest in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Early successes included albums from King Diamond
King Diamond (band)
King Diamond is the heavy metal band that King Diamond formed after the split up of his heavy metal band Mercyful Fate, and the departure of Hank Shermann. He was joined by most members of the then defunct Mercyful Fate. The Satanic focus was replaced by a focus on horror stories...
(the first Roadrunner artist to enter the Billboard Top 200 albums chart) and Annihilator
Annihilator (band)
Annihilator is a Canadian heavy metal band hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, also from Vancouver, British Columbia between 1987-2002 by founding member, vocalist, guitarist and bassist Jeff Waters. The band has been around since 1984 and is the biggest selling heavy metal artist from Canada in history,...
. The label also handled early Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
releases in the Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n region. The end of the 1980s saw the release of two albums that are now considered classics of their respective genres: Obituary
Obituary (band)
Obituary is an American death metal band formed in 1984 in Tampa, Florida under the name Executioner, then changed the name's spelling to Xecutioner, and later changed their name to Obituary in 1988. The band comprises vocalist John Tardy, drummer Donald Tardy, guitarists Trevor Peres and Ralph...
's Slowly We Rot
Slowly We Rot
Slowly We Rot is a 1989 album by American death metal band Obituary. It was their debut album and is also the only album on which Obituary used E standard guitar tuning - all of Obituary's other albums use D standard tuning. Despite this, it is widely considered as Obituary's heaviest album...
and Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
's Beneath the Remains
Beneath the Remains
Beneath the Remains is the third studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1989. It was their first release through Roadrunner Records.-Overview:...
.
The 1990s saw the arrival of acts such as Life of Agony
Life of Agony
-Formation and River Runs Red :The band was formed in the summer of 1989 by singer Keith Caputo, bassist Alan Robert and guitarist Joey Z. After playing with several drummers, they enlisted Type O Negative drummer Sal Abruscato before recording the debut album River Runs Red after they signed to...
, Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, Suffocation
Suffocation (band)
Suffocation is an American death metal band that was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York. The band comprises vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais, drummer Mike Smith and bassist Derek Boyer. Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for...
, Type O Negative
Type O Negative
Type O Negative was a gothic metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. The band also incorporated elements of doom metal and thrash metal. Their dramatic lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "The Drab Four"...
, and underground grunge rockers Willard
Willard
- Places in the United States :* Willard, Colorado* Willard, Georgia* Willard, Kansas* Willard, Michigan, a small unincorporated community in Beaver Township, Bay County, Michigan* Willard, Missouri* Willard, New Mexico* Willard, New York...
. As the 1990s wore on, several of Roadrunner's bands managed to make an impact on the mainstream, most notably Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
and Type O Negative
Type O Negative
Type O Negative was a gothic metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. The band also incorporated elements of doom metal and thrash metal. Their dramatic lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "The Drab Four"...
. Sepultura's 1993 album, Chaos A.D., became the first Roadrunner band to crack the Top 40 on the Billboard album chart. Type O Negative became the first Roadrunner band to receive a certification from the RIAA; this was a Gold award (and later Platinum award) for the 1993 album Bloody Kisses
Bloody Kisses
Bloody Kisses is the third album by Brooklyn band Type O Negative. It marked significant stylistic growth for the band in terms of songwriting and production values, and it is also the last recording to feature Sal Abruscato on drums...
, which was certified in 1995. The band also became the first Roadrunner band to receive radio play. In 2000, Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
became the first Roadrunner band to go Platinum. Nickelback
Nickelback
Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....
were also very successful on the label (except they were on another label at home in Canada). Derek Shulman
Derek Shulman
Derek Shulman is a British musician and singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record executive...
ran the label in the late '90s.
Beginning in 2001, Roadrunner was distributed by the Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
through a share of the label owned by The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group, formerly The Island Def Jam Music Group, is an umbrella label formed in 1999 when Universal Music Group merged two of its daughter companies, Island Records and Def Jam Recordings, to create a label group. In 2011, Motown Records was split from the Universal...
. This deal has now expired.
On December 18, 2006, Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
signed an agreement to purchase a majority in shares (73.5%) of Roadrunner Records' parent company, Roadrunner Music Group B.V. This deal became finalized on January 29, 2007 after receiving regulatory approval in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
On June 11, 2008, Roadrunner Records was voted as the "Best Metal Label" by Metal Hammer at their Golden Gods Awards, an award that it has won the past four years in a row. The award was accepted by Sharon Den Adel and Ruud Jolie of Within Temptation
Within Temptation
Within Temptation is a Dutch symphonic gothic metal/rock band founded in 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. Their music is described as symphonic metal, although their earlier material, such as Enter, was gothic metal. In an interview, Den Adel said they fell into a...
, one of Roadrunner's biggest acts.
However, Roadrunner has also been accused of being a label only interested in current or trendy alternative music, reflected by their current roster of mainly popular and metalcore acts. The most notable example of this is the treatment of the main death and thrash metal bands on Roadrunner's roster throughout the 90s including Obituary
Obituary (band)
Obituary is an American death metal band formed in 1984 in Tampa, Florida under the name Executioner, then changed the name's spelling to Xecutioner, and later changed their name to Obituary in 1988. The band comprises vocalist John Tardy, drummer Donald Tardy, guitarists Trevor Peres and Ralph...
, Deicide
Deicide (band)
Deicide is an American death metal band formed in 1987. Their first two albums, Deicide and Legion, are ranked second and third place in best-selling death metal albums of the SoundScan era.-As Amon/Carnage :...
, Death, Gorguts
Gorguts
Gorguts is a technical death metal band from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. The band's only constant member is Luc Lemay.-History:Gorguts were formed in 1989 by Luc Lemay , Sylvain Marcoux , Éric Giguère and Stephane Provencher...
and Pestilence
Pestilence (band)
Pestilence is a death metal band from the Netherlands founded in 1986. Later they incorporated more jazz and fusion elements into their music. After disbanding in order to pursue other musical directions in 1994, Pestilence has reunited in 2008...
who were either dropped or left the label after ill treatment. One of the earliest names on the label, King Diamond
King Diamond
Kim Bendix Petersen , better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Grammy Award nominated Danish heavy metal musician. As a vocalist, he is known for his extensive vocal range, in particular his usage of falsetto. He is the lead vocalist for both Mercyful Fate and the eponymous King Diamond...
(who was originally signed to then-Roadracer with the legendary Mercyful Fate
Mercyful Fate
Mercyful Fate was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen. Initially active from 1981 to 1985, they reunited in 1992. The band went on hiatus again in 2000, when frontman King Diamond decided to continue his solo career...
before embarking his solo act), left the label due to alleged lack of promotional support for the 1990 King Diamond
King Diamond (band)
King Diamond is the heavy metal band that King Diamond formed after the split up of his heavy metal band Mercyful Fate, and the departure of Hank Shermann. He was joined by most members of the then defunct Mercyful Fate. The Satanic focus was replaced by a focus on horror stories...
release, The Eye
The Eye (King Diamond album)
- Personnel :* King Diamond - vocals, keyboards* Andy LaRocque - guitars* Pete Blakk - guitars* Hal Patino - bass* Snowy Shaw - drums* Roberto Falcao - keyboards...
. Type O Negative
Type O Negative
Type O Negative was a gothic metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. The band also incorporated elements of doom metal and thrash metal. Their dramatic lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "The Drab Four"...
left Roadrunner in 2006 following a dispute over the label releasing a "hits" compilation, The Best of Type O Negative
The Best of Type O Negative
The Best of Type O Negative is an album from Roadrunner Records, featuring a collection of Type O Negative's music with the label. The album was released without Type O Negative's involvement , so it's unlikely that the record was officially recognized by the band themselves...
, without prior notification to the band, which led them to accept a more appealing offer from SPV Records
SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
. More recently, in 2008 punk cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
chanteuse Amanda Palmer
Amanda Palmer
Amanda MacKinnon Gaiman Palmer , sometimes known as Amanda Fucking Palmer, is an American performer who first rose to prominence as the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist/composer of the duo The Dresden Dolls...
was told by the label that they wanted to re-edit her video for "Leeds United" to make her look slimmer, causing a firestorm on the Internet from fans. On April 6, 2010, Palmer announced on her Twitter account that Roadrunner had dropped her. The most recent complaints about Roadrunner have come from one of the label's biggest bands Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
.
Roadrunner Records was majorly affected by Warner Music Group's legal dispute against YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, including having their account's YouTube partnership canceled. Most of the videos on their channel, however, are still viewable. There is even a disclaimer talking about Warner's dispute right on the channel.
On November 11, 2010, Warner Music Group announced they had acquired the remaining of Roadrunner's stock. Roadrunner will continue to operate as a distinct brand within WMG, according to sources. Cees Wessels, the label's founder, remains CEO.
Discography
Roadrunner Records started with the prefix "9999" and the releases goes downward from that.- RR 9999, Jim Croce, "Zijn Grootste Successen", Double LP, (1981)
- RR 9998, Jim Croce, "I Got A Name", LP, (1981)
- RR 9997, Jim Croce, "Life And Times", LP, (1981)
- RR 9996, Jim Croce, "You Don't Mess Around With Jim", LP, (1981)
- RR 9995, The Exploited, "Punks Not Dead", LP, (1981)
- RR 9994, Au Pairs, "Playing With A Different Sex", LP, (1981)
- RR 34 9994, Au Pairs, "Playing With A Different Sex", CD, (1985?)
- The Heart of Roadrunner Records (2000)
- Freddy vs. Jason (soundtrack)Freddy vs. Jason (soundtrack)Freddy vs. Jason is the soundtrack to the 2003 film Freddy vs. Jason. It was released on August 12, 2003 on Roadrunner Records. The album features twenty tracks, including fourteen of them being previously unreleased by the band, which makes the soundtrack most notable.-Track listing:† Indicates...
(2003) - Roadrunner United - The All-Stars SessionsRoadrunner UnitedRoadrunner United was a project organized by the heavy metal record label Roadrunner Records to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It culminated in an album released worldwide on October 11, 2005, entitled The All-Star Sessions...
(2005) - The EndThe End (Roadrunner United song)The End is a song recorded by Roadrunner United for their only album, The All-Star Sessions. It was released as a single and made with a video with the band playing in various "down town" locations...
(Single) (2005) - Two from the Vault album series no
- Forged in Steel (2007)
- Between Rock and a Hard Place (2008)
- Roadrunner United: The Concert DVD (2008)
- Annual Assault (2009)
- God of War: Blood & Metal EP (2010)
See also
- List of record labels
- Roadrunner Records artists