The following is a list of music labels that predominantly feature industrial music styles and that have released or distributed work by one or more notable industrial music artists or bands.
The releases for each of the labels here listed can be categorized by one of the many industrial music genres for the entirety of, or a significant portion of, the label's lifetime. For the purposes of this list we are using a maximally inclusive definition of "industrial" music, taking a cue from S. Alexander Reed's characterization of genre as "both hazy and changing over time."[1] Therefore, some labels, such as Cleopatra, Mute, and Play It Again Sam that began as predominantly industrial music labels but diversified over the years are included due to their significant contributions to the genre during those periods.
Many of the listed labels shared bands and artists due to licensing agreements meant to increase distribution in different markets and geographic areas; e.g.: Cleopatra & Zoth Ommog, Metropolis & Off Beat, Wax Trax! & Play It Again Sam. Likewise, some of these labels revived the back catalog of others that have closed, e.g.: Infacted with Zoth Ommog & Bloodline, Metropolis with 21st Circuitry & Pendragon, etc. Several labels spawned sub-labels to differentiate between styles; any of which that meet the genre definitions above are included separately in the list with relationships indicated.
An independent record label and online store specializing in synthpop and related genres and founded by Todd Durrant.[2] The label held a yearly Synthpop Music Festival which ran for 3 years, from 2004 to 2006; in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Red Lion Hotel.[3] A selection of songs from the label's artists have been featured on various versions of Konami's Dance Dance Revolution series, including the arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution X.
Established in Germany by Stefan Alt and Alex Pickar. The name is derived from the phrase "Anti-Zensur" ("anti-censorship"). Ant Zen also runs several boutique sub-labels including Bazooka Joe, Delikatessen Records, Duebel, Flyco, Hymen Records, and Mirex.[5][6][7]
Belgian label founded in Aarschot by music producer Roland Beelen.[8] In 1989, Antler merged with Maurice Engelen's (of Lords Of Acid) New Beat imprint Subway Records. The label was influential in EBM & New Beat during its early years but shifted towards a more dance & techno roster during the 90s.[9]
Founded by English musician Justin Broadrick in 1999. It is named after Broadrick's own recording studio, Avalanche Studios, and mainly releases Justin Broadrick's side projects.
Founded by French photographer, Philippe Fichot, who used the label to primarily release his work as Die Form as well as other experimental music artists.[10]
Founded by Alfred Kaenders. Spawned sub-label Khazad-Dûm and produced compilation releases for Side-Line and Vertigo. The label ceased operations in 1998 after experiencing financial difficulties.[12]
Founded in Los Angeles by Brian Perera. It started out as a primarily industrial-gothic imprint that imported many European bands to the US,[13] but has since grown into a more diverse direction and spawned a family of labels, including Hypnotic Records, Purple Pyramid Records, Deadline Music Records, and X-Ray Records.
Founded by Justin Mitchell and based in Northamptonshire, England, specialising in "all forms of extreme media, but particularly: Dark ambient, Neo-classical/Neo-folk, Orchestral, Power Electronics/Noise, Japanese Noise, Minimal, Death Industrial, Dark Soundtracks, Experimental, obscure electronics from Russia, China, Japan, and Poland.
Founded by Giampiero Barlotti. Shares a name with a record shop in Firenze, Italy from where the label was formed.[15] First active from 1984 to 1995, Contempo specialized in electronic, industrial, and post-punk. The label has since relaunched with a focus on indie and rock genres.
Founded in 1991 by Christian Petke (a.k.a. Count Zero of Deathline Int'l.) in Frankfurt, Germany. A few months later his girlfriend, Kim "X" Nguyen, opened a branch office in Oakland, CA. Among the more notable of the label's releases were the female-focused, "Diva X Machina" compilations series.[16]
First called Cure, Starwave Records started as an Osaka-based project to release works by label-owner Kiwamu's own band Blood. The label changed names to Darkest Labyrinth and expanded to distribute music by international Gothic and Post-Industrial artists in Japan.
An EBM "mega label"[18] founded by former Off Beat A&R manager Stefan Herwig along with Eskil Simonsson (Covenant), Johan Van Roy (Suicide Commando), Bryan Erickson (Velvet Acid Christ), and Ronan Harris (VNV Nation).
Founded by Jor and Anna Rosen after the success of Machinery Records specifically to release industrial metal music. Both labels later came under the Noise Records banner, a label of Modern Music Records, but still continued to release music under their own names.
A sub-label of Hot Stuff founded by Per Faeltenbor. Merged with the labels Front Music Production and Electronic Beat Association in 1990 to become Energy Rekords.[21]
Formed in 1990 by the merging of the three labels: Front Music Production, Electronic Beat Association, and Energy - all small labels run from the Swedish town of Älmhult - founders Håkan Ehrnst, Krister Svensson and Per Faeltenborg. In 1998 Energy Rekords merged with October Records and added that label's bands to its roster.
Founded by Ulex Xane and initially specialised in underground experimental and industrial cassettes. Roger Richards became involved in 1987 and eventually became the label's director after Xane's departure.
Founded by Rod Pearce, who adapted the name from a mail art t-shirt.[22] It was also a home to the early works of graphic designer Neville Brody, who created artwork for releases as art director for the label. Fetish's final release was the compilation album The Last Testament in 1983, which featured a sleeve note written by Jon Savage.
Founded by Zalman Fishman, owner of the nightclub FIFTH COLVMN, located in Washington D.C. Following an investigation for tax evasion, the Fifth Column nightclub closed in 1996. Although a separate entity, the label eventually suffered as well and ceased operation in 1997.
Founded by Håkan Ehrns. In 1990 merged with the labels Energy (A Division Of Hot Stuff) and Electronic Beat Association to become Energy Rekords.[21] Front Music Production was connected to Swiss label Art Sound Records. Both labels have been founded by Swiss/Sweden music magazine New Life.
A.k.a. "General Purpose Cassettes," founded in Newark, DE by Sloth (a member of Batz Without Flesh), Cliff Tkac (a member of XenophoN) and Alex Kane (of Sinister Attraction.)[24][25]
Established by M. Griffin to release his own recordings, but later expanded to distribute other ambient and drone artists including releases on the Binary and Hypnos Secret Sounds sub-labels.
Industrial Records is a record label established in 1976 by industrial music group and performance artists Throbbing Gristle. The group created the label primarily for self-releases but also signed several other groups and artists. The label gave a name to the industrial music genre.
Belgian label that was influential with EBM/Industrial in the 2nd half of the 80s.[20] During the 90s the style changed into some more experimental pop-electro before it dissolved around 2000. Spawned numerous sublabels including Electrip, Instinct Ambient Europe, KK Traxx, Madagascar, Nova Zembla, Radical Ambient, Terminal Antwerp, Ultraxx, Zazaboem.
Founded by Jor Jenka and Anna Rosen in Berlin, Germany. In 1991, Machinery came under the Noise Records banner, as part of the Modern Music Records group. By the end of the 1990s Machinery was releasing less music, with many of the original acts instead releasing on the Dynamica sub-label. When Modern Music was acquired by the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001, the Machinery imprint was dropped.
A Swedish record label focusing on synth-, electro- and futurepop, although it also released some EBM in the 1990s. In 2001, it formed Prototyp, a sublabel focusing on EBM, industrial and harder electro.
Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1993 by Dave Heckman. The label's all-electronic format closely tracked with European contemporaries such as Off Beat and, since 1995, has been instrumental in promoting and distributing underground electronic music in America.
Founded by composer Ivan Iusco, originally to release his own work as Nightmare Lodge as well as other Italian electronic musicians. Minus Habens spawned a sister label, Disturbance, that focused on techno & ambient including Iusco's own IT project.[29]
Originally created by Nettwerk principals Terry McBride, Mark Jowett, Ric Arboit and Dan Fraser, as a record label to distribute recordings by the band Moev, but the label expanded in Canada and internationally. Initially specializing in electronic music genres such as alternative dance and industrial, the label turned towards pop and rock in the late 1980s and 1990s.
Began as Death In June's personal self-produced label. In the 1980s' NER was distributed by Rough Trade UK, in 1990s' by World Serpent Distribution. Due to legal problems between Death In June and WSD, in 2000 the distributor then became Tesco Organisation, Germany which ended 7 years later. Since 2007 the official Worldwide distributors of the NER catalogue are Soleilmoon in America and NEROZ II in Australia.
Founded by Kristy Venrick of The Azoic, after Oneiroid Psychosis asked her to release their next album. Though she did not have a record label at the time, Oneiroid Psychosis was impressed by Kristy's success at promoting her own band. After considering the proposal, a year later, Kristy agreed and decided to begin Nilaihah Records.
Founded by Stefan Herwig and Thorsten Stroht after Stefan closed Kugelblitz Records. Sublabel of WestCom along with sister labels Visage (synthpop), Poison Ivy (goth rock), and Nightshade Productions (dark wave). In 1999 Stefan Herwig, A&R manager at Off Beat, left the company over differences in promotion to form the Dependent label, taking many of Off Beat's acts with him and effectively shutting down Off Beat & Westcom.
Founded by Irish expatriate Colm O'Connor. The label was bought out by Metropolis Records in 1999 shortly after it released Halo_Gen's self-titled album. When Metropolis Records bought Pendragon, they continued to sell Pendragon's backstock.
Founded by Ric Laciak, a disc jockey for WMSE in Milwaukee and writer for Industrial Nation magazine.[30] It was originally started as "GAWMUS," a fan club for members of the band Leæther Strip.[31] In 1995, Ras Dva released There Is No Time, a comprehensive 4-CD compilation of the European and American industrial music scenes.
European subsidiary of the UK-based Red Rhino Records that served as Front 242's European label during the 1980s and 90s.[32] RRE was acquired by Play It Again Sam after the financial collapse of its parent company in 1988.
A division of Cargo Music based in California. The label was founded in 1991 and headed by Chase, who was previously the music director at KCR, a student radio station on the campus of San Diego State University.
Began as a cassette label operating from the back of a record shop called the Ooze in Portland, Oregon, US. In 1991 the shop was sold and Soleilmoon became a full-time label.
Founded by Geert-Jan Hobijn and is famous for its Mort Aux Vaches series, which is a collaboration between Staalplaat and the national Dutch radio VPRO, in which the station provides the recording sessions and Staalplaat releases them in a limited edition.
Founded in 2003 by Christophe Gales and Serge Usson after the demise of Gales' previous CD-R label Black Sun Rising. Steelwork Maschine also started a mail-order store on internet in 2004.
Founded by Nigel Ayers and Caroline K of the post-industrial music group Nocturnal Emissions. Caroline K left the label in 1983. In 1986 the label was effectively dissolved as Ayers turned his attention to setting up the Earthly Delights company.
Founded by Dwayne Goettel of Skinny Puppy and Phil Western of Download. The label has been described as a "record label, musician collective, remix team, 32-track digital studio, [and an] analogue synth museum."
Founded by Steve Tupper and a then partner, Michael Fox, in San Francisco. Subterranean had a small storefront record shop on Valencia Street for about 4 years, from about 1984 to 1988.
Founded by Andreas Tomalla (a.k.a. Talla 2XLC).[34] The label's first records appeared under the tagline 'Aggrepo', which is a syllabic abbreviation of aggressive / positive – a German-based alternative term for Electronic Body Music. Tomalla left the label in 1989 to found Zoth Ommog and New Zone, after which TDI turned towards a house & techno sound.
Founded by Genesis P-Orridge and Psychic TV from 1984 through 1994 for releases by Psychic TV and related projects. TOPYUS was the related sublabel for releases inside the United States of America. In 2003, the label was resurrected as a part of the Voiceprint label group.
Founded by Joachim Kohl and Klaus Hilger, Tesco Organisation started as a mail order company in 1987. In 1989 the label released their first album and shortly after this release Tesco expanded and created a sub-label, Functional, primarily for the re-release of unknown cassette recordings.
TVT Records (Tee-Vee Tunes) was an American record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. In 1992, TVT purchased the Chicago-based industrial music label Wax Trax! Records. In 2007, TVT filed for bankruptcy and in 2010 much of the label's back catalog was acquired by The Bicycle Music Company.
Formed by Nurse With Wound to distribute their own releases but later expanded.[36] Distributed by World Serpent Distribution until 2003, and by Jnana Records thereafter.
Founded by Frank Maier with the purpose of re-releasing on vinyl many of the limited edition cassettes in Frank's collection, but as time passed the reissues became deluxe box sets with material from cassettes as well as unreleased material. Vinyl On Demand sold yearly subscriptions to collectors, often providing extras exclusively for subscribers.
Founded by Hoger Hanraths out of his mail order service that originated in the tape scene of the 1980s. VUZ spawned a boutique sub-label, Cats' Heaven, that dealt in more of an industrial-inspired dark ambient and trance direction.[40]
Label began by Jim Nash & Dannie Flesher at the beginning of the 1980s named after the record store that the pair originally established in Denver, Colorado. The label was in operation until 1992 when it was purchased by TVT Records.[41]
Founded by former Wax Trax! Records employee Bart Pfanenstiel and David Schock. Distributed worldwide by MVD (Music and Video Distribution) former distributors include NAIL Distribution a Division of the Allegro Media Group and Planetworks Entertainment.
Established by German music producer Andreas Tomalla (aka Talla 2XLC) and later handed over to producer Torben Schmidt. Held under the umbrella of Music Research GmbH along with sister labels New Zone, Metamatic, and others.
^Comer, M Tye (13 September 1999). "RPM News". CMJ New Music Report. 60 (635). CMJ Network, Inc.: 70. ISSN0890-0795. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
^Martens, Todd (12 March 2005). "Meet the Fontana Family". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 11. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 65. ISSN0006-2510. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
