Rykodisc

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Rykodisc Records is an American record label, and subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Claiming to be the first CD-only independent record label in the United States, Rykodisc was founded in 1983 or 1984[link] in Salem, Massachusetts, by Arthur Mann, Rob Simonds, Doug Lexa and Don Rose. The word "ryko" means approximately "sound from a flash of light" in Japanese, a reference to their intention to concentrate on the then-new compact disc technology. In the late 1980s, the label also began to issue high-quality cassette and vinyl versions of many releases under the name Ryko Analogue.

Rykodisc had some notable successes in the CD-reissue industry, as artists such as Elvis Costello, David Bowie, Yoko Ono, Frank Zappa and Mission of Burma allowed Rykodisc to issue their catalogs on CD. Rykodisc still retains the rights to the Zappa and Mission of Burma catalogs. Rykodisc also has re-released the classic SST Records-era recordings by the Meat Puppets.

This piece of artwork was used as the behind-the-trays artwork for some of the Rykodisc CD reissues in 1994.

Over the years the label has acquired Hannibal Records, Tradition Records, Gramavision Records and Restless Records, as well as founded a distribution company, Ryko Distribution and a music publishing company, Rykomusic. The label's catalogue now exceeds 1,200 titles.

In 1999, 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 2001 Blackwell parted ways with Rykodisc. The label is now located in New York with offices in Los Angeles and in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Rykodisc sets apart their CD issues with their trademarked green-tinted jewel boxes, which the company began using in 1988. The label began limiting the use of the green-tinted cases on new releases in 2002.

On March 23, 2006, it was announced that Warner Music Group acquired the Ryko Corporation for $67.5 million.

List of artists

• Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire (no longer with Rykodisc)
• Belinda Carlisle (with her 2006 album, "Voila")
• Big Star
• Bill Hicks
• Bob Mould
• Catie Curtis (no longer with Rykodisc)
• David Bowie (no longer with Rykodisc)
• Death Angel
• Dumptruck
• Elvis Costello and the Attractions (no longer with Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa
• Galaxie 500
• Golden Smog
• James Kochalka
• Joe Jackson
• Jolly Boys
• Ladytron
• Meat Puppets
• Mickey Hart
• Mission of Burma
• Miss Kitten
• Mono (no longer with Rykodisc)
• Morphine
• My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
• Nils Lofgren
• Nine Inch Nails Ownership of 1989-1991 catalogue
• Revolting Cocks
• Robert Cray
• Roky Erickson
• Soul Asylum
• Sugar
• The Residents (no longer with Rykodisc)
• Waltham
• Wednesday 13
• Willard Grant Conspiracy (no longer with Rykodisc)
• Yoko Ono (no longer with Rykodisc)

See also

• List of record labels

External link

• [Official site]

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