Domino Recording Company

Domino Recording Company
Domino Recording Company
Founded1993 (1993)
Founder
  • Laurence Bell
  • Jacqui Rice
Distributor(s)Redeye[1] (US)
PIAS Group (UK & Ireland)
Outside Music (Canada)
Hostess/Sony (Japan)
Genre
Country of originUnited Kingdom
LocationLondon, England
Official websitedominomusic.com

Domino Recording Company, or simply Domino, is a British independent record label based in London. There is also a wing of the label based in Brooklyn, New York that handles releases in the United States, as well as a German division called Domino Deutschland and a French division called Domino France. In addition, Stephen Pastel presides over the subsidiary label Geographic Music, which releases more 'unusual' music from Britain and outside of the Western world. In 2011, the company announced that it was beginning a book publishing division, The Domino Press.[2]

History

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Founded in 1993, by Laurence Bell and Jacqui Rice, the label's first release was the Sebadoh EP Rocking the Forest, licensed from Sub Pop records for release in the UK. Many of the early releases were by American artists who in the US were signed to Drag City (Smog, Will Oldham, Royal Trux), a relationship which continues to this day. Success was not immediate, as labels such as Domino, who were releasing more established American rock and unusual British music, were marginalised during the Britpop era, but a steady stream of new signings gave the label increasing credibility. Recent high-profile releases from Anna Calvi, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, and The Kills have only acted as a catalyst to this, and Domino is now one of the longest running and most successful independent record labels in the UK.

2003 was the label's 10th anniversary. There were a number of new releases, as well as a compilation album and a series of gigs in London under the 'Worlds of Possibility' banner, to celebrate the label's first decade in October of that year.

Domino celebrated their first UK #1 album in October 2005 with Franz Ferdinand's You Could Have It So Much Better, and their first UK #1 single with Arctic Monkeys' "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" later that same month.

In March 2021, it was announced that seminal shoegaze band My Bloody Valentine had signed with the label. This announcement was accompanied by the first ever official digital release of the band's discography to streaming platforms.[3]

As well as new music, Domino have released compilations by British post-punk bands such as Orange Juice, Josef K, Fire Engines and Young Marble Giants.

Notable artists

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Domino UK

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Current

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Former artists

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Domino US

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Imprints

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Geographic Music

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Double Six Records

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Weird World

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Stassen, Murray (6 January 2020). "Beggars leaves ADA to join Redeye, alongside Domino, for physical distribution in the US". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Domino | Artists | The Domino Press". Dominorecordco.com. 3 February 2011. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  3. ^ "My Bloody Valentine sign with Domino Records and release back catalogue on streaming services". NME. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Quirky debut release ensures splash for Isle of Wight band Wet Leg". Isle of Wight County Press. 15 June 2021.
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