Universal Records
Parent company	Universal Music Group
Founded	1995
Founder	Doug Morris Daniel Glass
Status	Active
Distributing label	Universal Motown Republic Group (US)
Genre	Various
Country of origin	United States
Location	New York, New York
Official Website	Official website of Universal Records

Universal Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.

[edit] History

Founded in 1995 as Rising Tide Records, the following year its name was changed to Universal Records and began to thrive. The label was created by current Universal Music Group chairman Doug Morris and Daniel Glass, who became its president.

Universal Records had success in breaking new artists, including the multi-platinum debut of Erykah Badu, Billie Myers, Goldfinger and the Lost Boyz. Recognizing the changing landscape of the industry, Glass strategically aligned Universal Records with such independent record labels as Kedar Entertainment, home to Erykah Badu, and Mojo Records, home to platinum artist Reel Big Fish and the Cherry Poppin' Daddies.

As the 1990s ended and the 2000s began, the label had notable success with acts like 3 Doors Down, 98 Degrees, Chamillionaire, Godsmack, Jack Johnson, Juvenile, Nelly, Lil Wayne, and Mika. In 1999, Universal Records was pooled together with Motown Records and Republic Records to form Universal Motown Republic Group under which it operates today.

There have been unrelated Universal Records labels in Europe and the Philippines. Because of the unrelated label in the Philippines owning the rights to the Universal Records name in that country; parent company Universal Music Group does business in the Philippines as MCA Music, Inc., using UMG's former name.

[edit] Affiliated labels

[edit] See also

• Universal Records artists
• List of record labels

[edit] References