CandyRat Records

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox record label

| name = CandyRat Records

| image_name =

| image_size =

| image_bg =

| parent =

| founded = 2005

| founder = Rob Poland

| status =

| distributor =

| genre = Fingerstyle, Percussive fingerstyle

| country = United States

| location = Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin{{Cite web|title= CandyRat Records|url= http://www.allrecordlabels.com/db/8/21328.html|publisher= AllRecordLabels.com|access-date= March 11, 2010|archive-date= October 26, 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111026232321/http://www.allrecordlabels.com/db/8/21328.html|url-status= dead}}

| url = {{URL|candyrat.com}}

}}

CandyRat Records (also stylized as CANdYRAT) is an independent American record label and online music store located in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. They primarily represent instrumental guitar artists, with a focus on acoustic guitar, but include electronic music, alternative rock, singer-songwriter, and progressive rock, with musicians coming from many countries.{{Cite web|url=http://www.candyrat.com/|title=Home {{!}} CandyRat Records|website=www.candyrat.com|access-date=August 20, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Intervista a Rob Poland, fondatore dell'etichetta CandyRat Records - Fingerpicking.net|url=http://fingerpicking.net/an-interview-with-rob-poland-founder-of-candyrat-records/|website=Fingerpicking.net|accessdate=August 25, 2017|language=it-IT|date=April 7, 2011}}

Rob Poland founded the label in 2004, first signing fingerstyle guitar talent Don Ross,{{Cite web|url=http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/events/4778-don-ross-calum-graham|title=Don Ross & Calum Graham {{!}} Daily Hive Vancouver|website=dailyhive.com|language=en|access-date=August 21, 2017}} followed by Andy McKee,{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/279197/andy-mckee/biography|title=Andy McKee – Biography {{!}} Billboard|website=www.billboard.com|language=en|access-date=August 20, 2017|archive-date=May 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504085526/https://www.billboard.com/artist/279197/andy-mckee/biography|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V131/N44/andymckee.html|title=INTERVIEW On YouTube, musicianship, and guitars – The Tech|last=Chen|first=Jeff Z.|website=tech.mit.edu|access-date=August 20, 2017}} Antoine Dufour, and three other artists before officially opening in 2005.{{Cite web|url=http://www.candyrat.com/news/Press%20Release%2011-15-05%20CandyRat%20Records%20Official%20Launch.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515100808/http://www.candyrat.com/news/Press%20Release%2011-15-05%20CandyRat%20Records%20Official%20Launch.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 15, 2006|title=CANDYRAT Web Store Official Launch|date=May 1, 2006|access-date=August 21, 2017}} CandyRat Records has been called the "biggest acoustical guitar label in the world",{{Cite web|url=http://www.acousticmagazine.com/features/on-this-months-acoustic-presents-cd-2/|title=On this month's Acoustic Presents CD… {{!}} Acoustic Magazine|website=www.acousticmagazine.com|language=en-US|access-date=August 20, 2017}} and the two-handed tapping technique of playing the guitar to produce bass, rhythm, melody and harmony, which is practised by many of its artists, has become known as the CandyRat style.{{cite news |last1=ESTWICK |first1=DOUGLAS |title=No average joe strummer |url=http://web.a.ebscohost.com.rp.nla.gov.au/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=9ba99a53-7a6e-411f-a477-78f3c4611ebc%40sessionmgr4009&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=201304101033586777&db=anh |accessdate=May 10, 2019 |work=South-West News |date=April 10, 2013 |location=Brisbane, Queensland, Australia }}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The label gained fame after videos on its official YouTube page, 'rpoland', gained viral success.{{Cite news|url=https://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2009/02/24/qa-with-andy-mckee/|title=Q&A with Andy McKee|work=The Badger Herald|access-date=August 21, 2017|language=en-US}} Recording sessions are filmed and uploaded, contributing to the success of the albums.{{cite news |last1=Ward |first1=Nick |title=Disconcerted by a bone-shaker |url=http://web.a.ebscohost.com.rp.nla.gov.au/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=144649f1-01ce-49f2-9fb2-222948670c8c%40sdc-v-sessmgr01&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=NEM080501001416617663-CY&db=anh |accessdate=May 10, 2019 |work=The Nelson Mail |date=May 1, 2008 |page=14 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |last1=Reich |first1=Josh |title=Power keeps blowing hot |url=http://web.a.ebscohost.com.rp.nla.gov.au/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=80d43b0d-541c-4015-8750-9d634b855db5%40sdc-v-sessmgr05&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=NEM0902120011113834440-DC&db=anh |accessdate=May 10, 2019 |work=The Nelson Mail |date=February 12, 2009 |page=11 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} As of November 2014, the most popular video on the channel, a live recording of Andy Mckee's "Drifting",{{cite news |last1=Condran |first1=Ed |title=Obscure no more. YouTube exposure does wonders for Andy McKee |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/144617549/?terms=CandyRat |accessdate=May 10, 2019 |work=Asbury Park Press |date=February 8, 2008 |location=Asbury Park, New Jersey |page=23, jersey alive!}} garnered over 50 million views.{{Cite news|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/Hc7nTXXzBn5k9KNaz3GTSJ/Flying-fingers-CANdYRAT-Records.html|title=Flying fingers: CANdYRAT Records|last=Rao|first=Akshay|date=November 1, 2015|work=livemint.com/|access-date=August 20, 2017}}{{Cite web|title= "Drifting" Official Video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/Ddn4MGaS3N4 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|publisher= YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Their YouTube channel has over a half-million subscribers and almost four-hundred million views.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/rpoland|title=Candyrat Records|website=YouTube|access-date=August 20, 2017}}

CandyRat Guitar Night Tour features CandyRat Records' guitar virtuosos traveling the U.S. and the world.{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=David |title=Guitarists' road shows a success so far |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/206838560/?terms=CandyRat |accessdate=May 10, 2019 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=March 23, 2012 |location=Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA |page=3, Venue}}{{cite web|title=Tours {{!}} CandyRat Records|url=https://www.candyrat.com/tours/|website=www.candyrat.com|accessdate=August 25, 2017}}{{cite news |title=Playing beautiful music |url=http://web.a.ebscohost.com.rp.nla.gov.au/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=8c0020a2-18b8-4e88-b7aa-d7ef180867b1%40sdc-v-sessmgr03&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=apn.NFPTKP8&db=anh |accessdate=May 10, 2019 |work=Sunshine Coast Daily |date=September 22, 2017 |page=19 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|title=CANDYRAT GUITAR NIGHT – Apr 6 2013, 7:30PM|url=https://vanlarkins.com/event/289804/1590125/candyrat-guitar-night|website=vanlarkins.com}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} For 2017, Antoine Dufour and Ian Ethan Case toured.{{cite news|title=Guitar virtuosos Antoine Dufour & Ian Ethan Case to play Lakeward Spirits Event Center|url=https://www.buffalorising.com/2017/05/guitar-virtuosos-antoine-dufour-ian-ethan-case-to-play-lakeward-spirits-event-center/|accessdate=August 25, 2017|work=Buffalo Rising|date=May 3, 2017}} CandyRat is also a festival partner for the Wilson Center Guitar Competition & Festival, with Rob Poland and the CandyRat headliners as some of the judges for the fingerstyle competition.{{cite web|title=Wilson Center Guitar Festival|url=http://www.wilson-center.com/guitar-competition-festival/|website=Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts|accessdate=August 25, 2017}}{{cite web|title=2017 Guitar Fest Judges|url=http://www.wilson-center.com/guitar-fest-judges-2017|website=Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts|accessdate=August 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825143824/http://www.wilson-center.com/guitar-fest-judges-2017|archive-date=August 25, 2017|url-status=dead}}