Immortal Records
{{Short description|American record label}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox record label
| name = Immortal Records
| image = Immortal Records logo.jpeg
| founded = {{start date|1990}}
| founder = Happy Walters
Amanda Scheer Demme
| distributor = Epic (1991–1999)
Virgin (1999–2002)
RED (2003–2007)
| genre = {{hlist|Punk rock|alternative rock||{{nowrap|alternative metal}}|hip hop}}
| country = United States
| location = Los Angeles, California
| status = Defunct
| defunct = 2007
}}
Immortal Records was an American independent record label/imprint label based in Los Angeles, California.{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1997/Billboard-1997-04-19.pdf|title=Billboard|date=1997-04-19|website=Worldradiohistory.com|access-date=2022-04-09}} The company helped launch the careers of such influential acts as Korn, Thirty Seconds To Mars, and Incubus over the years. The label had also released soundtracks, including Judgment Night, Spawn, Blade II and Masters of Horror. It was distributed by various labels, including Epic, Virgin and RED Distribution.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MhEEAAAAMBAJ&dq=immortal+records+closed+down&pg=PA38 |title=Billboard |date=2003-08-02 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}
History
Immortal Records was founded in 1991 by Amanda Scheer Demme and Happy Walters. Shortly after its inception, the label signed a three-year deal with Epic Records. The label also renewed its contract with the label in 1994 for two years further.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9w4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=epic+records+immortal+records+billboard+1991&pg=PA8 |title=Billboard |date=1997-04-19 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}
In 1997, following the expiration of their two-year renewal Epic re-signed a new five-year deal with the label worth $35 million. The deal granted the label more creative freedoms, and around this time the label grew its staff from 15 to 20 employees. However, in 1998 the head of Epic, Richard Griffiths, was fired from his position, and relations between Epic and Immortal began to sour. They eventually agreed to separate, with Epic retaining the rights to Korn and Incubus.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nwgEAAAAMBAJ&dq=immortal+records+virgin+billboard&pg=PA107 |title=Billboard |date=1999-09-04 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}
In September 1999, Immortal signed a five-year deal with Virgin Records. Virgin's deal with the label was intended to help the label gain new rock acts.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bRQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=immortal+records+virgin+billboard&pg=PA100 |title=Billboard |date=2001-06-23 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}} The first signing under the new deal was punk rock band U.S. Crush. The deal was severed in late 2002 after the exits of the executives who signed the label's 1999 distribution deal. Virgin kept Thirty Seconds To Mars on the label.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MhEEAAAAMBAJ&dq=immortal+records+red+distribution&pg=PA38 |title=Billboard |date=2003-08-02 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}
In August 2003, Immortal signed a deal with RED Distribution.
The company ceased operations in November 2007.{{Cite web |title=Immortal Records ceases operations |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/26297/immortal-records-ceases-operations |author=Paul, Aubin|date=November 1, 2007|access-date=2021-12-22 |website=Punknews.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Archive-Chris-Harris |title=30 Seconds To Mars' Jared Leto Says $30 Million Lawsuit Against Band Is 'Ridiculously Overblown' |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1592982/30-seconds-to-mars-jared-leto-says-30-million-lawsuit-against-band-is-ridiculously-overblown/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708162910/http://www.mtv.com/news/1592982/30-seconds-to-mars-jared-leto-says-30-million-lawsuit-against-band-is-ridiculously-overblown/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 8, 2014 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=MTV News |language=en}} Despite this, its name was still used on albums by Incubus and Thirty Seconds To Mars after the label's closure. The Escape Frame's self-titled album, which was intended to be released on Immortal prior to it going defunct, was released through End Sounds in September 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/30425/the-escape-frame-set-for-release-after-full-year-delay|title=The Escape Frame set for release after full-year delay|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=September 13, 2008|access-date=June 18, 2022}}
Discography
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Distributor !Year !Release Date !Artist / Band !Album !Billboard 200 Position |
| rowspan="3" |Epic
| rowspan="2" |1993 |May 4, 1993 | |
| September 14, 1993
|Various Artists |US: Gold |
| rowspan="5" |1994
|July 12, 1994 |Black 14 |— | |
| RCA
|April 26, 1994 |— | |
| rowspan="20" |Epic
|October 4, 1994 |Various Artists |— | |
| October 11, 1994
|Korn |Korn |US: 2× Platinum |
| November 15, 1994
|Various Artists |— | |
| rowspan="2" |1995
|July 4, 1995 |Funkdoobiest | |
| October 31, 1995
|Various Artists |The Next Chapter: Strictly Underground |— | |
| rowspan="3" |1996
|April 3, 1996 |Far |Tin Cans With Strings To You |— | |
| August 20, 1996
|Receiving The Gift of Flavour |— | |
| October 15, 1996
|Korn |US: 2× Platinum |
| rowspan="3" |1997
|January 7, 1997 |Incubus |Enjoy Incubus (EP) |— | |
| July 29, 1997
|Various Artists |US: Gold |
| September 9, 1997
|Incubus |— |US: Gold |
| rowspan="6" |1998
|March 10, 1998 |Far |— | |
| April 21, 1998
|The Urge | |
| August 18, 1998
|Korn |US: 5× Platinum |
| September 8, 1998
|Boo-Tay |— | |
| rowspan="2" |October 13, 1998
|Various Artists | |
| Goodness
|— | |
| rowspan="3" |1999
|March 30, 1999 |Various Artists |#7 |US: Gold |
| October 26, 1999
|Incubus |US: 2× Platinum |
| November 16, 1999
|Korn |US: 3× Platinum |
| rowspan="6" |Virgin
| rowspan="3" |2000 |July 18, 2000 |The Urge | |
| October 10, 2000
|Bare Jr. |— | |
| November 7, 2000
|Snot |#56 | |
| rowspan="5" |2001
|April 11, 2001 |— | |
| July 3, 2001
|Various Artists |Kiss of the Dragon soundtrack |— | |
| August 14, 2001
|— | |
| Epic
|October 23, 2001 |Incubus |US: 2× Platinum |
| rowspan="3" |Virgin
|November 9, 2001 |Transmatic |— | |
| rowspan="4" |2002
|February 26, 2002 |— | |
| March 19, 2002
|Various Artists | |
| Epic
|June 11, 2002 |Korn |US: Platinum |
| Virgin
|August 27, 2002 | |
| rowspan="2" |RED
| rowspan="3" |2003 |May 20, 2003 |7th Standard |Fire From the Sky |— | |
| November 11, 2003
|Various Artists |A Santa Cause: It's a Punk |— | |
| rowspan="3" |Epic
|November 21, 2003 |Korn |US: Platinum |
| rowspan="3" |2004
|February 3, 2004 |Incubus |US: Platinum |
| October 5, 2004
|Korn |US: Platinum |
| rowspan="5" |RED
|October 19, 2004 |Bangzilla |— | |
| rowspan="6" |2005
|February 8, 2005 |After Dark (EP) |— | |
| March 22, 2005
|An Offer You Can't Refuse |— | |
| June 28, 2005
|Scary Kids Scaring Kids |— | |
| Virgin
|August 30, 2005 |US: Platinum |
| RED
|October 18, 2005 |Various Artists |— | |
| Epic
| rowspan="10" |2006 |May 9, 2006 |Korn |— | |
| rowspan="7" |RED
| rowspan="2" |June 13, 2006 |Walking Ashland |Telescopes (EP) |— | |
| thebleedingalarm
|Beauty In Destruction |— | |
| June 20, 2006
|Red Rover |— | |
| July 11, 2006
|The Finals |Plan Your Getaway |— | |
| August 15, 2006
|A Change Of Pace |Prepare The Masses | |
| August 22, 2006
| |
| October 3, 2006
|— | |
| Epic
|November 24, 2006 |Incubus |US: Gold |
| rowspan="5" |RED
|December 5, 2006 |Various Artists |A Santa Cause: It's a Punk |— | |
| rowspan="5" |2007
|March 20, 2007 |The Underground Is a Dying Breed |— | |
| April 3, 2007
|Only Rock and Roll Can Save Us Now |— | |
| April 17, 2007
|Walking Ashland |The Well |— | |
| August 21, 2007
|— | |
| RED/RCA
|August 28, 2007 |Scary Kids Scaring Kids | |
| Epic
| rowspan="2" |2009 |June 16, 2009 |Incubus |Monuments and Melodies |US: Gold |
| Virgin
|December 8, 2009 |Thirty Seconds To Mars |US: Gold |
| Epic
|2011 |July 12, 2011 |Incubus | |
| Virgin
|2013 |May 17, 2013 |Thirty Seconds To Mars | |
| colspan="7" |"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.immortalrecords.com/ Official website]
- [https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?companies=co0087286&sort=year,asc]
{{Virgin Records}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Alternative rock record labels
Category:American independent record labels
Category:Heavy metal record labels
Category:Hip-hop record labels
Category:Electronic music record labels
Category:1994 establishments in California