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PIAS Recordings

{{Short description|Anglo-Belgian independent record label}}

{{more citations needed|date=March 2018}}

{{Infobox record label

| name = PIAS Recordings

| image = File:PIAS Recordings logo.png

| caption =

| parent = Universal Music Group (since Sep 2024),
PIAS Group (till Sep 2024)

| founded = {{start_date and age|1982}}

| founder = Kenny Gates
Michel Lambot

| distributor = PIAS, Virgin Music Group in the U.S.

| genre = {{hlist|Rock|alternative rock|electronic|folk|experimental}}

| country = United Kingdom
Belgium

| location = London
Brussels

| url = {{URL|playitagainsam.net}}

}}

PIAS Recordings (formerly Play It Again Sam) is a Belgian record label founded in 1982{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} by Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot, In September 2024, the company was acquired by Universal Music Group.{{cite web | url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-music-group-completes-acquisition-of-pias/ | title=Universal Music Group completes 100% acquisition of [PIAS] Group | date=15 October 2024 }} Play It Again Sam expanded along with other European independent labels in the early 1980s. Play It Again Sam's prominent early artists were electronic-rock acts like Front 242, Meat Beat Manifesto and The Young Gods. They later added artists such as The Sound, Soulwax/2ManyDJ's, Sigur Rós and Mogwai.

History

The first release on the label in 1984 was the mini album Faces in the Fire by the cult experimental psychedelic band The Legendary Pink Dots. This was immediately followed by the 'Four Your Ears Only' EP, featuring Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Red Guitars, Party Day and Luddites.{{Cite web |url=http://home.comcast.net/~sborst20/PIAS.html |title=Play It Again Sam Records Releases |access-date=2015-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930225429/http://home.comcast.net/~sborst20/PIAS.html |archive-date=2015-09-30 |url-status=dead }} This laid the ground for releases from many other artists with very diverse musical backgrounds and geographical origins, including the Butthole Surfers, Parade Ground, The Neon Judgement, The Sound, Skinny Puppy, Taxi Girl, Bill Pritchard and The Cassandra Complex. In 1988 the label released the album Front By Front by Front 242 including the single "Headhunter" (with a video directed by Anton Corbijn).

The year 1983 marked a distribution agreement in which Chicago-based Wax Trax! Records distributed Play It Again Sam releases in the USA. The agreement continued into the 1990s. In 1999, Play It Again Sam signed a German distribution deal to distribute London-based dance label Mo' Wax's releases.{{cite journal |last1=Sansone |first1=Glen |title=Play It Again Sam To Distribute Mo Wax |journal=CMJ New Music Report |date=24 May 1999 |volume=58 |issue=619 |page=12 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/1999/CMJ-1999-05-24.pdf |access-date=22 December 2021 |publisher=College Media, Inc. |location=Great Neck, NY |issn=0890-0795}}

In 2000, the label moved from Brussels to London and was renamed PIAS Recordings. PIAS Recordings released the first two albums by Icelandic band Sigur Rós. The Scottish band Mogwai signed to PIAS in 2001.

PIAS announced at the end of 2010 that it would be re-launching Play It Again Sam as a label.

In November 2022, Universal Music Group purchased a 49% stake in [PIAS] (including [PIAS] Recordings).{{cite web | url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-acquires-49-stake-in-independent-music-powerhouse-pias | title=Universal acquires 49% stake in independent music powerhouse [PIAS] | date=30 November 2022 }}

Current roster

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Former artists

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See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.playitagainsam.net/ Play It Again, Sam]
  • [http://www.pias.com/recordings/ PIAS site]

{{Universal Music Group}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:IFPI members

Category:British record labels

Category:Belgian independent record labels

Category:Record labels established in 1982

Category:Rock record labels