Radioactive Records

{{Short description|Defunct American record label}}

{{Infobox record label

| name = Radioactive Records J.V.

| image = RadioactiveRecords.png

| parent = Universal Music Group

| founded = 1990

| founder = Gary Kurfirst

| status = Defunct

| distributor = MCA Records (originally)
Geffen Records/UMe (Reissues)

| genre = Various

| country = United States

| website = {{url|radioactive.com}}

}}

Radioactive Records was an American record label. It was formed as a joint venture between talent manager Gary Kurfirst (who managed such acts as the Ramones, Big Audio Dynamite, Deee-Lite and Deborah Harry) and MCA Records, and it is now out of business.{{cite web |url=http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/?encoreId=169&articleId=29276 |title=Legendary Manager Gary Kurfirst Dies |author= |website=encore.celebrityaccess.com |date=14 January 2009 |access-date=11 October 2014}} Its catalogue is now owned by Geffen Records and licensed through Universal Music Enterprises.

Acts on the label included Live, Black Grape, the Ramones, Big Audio Dynamite, Traci Lords, and Angelfish (Shirley Manson{{cite web|url=http://garykurfirst.com/history.html |title=Gary Kurfirst |publisher=Gary Kurfirst |access-date=2014-10-11}}{{cite news|last=Goldman|first=Vivien|date =16 January 2009|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/arts/16kurfirst.html|title=Gary Kurfirst, Rock Promoter and Manager of the Talking Heads, Dies at 61|work=The New York Times|access-date=11 October 2014}}—Manson joined Garbage courtesy of Gary Kurfirst{{cite web |url=http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/?encoreId=169&articleId=29276 |title=Legendary Manager Gary Kurfirst Dies |author= |website=encore.celebrityaccess.com |date=14 January 2009 |access-date=11 October 2014}}). The band Pray TV from Melbourne, Australia, and British group Cooler Than Jesus (featuring Simon White, who later played in Brit-pop band Menswear) were also signed by the label in the early 1990s.{{cite web |url=http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/praytv5 |title=Pray TV - Paydirt |website=cdbaby.com |access-date=11 October 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Cooler-Than-Jesus-Teeny-Freaks/release/3435068 |title=Cooler Than Jesus – Teeny Freaks |website=discogs.com |access-date=11 October 2014}}

Radioactive released the original soundtrack album for the nineteenth James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough, as well as the single of the title track, which was a massive hit throughout Europe.

In 1997, Kurfirst formed a related label, Radiouniverse, as a joint venture with Universal Music Group's Universal Records.{{cite magazine|last=Rosen|first=Craig|date =7 June 1997|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fg8EAAAAMBAJ&q=radioactive+records+kurfirst&pg=PA6|title=Gary Kurfirst, Universal Bow Radiouniverse Label|magazine=Billboard|access-date=21 May 2016}} It debuted with albums from Radio Iodine and Dig, bands that were formerly signed to Radioactive. Other acts signed to the label included The Devlins and Tyzle Fly.

The Ramones catalogue, which was distributed by EMI's Chrysalis Records around the world except US and Canada, is owned by Parlophone (division of Warner Music Group) except US and Canada, where it is owned by Geffen and UMe.