Universal Records (1995−2006)

{{Infobox record label

| name = Universal Records

| image = Universal Records logo.svg

| image_size = 180px

| founded = {{start date and age|1995}} (as Rising Tide Records)

| founder = {{hlist|Doug Morris|Daniel Glass}}

| status = Inactive

| distributor = {{ubl|UMRG|{{small|(In the US)}}|UMG|{{small|(Outside the US)}}|Republic Records/UMe {{small|(Reissues)}}}}

| genre = Various

| country = U.S.

| location = New York City, New York, U.S.

| url =

}}

Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group. The label has been dormant since 2006, due to Universal Motown and Universal Republic Records being formed and taking all of the artists from it. Those labels were eventually combined to form the latest iteration of Republic Records.

As of 2023, the label remains dormant but has been credited as a copyright-holder under a few present-day releases.

History

Founded in 1995 as Rising Tide Records, the label would ultimately begin to thrive the following year when its name was changed to Universal Records to complement the branding overhaul of the Universal Studios structure since MCA Inc. was purchased from Matsushita Electric (now Panasonic) by Seagram.{{Cite web |title=Media Giants - Vivendi Universal {{!}} Merchants Of Cool {{!}} FRONTLINE |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/giants/vivendi.html |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=www.pbs.org}}{{Cite news |last=Fabrikant |first=Geraldine |date=1995-04-10 |title=THE MCA SALE: THE DEAL; Seagram Puts the Finishing Touches on Its $5.7 Billion Acquisition of MCA |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/10/business/mca-sale-deal-seagram-puts-finishing-touches-its-5.7-billion-acquisition-mca.html |access-date=2023-12-14}}{{Cite web |last1=Bates |first1=James |last2=Eller |first2=Claudia |date=1995-04-10 |title=Seagram Signs Deal to Buy 80% of MCA : Hollywood: Firm agrees to pay Matsushita $5.7 billion for controlling interest. Future of Wasserman, Sheinberg remains unclear. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-10-mn-53050-story.html |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} The label was created by former Universal Music Group chairman and CEO Doug Morris and Daniel Glass (founder of Glassnote Records), who became its president.

In 1996, to complement the MCA renaming into Universal, MCA Music Entertainment Group was also rebranded into what is known today as Universal Music Group.{{Cite web |last=Busch |first=Anita M. |date=1996-12-10 |title=A whole new U for MCA |url=https://variety.com/1996/scene/vpage/a-whole-new-u-for-mca-1117466464/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} With that in place, Universal Records was to operate under the newly renamed UMG banner.{{Cite web |last=Bates |first=James |date=1996-12-10 |title=Name Dropping : Parent Firm Won't Be 'MCA' Anymore |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-10-fi-7695-story.html |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

Universal Records had success in breaking new artists, including the multi-platinum debut of Erykah Badu, Billie Myers, Goldfinger, Akon and the Lost Boyz. Glass formed relationships with independent record labels such as Kedar Entertainment and Mojo Records.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} Universal also brought in and took over Uptown Records following founder Andre Harrell's departure. Following Heavy D's dropping from the imprint in 1997, Universal folded Uptown in 1999.{{Cite web |last=Cochrane |first=Naima |date=2018-06-01 |title=Remembering Uptown Records: the First Lifestyle Label |url=https://theboombox.com/remembering-uptown-records-the-first-lifestyle-label/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=The Boombox |language=en}}

New Orleans, Louisiana based record company Cash Money Records, led by Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Baby/Birdman" Williams, signed a three-year $30 million distribution deal with Universal Records in March 1998.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-21 |title=How No Limit and Cash Money Records Made the Deals of a Lifetime |url=https://trapital.co/2022/03/21/ciroc-obama-two-parts-vodka-one-part-diddy/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Trapital |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Greenburg |first=Zack O'Malley |title=Can Cash Money, The Label That Launched Drake and Nicki Minaj, Strike Platinum Again? |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2019/02/28/can-cash-money-the-label-that-launched-drake-and-nicki-minaj-strike-platinum-again/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Young Money co-founder Birdman shakes hands on a $30 million deal with Universal. |url=https://www.capitalxtra.com/features/lists/richest-hip-hop-deals/birdman-universal/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Capital XTRA |language=en}} Under the terms of the deal, the Williams were given a $3 million advance each year and a credit of $1.5 million for each of the up to six artists that they had at the time. After recouping, Universal Records would retain 15% of profits from album sales, while Cash Money retained 85% as well as ownership of all master recordings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/the-6-biggest-moment-cash-money-signs-with-universal/|title=The #6 Biggest Moment: Cash Money Signs With Universal|date=7 February 2008 |access-date= June 2, 2022}} Cash Money's first success under Universal was Juvenile's November 1998 release, 400 Degreez. Peaking in the top 10 on the Billboard 200, the album would ultimately go on to be certified quadruple platinum in America.{{Cite web |last=Bowser |first=Edward |date=2023-11-03 |title=1998 Rewind: Remembering Juvenile's 400 Degreez |url=https://www.soulinstereo.com/2023/11/1998-rewind-remembering-juveniles-400-degreez.html |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Soul In Stereo |language=en-US}} Cash Money and Universal also launched Lil Wayne's career with his November 1999 album Tha Block Is Hot, which was a top three Billboard 200 album and later certified platinum in America.{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Micah |date=2019-07-31 |title='Tha Block Is Hot' Is Lil Wayne's Superhero Origin Story |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/7/31/20748073/lil-wayne-block-is-hot-retrospective-1999-music-week |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=The Ringer |language=en}}

On December 10, 1998, Seagram completed its seven-month $10.6 billion plan to acquire PolyGram, merging its music division of labels with UMG, helping both divisions combine operations together under the biggest music recording company.{{Cite web |title=Seagram buys PolyGram - May 21, 1998 |url=https://money.cnn.com/1998/05/21/deals/tropicana/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=money.cnn.com}}{{Cite web |title=Seagrams completes PolyGram acquisition - Dec. 10, 1998 |url=https://money.cnn.com/1998/12/10/companies/seagram/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=money.cnn.com}}{{Cite web |last1=Petrikin |first1=Benedict Carver,Chris |last2=Carver |first2=Benedict |last3=Petrikin |first3=Chris |date=1998-12-11 |title=U takes a giant gulp |url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/u-takes-a-giant-gulp-1117489355/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} On New Year's Eve 1998, Universal Records was pooled together with then-PolyGram label Motown Records and fellow MCA label Republic Records to form Universal Motown Republic Group;{{Cite web |last=Philips |first=Chuck |date=1998-12-10 |title=Merger Puts Seagram at Top of Music Charts |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-dec-10-fi-52395-story.html |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} Motown was previously brought under UMG during its preceding days as MCA Inc. It was a subsidiary of MCA Records and minority-owned by Boston Ventures until 1991.{{Cite news |date=1991-05-15 |title=MCA Is Sued By Motown |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/15/business/mca-is-sued-by-motown.html |access-date=2023-12-14}} To start the New Year in 1999, Universal Motown Republic Group became one of the three new music units under UMG alongside Interscope Geffen A&M Records and The Island Def Jam Music Group.{{Cite web |title=Special Report: PolyGram-Universal Merger Bad News For Artists? |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/8zt5hd/special-report-polygram-universal-merger-bad-news-for-artists |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818200905/https://www.mtv.com/news/8zt5hd/special-report-polygram-universal-merger-bad-news-for-artists |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=MTV |language=en}}

In 2001, after the absorption of Priority Records into EMI,{{Cite web |last=Oppelaar |first=Justin |date=2001-10-07 |title=Priority folded into Capitol |url=https://variety.com/2001/music/news/priority-folded-into-capitol-1117853741/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} No Limit Records was signed a distribution deal with Universal and renamed "The New No Limit".{{Cite web |last=Fiasco |first=Lance |date=2001-11-28 |title=Master P Explains Why The Time Was Right To Switch To Universal |url=https://idobi.com/news/master-p-explains-why-the-time-was-right-to-switch-to-universal/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=idobi Network |language=en-US}} However, this deal failed as various releases by Master P, Romeo, 504 Boyz and Choppa did not meet commercial expectations. No Limit cut ties with Universal in 2004, a year after filing for bankruptcy.{{Cite web |date=2019-03-26 |title=What Hip-Hop Gets Wrong About Master P and No Limit |url=https://trapital.co/2019/03/26/what-hip-hop-gets-wrong-about-master-p-and-no-limit/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Trapital |language=en-US}}

Bad Boy Entertainment, founded by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, signed a three-year marketing and distribution deal with Universal Records in February 2003, following its departure from Arista Records.{{Cite web|url=https://idobi.com/news/pdiddy-inks-universal-deal-wont-sell-label/|title=P.Diddy Inks Universal Deal, Won't Sell Label|date=7 February 2003 |access-date= June 9, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Holloway |first=Lynette |date=2003-02-08 |title=P. Diddy Signs 3-Year Deal With Universal Records |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/08/business/p-diddy-signs-3-year-deal-with-universal-records.html |access-date=2023-12-14}}{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2003-02-06 |title=Bad Boy Confirms Universal Pact |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bad-boy-confirms-universal-pact-72421/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} Universal and Bad Boy released Da Band's September 2003 album, Too Hot for TV. The album was ultimately certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Denise |date=2003-12-05 |title=MTV brings back Da Band, Combs for a third season |url=https://variety.com/2003/music/markets-festivals/mtv-brings-back-da-band-combs-for-a-third-season-1117896643/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Albums under this deal that followed include the soundtrack to Bad Boys II, Loon's self-titled album, Carl Thomas' Let's Talk About It, Mario Winans' Hurt No More and New Edition's One Love. In 2005, Bad Boy switched distribution from Universal to Atlantic Records before the deal could be fulfilled.{{Cite web |title=Warner Music Takes 50% Stake In P. Diddy's Bad Boy Records |url=https://www.forbes.com/2005/04/15/0415autofacescan03.html |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2005-04-15 |title=P. Diddy, Warner Music ink joint venture |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7507619 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

The label later had more success with acts like 3 Doors Down, 98 Degrees, Chamillionaire, Godsmack, Mushroomhead, Flaw, Hatebreed, Lifer, 4LYN, I Mother Earth, Jack Johnson, Juvenile, Nelly, Big Sha, Lil Wayne, and Mika. In the summer of 2004, Universal had a big success with Terror Squad's single, "Lean Back", which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 that August.{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2004-08-12 |title=Hot 100: 'Lean Back' Rises To The Top |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/hot-100-lean-back-rises-to-the-top-66954/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2004-08-19 |title='Lean Back' Gets Comfy At No. 1 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/lean-back-gets-comfy-at-no-1-66853/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}

By 2005, Universal was reaching its downfall, even though Cash Money kept its prophecy leading, but its success was short-lived. On New Year's Eve 2005, Universal Records was merged with Republic Records to become Universal Republic Records.{{Cite web |date=2021-01-06 |title=Republic Records |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/companies/universal-music-group/republic-records/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}} Motown (as a standalone label) was renamed Universal Motown Records.{{Cite magazine |last=Leight |first=Elias |date=2017-07-10 |title=How Motown Got Its Groove Back |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/how-motown-records-got-its-groove-back-199011/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}} Therefore, artists under Motown, as well as hip hop and R&B acts under Universal were combined together under Universal Motown, with the rest being transferred to Universal Republic, which would later be reverted back to Republic Records in 2012, a year after Universal Motown was changed back to Motown, which itself would be moved to Island Def Jam.{{Cite magazine |last=Christman |first=Ed |date=2011-07-26 |title=Motown Update: Label to Share Resources With Island Def Jam |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/motown-update-label-to-share-resources-with-island-def-jam-1176944/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} As a result, the Universal Motown Republic Group was disbanded in the summer of 2011 during a reorganization at Universal Music Group,{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2011-06-17 |title=Universal Motown Republic and Island Def Jam Announce New Structure, Layoffs Taking Place Today |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/universal-motown-republic-and-island-def-jam-announce-new-structure-1177427/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} which was under the leadership of Lucian Grainge.{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=2011-03-09 |title=Lucian Grainge named UMG chair/CEO |url=https://variety.com/2011/music/news/lucian-grainge-named-umg-chair-ceo-1118033661/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

It was also the distributor of Polydor and Island UK in the United States. Distribution switched to Interscope Geffen A&M Records and Republic Records respectively after the label's dissolution. Island's operation in the United Kingdom, in 2013, would be absorbed into Virgin EMI Records, which, itself, would be rebranded in 2020 as EMI Records,{{Cite magazine |last=Flanagan |first=Andrew |date=2013-03-18 |title=Universal Music UK Announces Launch of Virgin EMI Records |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/universal-music-uk-announces-launch-of-virgin-emi-1552454/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Aswad |first=Jem |date=2020-06-16 |title=Universal Relaunches EMI Records as Flagship U.K. Label |url=https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/universal-relaunches-emi-records-1234636944/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Virgin EMI rebrands as EMI, Rebecca Allen appointed as label president |url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/virgin-emi-rebrands-as-emi-rebecca-allen-appointed-as-label-president/080102 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=www.musicweek.com |language=en}} taking over distribution for Republic UK.

{{As of|2023|December}}, Universal Records is currently inactive as its artists would later be drafted to Republic Records. Motown is currently under the Interscope Capitol Labels Group,{{Cite web |last=Puccio |first=Anthony |date=2023-02-17 |title=Motown Records is No Longer an Independent Company |url=https://boardroom.tv/motown-records-capitol-music-group/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Boardroom |language=en-US}} which it has been a part of since 2014 following another UMG disbandment of the Island Def Jam Music Group.{{Cite magazine |last=Halperin |first=Shirley |date=2014-04-01 |title=Island Def Jam Motown Reorganizes, Barry Weiss Steps Down |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/island-def-jam-motown-reorganizes-barry-weiss-steps-down-6029454/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} Therefore, reissues of releases under the Universal Records, Universal Republic or Universal Motown names will be handled by Republic and Motown respectively on behalf of Universal Music Enterprises.

There have been unrelated labels in Europe and the Philippines, taking the "Universal Records" name. Because of an unrelated label in the Philippines owning the rights to the Universal Records name in that country, parent company Universal Music Group did business there as MCA Music, Inc., using UMG's former name. In 2021, MCA Music was renamed UMG Philippines.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Affiliated labels

Affiliated labels included Celtic Heartbeat Records, co-founded by U2 manager Paul McGuinness.{{cite web |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19950316&id=T3AaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8SwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5814,611145 |title=The Milwaukee Journal - Google News Archive Search |last=Tina maples |work=news.google.com |year=2013 |access-date=25 April 2013}}[https://books.google.com/books?id=iQ4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=Celtic+Heartbeat+Records&pg=PA48 Billboard July 5, 1997 page 48]

formerly affiliated with Atlantic Records, and Universal Motown Republic Group (UMRG). Bill Whelan's Riverdance was Celtic Heartbeat's first album to sell more than a million copies.