Vagrant Records

{{Infobox record label

| name = Vagrant Records

| image = Vagrant Logo.svg

| image_bg =

| founded = 1995

| founder = Rich Egan, Jon Cohen

| distributor = Universal Music Group{{cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bmg-forms-alliance-with-universal-sets-plan-to-move-physical-distro-to-umgs-commercial-services-division12/|date=19 October 2023|website=musicbusinessworldwide.com |title=BMG forms alliance with Universal Music Group; plans to move physical distribution to UMG's Commercial Services division }} (physical)
BMG Rights Management (digital)

| genre = Emo, punk, indie rock, alternative rock, post-hardcore

| country = United States

| location = Santa Monica, California

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

}}

Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California.{{cite web|last=Sacher|first=Andrew|title=Vagrant Records launches 25th anniversary campaign w/ reissues, a podcast & more|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/vagrant-records-launches-25th-anniversary-campaign-w-reissues-a-podcast-more/|work=Brooklyn Vegan|date=May 19, 2021|access-date=May 23, 2021}} It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk, soul, electronic, and pop. It is home to artists such as the 1975, Death Spells, Eels, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, CRUISR, Active Child, PJ Harvey, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, James Vincent McMorrow, Black Joe Lewis, Wake Owl, Blitzen Trapper, and Bombay Bicycle Club. Originally, Vagrant Records was mostly focused on emo bands such as Dashboard Confessional, Saves the Day, the Get Up Kids, Senses Fail, and Alkaline Trio. The label is considered one of the pre-eminent labels of the emo music scene.{{cite web | url=https://www.kerrang.com/25-years-of-vagrant-records-the-label-that-accidentally-took-emo-to-the-mainstream | title=25 Years of Vagrant Records: The label that accidentally took emo to… | date=4 November 2021 }}

In 2014, Vagrant was acquired by BMG Rights Management.{{cite web|title=US: BMG Acquires Vagrant Records|url=https://www.bmg.com/us/news/us-bmg-acquires-vagrant-records.html|work=BMG Rights Management|date=November 17, 2014|access-date=May 23, 2021}} Co-founder Jon Cohen then became BMG's executive vice president of recorded music,{{cite web|url=http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/bmg-acquires-vagrant-records|title=BMG acquires Vagrant Records - Complete Music Update|website=www.completemusicupdate.com}} until he left the company in September 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/jon-cohen-out-at-bmg/069866|title=Jon Cohen out at BMG|website=www.musicweek.com}} It remains to be distributed autonomously (outside of BMG's main distribution partner Warner Music Group), by affiliated labels in selected countries.

History

The first band signed by Vagrant Records was Boxer and their album, The Hurt Process, released on May 5, 1998. The pop-punk album notably featured drummer Chris Pennie, who would go on to play with Dillinger Escape Plan and Coheed and Cambria.

=The Get Up Kids=

In 1999, Vagrant Records signed Kansas City, Missouri, band the Get Up Kids, and the band's Vagrant debut, Something to Write Home About, was released in September 1999. Egan and Cohen borrowed $50,000 from Cohen's parents to fund the recording of the Get Up Kids album, derived from the mortgaging of the family house.Alternative Press Issue 204 "Say Goodnight, Mean Goodbye: The Oral History of The Get Up Kids" The album was successful, and single-handedly made Vagrant Records one of the top independent labels in the country.{{Citation |last=Paul |first=Aubin |title=About Vagrant Records |url=http://www.punknews.org/labels/vagrant |publisher=Punk News |access-date=2008-03-02}}{{Citation |last=Grubbs |first=Eric |title=Post: A Look at the Influence of Post-Hardcore-1985-2007 |publisher=iUniverse |year=2008 |pages=224–266 |isbn=978-0-595-51835-7}}

=Rapid growth=

They signed Los Angeles punk rock trio Automatic 7 and released the band's 2nd album Begger's Life on July 25, 2000. They followed this by signing and releasing albums from heavyweights in the emo scene like Alkaline Trio, Saves the Day, and Dashboard Confessional. In June 2001, the label signed a distribution deal with JCOR Records, which in turn was distributed by Universal Records. It allowed Vagrant's releases to be available in stores via Universal's distribution methods.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/1609/the-vagrant-gets-major-rumor-is-not-true|title=The Vagrant-gets-major-rumor is Not True!|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=June 29, 2001|accessdate=February 10, 2021}} In March 2002, the label made a distribution deal with Festival Mushroom Records, who would handled Vagrant's releases in Australia.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/2908/vagrant-in-oz|title=Vagrant in Oz|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=March 4, 2002|accessdate=February 16, 2021}} Vagrant would later enter into a deal with Interscope Records.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/15724/interviews-buddy-nielsen-of-senses-fail|title=Buddy Nielsen of Senses Fail|work=Punknews.org|publisher=Aubin Paul|author=August, Justin|date=February 12, 2006|accessdate=May 21, 2018}} In June 2002, the label signed a deal with Motor Music, which handled distribution and promotion for Vagrant's releases in Germany.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/3719/vagrant-installs-one-of-those-fancy-german-motors|title=Vagrant installs one of those fancy German Motors|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=June 18, 2002|accessdate=February 27, 2021}} Dashboard Confessional's video for "Screaming Infidelities", directed by Maureen Egan and Matthew Barry, earned Vagrant the MTV2 award at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.{{Citation |last=Heller |first=Greg |title=Bands Seek Emotional Rescue |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/2000/09/10/PK92338.DTL |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=2000-09-10 |access-date=2008-03-02}} Rich Egan is cited as saying the MTV Video Music Award win "changed everything" for the label.

=Paul Westerberg=

The label then went on to release solo material from The Replacements frontman, Paul Westerberg, signifying an initial departure from its roots of nineties punk and emo.{{cite web|title=Exclusive: Paul Westerberg Returns On Vagrant|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/77171/exclusive-paul-westerberg-returns-on-vagrant|work=Billboard.com|publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=1 September 2012|author=Billboard.com|year=2012}}

=Genre diversification=

They soon signed Eels and released their album Blinking Lights and Other Revelations. In 2005, the label acquired New York City indie label Startime International, with whom they co-released albums from The French Kicks and The Futureheads. During that time, Vagrant signed The Hold Steady and The Lemonheads.

=Poquito Records=

In 2006, Vagrant formed a children's label imprint, Poquito Records, and released Vagrant artist The New Amsterdams' side-project The Terrible Twos' debut album If You Ever See an Owl.

=Density Records=

In April 2007, Vagrant formed another imprint label, Density Records, which will release heavier material than has traditionally been released on the label.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/23206/vagrant-launches-heavy-music-imprint|title=Vagrant launches 'heavy music' imprint|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=April 12, 2007|access-date=February 14, 2022}}

On August 5, 2009, Rammstein, the Berlin-based industrial metal sextet, signed a US marketing and distribution deal with Vagrant Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/page-not-found|title=Roadrunner Records Page Not Found|website=Roadrunner Records Official Website}}