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East West Records

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For the 1956–1958 music label also originally owned by Atlantic Records, see East-West Records.
East West Records
Parent companyWarner Music Group
Founded1955; 69 years ago (1955)
Distributor(s)ADA
GenrePop, rock, hip hop, electronic
Country of originUnited Kingdom
LocationKensington, London, England
Official websiteeastwestrecords.co.uk

East West Records (stylized as eastwest) is a record label formed in 1955, distributed and owned by Warner Music Group, headquartered in London, England.

History

Upon its creation in 1955 by Atlantic Records, the label had one hit with the Kingsmen's "Week End" and went into hibernation until 1990, when Atlantic revamped the imprint as EastWest Records America. In America, Atlantic senior VP Sylvia Rhone was appointed Chair/CEO of the fledgling label. Under Rhone's leadership, EastWest Records America shot to mega success with several multiplatinum acts such as En Vogue, Pantera, Yo-Yo, Adina Howard, Das EFX, Snow, Gerald Levert, AC/DC, The Rembrandts, Dream Theater, Missy Elliott and MC Lyte. EastWest also distributed other imprints, such as Interscope Records, Motor Jams Records, Mecca Don Records and The Gold Mind Inc. Meanwhile, over at the Electric Lighting Station in London (headquarters[1] of WEA International in the United Kingdom) artists such as The Beloved,[2] Tanita Tikaram,[3] Chris Rea,[4] Billy Mackenzie (as Associates) and Simply Red, who had ended up on WEA after divisions/labels such as Elektra, Sire and Magnet Records had been reorganized or closed down, found themselves on the new EastWest label, with newer signings such as The Wildhearts and Sabrina Johnston joining the label in the following years.[5][6]

In 1994, Rhone was appointed Chairman & CEO of Atlantic's sister label Elektra Records in America. At the time, East West (along with most of its roster) also broke away from the Atlantic umbrella to continue to operate under Rhone at Elektra. By the new millennium, budget cuts at Warner Music Group resulted in East West being absorbed into Elektra, where some of its acts were shifted over as well. In 2004, Time Warner sold Warner Music Group to private investors led by Edgar Bronfman Jr. Subsequently, more budget cuts were made, this time resulting in Elektra to be absorbed into Atlantic.

2015–present: Relaunch

In 2005, WMG reactivated the East West imprint as an in-house label, which primarily markets and distributes other rock music-based labels. East West today operates under Warner's Alternative Distribution Alliance, the successor to Independent Label Group. East West Records was revived in the UK in 2014 under the direction of Max Lousada, Chairman & CEO, Warner Music UK. The resurrected label was headed up by Dan Chalmers (as President for Rhino UK, East West Records and ADA UK) until being poached by former Warner Music Group CEO Lyor Cohen,[7] for YouTube Music in 2019.[8] By 2021, Jeremy Marsh was head of Rhino UK and East West Records, with Westlife being announced as new signings on St Patrick's Day.[9][10] Other acts to have signed to the reactivated heritage label in the last six years include Bette Midler, Jools Holland, Beverley Knight,[11] Amelia Lily, Robert Plant, Si Cranstoun, Boyzone,[12] The Corrs and Busted,[13] while Simply Red returned after 15 years on their own label to release the Big Love album.[14]

List of East West Records artists

Below is a selected list of musical artists signed under the East West Records label in the past and present.

References

  1. ^ "A D a Global LTD, Electric Lighting Station, 46 Kensington Court, London, W8 5DA".
  2. ^ "BELOVED | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  3. ^ "Tanita Tikaram | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  4. ^ "CHRIS REA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  5. ^ "WILDHEARTS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  6. ^ "SABRINA JOHNSTON | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  7. ^ "Warner Music Group Lyor Cohen to Resign After Eight Successful Years at Warner Music Group". 24 September 2012.
  8. ^ "YouTube Music hires Warner UK's Dan Chalmers".
  9. ^ "Westlife sign new record deal, plan new music for 2021". Official Charts.
  10. ^ "Westlife sign to Warner Music's East West for new music in 2021".
  11. ^ Stassen, Murray (27 October 2015). "East West signs Beverley Knight". Music Week. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  12. ^ Davidson, Amy (6 October 2014). "Boyzone announce details of new Motown album Dublin to Detroit". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  13. ^ "Busted announce a new album and record deal with their original line-up - BBC Newsbeat". Bbc.co.uk. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  14. ^ "Simply Red | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
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