Geffen Records facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Geffen Records |
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| Parent company | Universal Music Group (UMG) |
| Founded | October 1980 |
| Founder | David Geffen |
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| Genre | Various |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
Geffen Records is a famous American record label that has signed some of the world's biggest music stars. It is owned by the Universal Music Group, one of the largest music companies on the planet. The label was started in 1980 by a businessman named David Geffen.
Originally, Geffen Records was part of Geffen's movie company, Geffen Pictures. It got its start with help from Warner Bros. Records. In 1990, the label was sold to another company, MCA, which later became part of the Universal Music Group.
Over the years, Geffen has joined with other labels, like Interscope and A&M, creating a supergroup of record labels. It has released music from many different genres and continues to be a major name in the music industry, launching the careers of new artists and releasing albums for legendary bands.
Contents
History of the Label
How Geffen Records Began (1980–1990)
Geffen Records was founded in 1980 by David Geffen. He had already co-founded another successful label, Asylum Records, in the 1970s. After a break working in the movie business, Geffen returned to music and made a deal with Warner Bros. Records to start his own label. Warner Bros. provided the money to get it started and helped distribute the music in North America.
One of the label's first major releases was the album Double Fantasy by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Shortly after the album came out, Lennon tragically died. The album became a huge success, selling millions of copies and giving Geffen its first number-one album and single.
Throughout the 1980s, Geffen Records had hits with artists like Cher, Elton John, Don Henley, and Peter Gabriel. The label also became known for rock music, signing hugely popular bands like Guns N' Roses and Aerosmith. This success led Geffen to create a new, smaller label called DGC Records in 1990, which focused on alternative rock and signed the legendary band Nirvana.
Joining a Bigger Music Family (1990–1998)
In 1990, Geffen Records was sold to MCA Music Entertainment. This deal made David Geffen very wealthy. A year later, the Japanese company Matsushita (now known as Panasonic) bought MCA. This meant Geffen Records was now part of a huge international company.
In 1995, David Geffen left the label to start a new company, DreamWorks SKG, with movie director Steven Spielberg and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg. Geffen Records even helped distribute music for the new DreamWorks Records label. Soon after, another company called Seagram bought a large part of MCA, and the music division was renamed Universal Music Group (UMG).
Merging with Other Labels (1999–2003)
In 1999, big changes happened at Universal Music Group. Geffen Records was merged with another famous label, A&M Records, to become part of a new group called Interscope Geffen A&M Records. This new group was one of the biggest in the music world.
The merger meant that Geffen became mainly a rock music label. It released the popular soundtrack for the movie End of Days in 1999.
In 2003, more changes came when UMG decided to fold MCA Records into Geffen. This brought many new artists to the label, including Mary J. Blige, The Roots, and Blink-182. That same year, DreamWorks Records was also absorbed by Geffen, adding artists like Nelly Furtado and Lifehouse to its roster. This made Geffen a very diverse label with artists from many different genres.
A New Era of Success (2003–2017)
With so many talented artists, Geffen Records became very successful in the mid-2000s. The label signed new stars like Ashlee Simpson and Snoop Dogg. It had a major hit with the album Doctor's Advocate by rapper The Game, which went to number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2009, Geffen Records did something very unusual. It signed an agreement with the Holy See (the government of the Catholic Church) to produce an album of prayers and songs from Pope Benedict XVI.
The label was relaunched a couple of times, once in 2011 and again in 2017, to bring in new leadership and sign fresh talent.
Recent Hits and Global Stars (2019–Present)
In recent years, Geffen has had massive success with a new generation of artists. In 2019, DJ Snake's song "Taki Taki" became a worldwide hit.
The label's biggest recent star is Olivia Rodrigo. She joined Geffen in 2020, and her first single, "Drivers License", shot to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2021. Her debut album, Sour, was a huge success, spending five weeks at number one. It was the first number-one album for a female artist on Geffen in over a decade. Her second album, Guts, also debuted at number one in 2023.
Geffen has also become the American home for many K-pop superstars from the company HYBE, including BTS and its members, NewJeans, and Le Sserafim. This has made Geffen a major player in the global music scene.
Artists on Geffen Records
Geffen works with many different artists and smaller labels. Here are some of the famous musicians currently signed to Geffen.
- Alesso
- BTS
- Camila Cabello
- Guns N' Roses
- Holly Humberstone
- J-Hope
- Jimin
- Jungkook
- Kali Uchis
- Le Sserafim
- NewJeans
- Nirvana (Reissues of their classic albums)
- Olivia Rodrigo
- RM
- Seventeen
- Suga
- V
- Yeat
- Yungblud
Famous Former Artists
Over the years, many legendary artists have released music on Geffen.
- Aerosmith
- Blink-182
- Cher
- Common
- Don Henley
- Donna Summer
- Eagles
- Elton John
- Enya
- Mary J. Blige
- Nelly Furtado
- Peter Gabriel
- Snoop Dogg
- Sonic Youth
- Weezer
See also
In Spanish: Geffen Records para niños
- Geffen Records discography
- John Kalodner
- List of record labels
