Virgin Records facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Virgin Records Ltd |
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| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Virgin Records is a British record label that belongs to Universal Music Group. It was first started in 1972 by Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman.
Over time, Virgin Records became very successful around the world. Many famous artists like Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, Genesis, Phil Collins, the Spice Girls, and the Sex Pistols released music with them. By the time it was sold, Virgin Records was seen as a major record label.
Virgin Records was sold to Thorn EMI in 1992. Later, Universal Music Group (UMG) bought EMI in 2012. UMG then created a new part called Virgin EMI Records. The name Virgin Records is still used by UMG in some countries, like Germany and Japan.
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Virgin Records in America
Virgin Records America, Inc. was the company's branch in North America. It started in 1986 and was located in Hollywood, California. This part of the company is no longer active. Since 2012, it has been part of the Capitol Music Group, which is also owned by UMG.
Some artists who were with Virgin Records America included Bastille, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Rise Against.
Virgin Classics
Virgin Classics was a part of Virgin Records that started in 1988. It focused on classical music. When UMG bought EMI in 2012, Virgin Classics was also included. However, rules from the European Commission meant that UMG had to sell Virgin Classics.
In 2013, Warner Music Group bought Virgin Classics. Warner then put the artists and music from Virgin Classics into its Erato Records division. The name "Virgin Classics" is no longer used.
How Virgin Records Started
Before the record label, Richard Branson and Nik Powell ran a small record shop in London called Virgin Records and Tapes. It sold imported music and even offered bean bags and free vegetarian food for customers! The name "Virgin" came from a colleague, Tessa Watts. She suggested it because they were all new to business, like "virgins."
After their shop became a success, they decided to start a full record label. The first Virgin logo was designed by Roger Dean. It showed a young woman and a lizard.
The very first music released on the label was the album Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield in 1973. This album became very popular and helped the new label get noticed. Soon after, they released other successful albums, like Phaedra by Tangerine Dream.
The first single released by Virgin was "Marlene" by Kevin Coyne in 1973. Kevin Coyne was the second artist to sign with the label after Mike Oldfield.
New Music Styles
Virgin Records was first known for progressive rock music. But in 1977, they signed the Sex Pistols, a famous punk rock band. This changed the label and brought it into the mainstream of the punk rock era. The Sex Pistols helped Virgin Records become even more successful.
After this, Virgin signed other new wave groups like Culture Club, The Human League, and Simple Minds. The Human League's song "Don't You Want Me" was the label's first song to reach number one on the music charts in 1981.
The current Virgin logo, often called "the scrawl," was created in 1978. It was first used on Mike Oldfield's Incantations album. Over time, other parts of the Virgin Group, like Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Mobile, also started using this logo.
Sale to Thorn EMI
Richard Branson sold Virgin Records to Thorn EMI in June 1992 for about $1 billion. This sale included a rule that Branson could not start another record company for five years. Branson sold Virgin Records to help fund his airline, Virgin Atlantic, which was facing tough competition at the time.
After Thorn EMI bought Virgin, the label started new smaller labels like Realworld Records and Hut Recordings. They also continued to sign many new and famous artists, including Korn, Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, Spice Girls, The Smashing Pumpkins, Janet Jackson, and Daft Punk.
In 1996, Thorn EMI split into two separate companies, and Virgin became part of the EMI Group. In 1997, Virgin took over the rest of EMI USA. In 1998, Virgin Records started a country music division in Nashville, but it closed in 2001.
More Mergers
In 2007, Capitol Records and Virgin Records America joined together to form Capitol Music Group.
Then, in 2012, Universal Music Group (UMG) bought EMI, which meant they also owned Virgin. UMG combined Virgin's UK operations to create Virgin EMI Records in 2013.
In 2020, Universal changed the name of Virgin EMI Records to EMI Records. However, the Virgin brand still exists as a part of this new EMI Records.
In 2021, Universal Music Group announced that it would rename Caroline Music Group to Virgin Music Label & Artist Services. This name change was inspired by the original Virgin Records. In 2022, UMG brought together several music companies to create the new Virgin Music Group.
Virgin Music Publishers
Soon after Virgin Records started, it created a music publisher for its artists who wrote songs. Later, Virgin Music also signed songwriters from other record labels.
After EMI bought Virgin, the publisher became part of EMI Music Publishing. In 2012, a group led by Sony/ATV Music Publishing bought EMI Music Publishing. However, rules in Europe meant that Sony/ATV had to sell Virgin Music.
In 2012, BMG Rights Management bought Virgin Music. Virgin Music was then renamed BMG VM Music.
Some of the songwriters who worked with Virgin Music included Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Nirvana, Tears for Fears, The Prodigy, Lenny Kravitz, Mark Ronson, Culture Club, and Robbie Williams.
Subsidiary Labels
- In 1983, Virgin bought Charisma Records. They later combined it with Virgin. Through this, they gained artists like Genesis and the comedy group Monty Python.
- E.G. Records was a company that managed artists and had its own record label. Virgin bought it in the late 1980s.
- In 1987, Venture Records was created for new age and modern classical artists.
- 10 Records, Siren Records, and Circa Records were other labels that became part of Virgin in the 1980s. Circa Records became known for making TV-advertised music collections.
- Immortal Records was another label.
- Caroline Records was a budget label used in the 1970s. The name was later used for some American versions of Virgin records. Today, Caroline Records helps independent artists.
- Front Line Records was a label for Jamaican and English reggae music from 1978 to about 1987.
- Dindisc was a short-lived label that had bands like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
- Noo Trybe Records was a hip hop record label that existed from 1994 to 1999. It worked with artists like the Luniz.
- Delabel was a main label of EMI's French division. It worked with artists like Mathieu Chedid and Daft Punk.
Virgin Music Around the World
- EMI Records (formerly Virgin EMI Records) is Universal's main label in the United Kingdom. The Virgin brand is still a part of it.
- Virgin Schallplatten GmbH was the German part of Virgin Records. It is now part of Universal Music Germany.
- The Dutch branch of Virgin became independent in 1984. It is now part of Universal Music Group Netherlands.
- Virgin France SA started in 1980 and was the first international part of Virgin Records. It later merged with EMI Music France. Universal later brought back Virgin France as part of Mercury Records' French division in 2016.
- Virgin Japan has had three different versions. The most recent, Virgin Music (JPN), was started in 2014.
- The Brazilian part of Virgin started in 1996 and existed until 2001, when it was absorbed by EMI, and later by Universal.
See also
In Spanish: Virgin Records para niños
- Lists of record labels
- List of Virgin Records artists
