Chicago record labels
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Chicago has supported independent record publishing since the 1920s, with local labels associated with blues, jazz, soul, folk, house, classical, dance, and electronic music.[1] This list includes active and defunct record labels founded in Chicago or later based in the city. Inclusion requires independent reliable sourcing that establishes a label's Chicago connection.
| Name | Founder | Founded | Genres | Artists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alligator Records | Bruce Iglauer | 1971 | Blues, roots, folk | Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison, Albert Collins, Hound Dog Taylor, Johnny Winter, Shemekia Copeland, Marcia Ball |
| Autograph Records[1] | 1924 | |||
| Black Patti Records | J. Mayo Williams | 1927 | African American jazz, blues, sermons, spirituals, and skits | |
| Bloodshot Records | Nan Warshaw & Rob Miller | 1994 | Indie rock with roots inflections | Lydia Loveless, Justin Townes Earle, Wayne Hancock, Scott H. Biram, Bottle Rockets, Deadstring Brothers, Ha Ha Tonka, Jon Langford, Dex Romweber Duo, Andre Williams, Cory Branan, Barrence Whitfield & The Savages, Robbie Fulks, Bobby Bare Jr., Luke Winslow King, Murder By Death, JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, Waco Brothers |
| Cedille Records | James Ginsburg | 1989 | Classical | |
| Chance Records[1] | 1950 | |||
| Chess Records | Leonard & Phil Chess | 1950 | Blues, jazz, doo-wop, gospel, soul, rock and roll, comedy | See List of Chess Records artists |
| Curtom Records | Curtis Mayfield | 1968[1] | Soul | |
| Delmark Records | Bob Koester | 1953[1] | Blues, jazz, doo-wop, gospel | |
| DJ International Records | Rocky Jones and Benji Espinoza | 1985[2] | House | |
| Drag City | Dan Koretzky & Dan Osborn | 1989 | Experimental, folk | Joanna Newsom, Pavement, Will Oldham (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy), Papa M, Jim O'Rourke, Silver Jews, Smog, Royal Trux, Chestnut Station, Mantis, Palace, Plush, Edith Frost, Azita |
| Dunwich Records[1] | Psychedelic rock | |||
| Earwig Music Company | Michael Frank | 1978 | Blues, roots, storytelling, jazz | David Honeyboy Edwards, The Jelly Roll Kings, Big Jack Johnson, Louisiana Red, Sunnyland Slim, Jimmy Dawkins, Frank Frost, Homesick James, John Primer |
| Flying Fish Records | Bruce Kaplan | 1974[1][3] | Folk, blues, bluegrass, country | |
| Grrr Records | Glenn Kaiser and Tom Cameron | 1987 | Christian rock, punk, blues | Glenn Kaiser, Rez Band, Darrell Mansfield, The Crossing |
| HOMHOMHOM | Maxwell Citron | 2012 | Experimental, rock, pop | Blue Cloud, Hannah Mayree, Aleph Eris, New Crimes, Lords of Beacon House |
| HoZac Records | Todd Novak and Brett Cross[4] | 2006 | Underground rock | |
| International Anthem Recording Company | Scottie McNiece and David Allen | 2014[5] | Jazz, experimental | |
| J.O.B. Records[1] | 1949 | |||
| Johann's Face Records | Marc Ruvolo & Gar Brandt | Melodic punk and pop | ||
| Kranky | Bruce Adams & Joel Leoschke | 1993 | Experimental, Ambient, Electronic, Psychedelic, Alternative Rock | Labradford, Belong, Grouper, Tim Hecker, Chihei Hatakeyama, Loscil, Pan•American |
| Lengua Armada Discos | Martin Sorrondeguy | Hardcore | Los Crudos, Limp Wrist, Charles Bronson, Severed Head of State, MK-Ultra | |
| Mercury Records[1] | ||||
| Minty Fresh | Upbeat and poppy | Kahimi Karie | ||
| Mutant League Records | Nate Steinheimer | 2012 | Punk, hardcore, indie | |
| The Numero Group | Rob Sevier & Ken Shipley | 2003 | Reissues, Catalog, Boxsets, Soul, Funk, R&B, Gospel, Blues, Indie, Punk, Hardcore, Latin, Folk, New Age, Ambient, Instrumental, Singer-Songwriter, Lounge, Exotica, Girl Group, Pop, Garage, Power Pop | |
| Parrot Records[1] | ||||
| Red Scare Industries | Tobias Jeg and Brendan Kelly | Punk | ||
| Thick Records | Punk | |||
| Thrill Jockey Records | Bettina Richards | 1992 | Indie, post-rock | Tortoise, The Sea and Cake, Tom Verlaine, Califone, Fiery Furnaces, Archer Prewitt, Eleventh Dream Day |
| Touch & Go | Founded by Tesco Vee & Dave Stimson; Owned by Corey Rusk | 1981 | Punk, hardcore, indie | Ted Leo + Pharmacists, TV On The Radio, Big Black, Don Caballero, Rollins Band, The Jesus Lizard, Slint, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, !!!, Shellac, Pinback, Blonde Redhead |
| Trax Records | Larry Sherman, with Vince Lawrence and Jesse Saunders also credited in some accounts[6] | 1984 | House | Adonis, Marshall Jefferson, Mr. Lee, Mr. Fingers, Farley "Jackmaster" Funk, Phuture, Frankie Knuckles, Lidell Townsell, Jamie Principle |
| Underground Communique Records | Justin Schwier | 2004 | Punk, hardcore, indie | Shot Baker, Big D and the Kids Table, The Copyrights, Hellmouth, The Heat Tape, The Methadones, Reel Big Fish, Mustard Plug |
| United Records[1] | 1952 | |||
| USA Records | Founded by Jim Golden, owned by Paul Glass | 1960 | Blues, pop, R&B, garage band, Sound of Chicago horns and voice, rock, polka, comedy | Deltones, Rivieras, Willie Mabon, Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, J.B. Lenoir, Bobby Whiteside, Buckinghams |
| Vee-Jay Records | Vivian Carter & James C. Bracken | 1953 | R&B, Soul | John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Jimmy Reed |
| Wax Trax! Records | Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher | 1980 | Industrial, punk, hardcore, indie | KMFDM, Ministry, Front Line Assembly, Front 242, Minimal Compact, Braindead Soundmachine, Revolting Cocks, Pailhead, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult |
| WTII Records | Bart Pfanenstiel and David Schock | 2001 | EBM, synthpop, industrial, electronic | Acumen Nation, Beborn Beton, Blume, In Strict Confidence, Klutæ, Melotron, Sister Machine Gun |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Clague, Mark (2005). "Record Publishing". The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
- ↑ Fielding, Amy (January 18, 2021). "Legendary Chicago house label DJ International Records relaunches". DJ Mag. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Bruce Kaplan; Founder of Flying Fish Records". Los Angeles Times. December 21, 1992. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
- ↑ Costello, Brian (March 15, 2010). "HoZac Records Takes Underground Punk Acts to South by Southwest". WBEZ. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
- ↑ Hogan, Marc (January 14, 2020). "How Chicago Label International Anthem Is Rewriting the Rules of Jazz". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
- ↑ Heath, Harold (March 7, 2023). "A history of Trax Records and the fight for Chicago's house pioneers' royalties". DJ Mag. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
External links
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