XL Recordings

Infobox record label
name = XL Recordings


image_bg =
parent =
founded = 1989
founder = Tim Palmer, Richard Russell, Nick Halkes
defunct =
distributor =
genre = Various
country = United Kingdom
location =
url = [http://www.xlrecordings.com www.xlrecordings.com]

XL Recordings is an independent record label which was launched by Tim Palmer, Nick Halkes and Richard Russell with Beggars Banquet Records in 1989 to release its rave and dance music. The label has grown into one of the most commercially successful and influential independent record labels in the world.

Beginnings

Originally the label was an offshoot of Beggars' more commercial dance label called Citybeat which was known for records by acts such as Freeez , Starlight, Dream Frequency and the Ultramagnetic MCs. However with the success of acts such as The Prodigy and SL2, XL superseded Citybeat in the company's line up.

Palmer, who also owned the dance music store Groove Records on London's Greek Street, initially employed Halkes and Russell (who as artists and DJ's were known as Kicks Like a Mule and had a UK Top 10 hit with The Bouncer in 1992) to do a&r for the label. Russell had previously worked in the Vinylmania record store in New Yorks Greenwich Village, where he had met Palmer who was visiting the store.

During the early nineties, XL Recordings releases were dance orientated ranging from Belgium techno (T99- "Anasthasia") to Breakbeat hardcore (SL2 - "On A Ragga Tip") to Drum and Bass (Jonny L - "I'm Leavin"). This period of XL's history has been recorded on the XL Recordings Chapters compilation series.In 1993 Halkes left XL to form the EMI-owned commercial dance label Positiva, and subsequently his own independent commercial dance label Incentive.In 1994 Palmer left XL and retired from the music business, leaving Russell in sole charge of XL.

Russell broadened the musical horizons of the label whilst maintaining a credo of working with artists he saw as original and inventive [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/jul/13/musicnews.pop]

In 2003 the label won the Music Week A&R award. [http://www.musicweekawards.com/2007/ar.php]

Russell has been consistently named as one of the most influential figures in the UK music business [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/jul/13/musicnews.pop] and was recently named by the Evening Standard as one of London's most influential people [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23415330-details/Music/article.do]

Roster

Since the late 1990s expanded into other genres such as freak-folk, alternative rock and hip-hop. They are now the home to an eclectic range of artists such as:
* Adele
* Basement Jaxx
* be your own PET
* Beck
* Cajun Dance Party
* The Cool Kids
* Damon Albarn
* Devendra Banhart
* Dizzee Rascal
* Friendly Fires
* Jack Peñate
* Gotan Project
* The Horrors
* Kicks Like a Mule
* Kid Harpoon
* Lemon Jelly
* M.I.A.
* Magistrates
* Peaches
* Elvis Perkins
* The Prodigy
* Radiohead
* The Raconteurs
* Ratatat
* RJD2
* Sigur Rós
* Tapes 'n Tapes
* The Teenagers
* Thom Yorke
* To My Boy
* Vampire Weekend
* Various
* The White Stripes

Recently

RJD2, who left Definitive Jux to join XL, will record future albums with XL. [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/38579/Exclusive_RJD2_Signs_to_XL_Ditches_HipHop]

XL Recordings has also released classic albums from overseas artists such as Gotan Project and The Avalanches and The Veiner Snitchelz

Thom Yorke, of Radiohead fame, released his first solo record, "The Eraser", on the label in July 2006. While not reaching Number One in any specific country (#2 in the US, #3 in the UK and #2 in Canada), it was Number One for worldwide sales during its initial week of release. In October 2007, Radiohead completed negotiations to sign with XL for physical release of their seventh studio album, "In Rainbows".

In March 2008 XL added the widely tipped Friendly Fires, The Cool Kids and The Horrors

XL Signed David Nash on the 26th September 2008

ee also

* List of record labels
* List of electronic music record labels
* List of independent UK record labels

External links

* [http://www.xlrecordings.com Official website]
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