The Saturday List #237 - My top ten record labels

This is perhaps the hardest list to put together that I've had to do. I thought it would be rather easy, but when I thought about it, there were all manner of variables that need to be considered. The inspiration for it was the 60th birthday of Tamla Motown records. How can you possibly compare an organisation like Motown with one such as CBS? I mean, the Clash were on CBS, and there albums were absolutely pivotal, but what did CBS add to the mix? Likewise, how do you compare EMI with Trojan? I mean without EMI there would be no Beatles, but without Trojan, the whole SKA scene and the Reggae scene may not have come about. As a music industry insider, I guess this may be more interesting to me than many, but I hope you enjoy it.

So here is my list. It is based on the influence and the change that the labels made. Of course it is very much biased towards my personal tastes. It is not in any particular order.

1. Stiff Records. To me, Stiff was everything that an independent label should be. They released the first UK Punk single - New Rose for the Damned and the first punk album, Damned Damned Damned. Their artists included a whole bunch of artists who probably would not have seen the light of day (or the light of the Charts), such as Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, The Pogues etc. They changed the rules. The Stiff tour was one of the pivotal moments in UK music history.

2. Trojan Records. I think that Trojan may be the most important label of all. They brought Ska and Reggae to a world audience.Successful Trojan artists from this period including Tony Tribe, Lee "Scratch" Perry's Upsetters, Bob and Marcia, Desmond Dekker, Jimmy Cliff, Harry J All Stars, The Maytals, The Melodians, Nicky Thomas and Dave and Ansel Collins. Without Trojan, I doubt Bob Marley would have ever become the icon that we know, even though he wasn't a Trojan artist.

3. Tamla Motown. Motown is worthy of a book, let alone a brief blog mention. I did a top ten Motown Tunes blog a couple of weeks ago. Check it out. Motown was the sound of soul. Imagine a world without Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and Stevie Wonder. It just doesn't bear thinking about.

4. Stax Records.  Stax was the other major US Soul label. Otis Redding, Booker T, Albert King, Eddie Floyd were all in the stable. Wheras Motown was in your face soul, Stax was sublime. One of the biggest dilemms for me is whether I rate Otis or Marvin higher. The honest answer is I rate whichever I am listening to at the time higher.

5. Sire Records. Although there is more to Sire than the Talking Heads and The Ramones, such as The Climax Blues  band and Focus, for me it was their championing of the US CBGB's punk scene that made the label iconic. If you'd asked me in 1977 I'd have said that the Ramones were the most influential band ever. I wouldn't make the claim today and I'd probably say that Talking heads actually were far more influential. Just check out the list of Sire Artists. I am often puzzled by how little it is talked of as an iconic label.

6. Two Tone records. The label that launched the UK Ska revival. The Specials, Madness, The Beat, The Selecter etc. All were launched on 2 Tone. Their iconic logo was another feature. Few labels are held in such reverence and have such a defined sound.

7. Greensleeves Records. Greensleeves is the sound of reggae for many. Artists such as Clint Eastwood and General Saint,  Eek-A-Mouse and Dennis Brown are some of the artists associated with the label. If you like reggae music, then Greensleeves is the hub of your collection.

8. New Hormones Records. There is probably no label in history that has achieved so much with so little catalogue. Although there are in total 30 New Hormones releases, the one that matters was Spiral Scratch by The Buzzcocks. For many it gave permission to start their own labels, self release and it defined a new pathway for UK artists. I don't think any label achieved so much with a single record.

9. Virgin records. Virgin was a maverick label. They signed the Sex Pistols and released Never Mind the Bollocks when no one else would touch it. Previously best known for Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield, I think we all owe Branson a debt of gratitude for taking on the establishment and the stuffy old labels. After the Pistols, the label released the Public Image album, and then got heavily into dub. I can't say I'm a fan of Branson, but I admire what he did as a label owner.

10. EMI records. Given the role of the Beatles, it would be insane to have a list without EMI. There catalogue is immense, there studios in Abbey Road have produced some of the most amazing albums of all time. Like many of these labels, it warrants a book (of which there are many), not just a mention in a list. The first rule of blogging and lists is that the bigger a topic, the harder to summarise in a paragraph. EMI is fascinationg and well worthy of further study. Maybe a blog for the future.