Editing Roadrunner Records (section)

==History==
The label was launched in 1980 in the Netherlands. Roadrunner's initial business was importing North American metal-band recordings into Europe. In 1986, Roadrunner opened its US headquarters in New York City and later opened offices in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Denmark, Russia and Canada. Early successes included albums from [[King Diamond (band)|King Diamond]] (the first Roadrunner artist to enter the [[Billboard 200|Billboard Top 200]] albums chart) and [[Annihilator (band)|Annihilator]]. The label also handled early [[Metallica]] releases in the Scandinavian region. The end of the 1980s saw the release of two albums that are now considered classics of their respective genres: [[Obituary (band)|Obituary]]'s ''[[Slowly We Rot]]'' and [[Sepultura]]'s ''[[Beneath the Remains]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Krovatin |first1=Chris |last2=Fixell |first2=Ethan |last3=Jones |first3=Cat |date=August 8, 2019 |title=The 50 Best Albums Of 1989 |url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-50-best-albums-of-1989 |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=Kerrang! |language=en}}</ref>

The 1990s saw the arrival of acts such as [[Cynic (band)|Cynic]], [[Deicide (band)|Deicide]], [[Life of Agony]], [[Machine Head (band)|Machine Head]], [[Suffocation (band)|Suffocation]], [[Type O Negative]], and underground [[grunge]] rockers [[Willard (band)|Willard]]. As the 1990s wore on, several of Roadrunner's bands managed to make an impact on the mainstream, most notably Sepultura and [[Type O Negative]]. Sepultura's 1993 album, ''[[Chaos A.D.]]'', became the first Roadrunner band to crack the [[Mainstream Top 40|Top 40]] on the [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] album chart. Type O Negative became the first Roadrunner band to receive a certification from the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]; this was a [[Music recording sales certification|Gold]] award (and later [[Platinum record|Platinum]] award) for the 1993 album ''[[Bloody Kisses]]'', which was certified in 1995. The band also became the first Roadrunner band to receive radio play. In 2000, [[Slipknot (band)|Slipknot]] became the first Roadrunner band to go Platinum. [[Nickelback]] were also very successful on the label, although they were signed to another label in their native Canada.  [[Derek Shulman]] ran the label in the late 1990s.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Newman |first=Melinda |date=June 19, 1999 |title=Shulman Off And Running As Roadrunner Prez; Matthew Sweet Builds Up A New Wall of Sound |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=1922605&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |volume=111 |issue=25 |pages=12}}</ref>  In 2005, the label launched a new project called [[Roadrunner United]] to commemorate the label's 25th anniversary.

Roadrunner Records ran into financial trouble in 2001 after its distribution deal with [[RED Music|RED Distribution]] through [[Edel SE & Co. KGaA|Edel Music]] was aborted after Edel ended up in US$400&nbsp;million in debt. As Roadrunner had just taken out a US$15&nbsp;million loan from Edel, Cees Wessels was forced to put 49% of the label's stock up for $30&nbsp;million, attracting the interest of major labels such as [[RCA Records]], [[Atlantic Records]] and [[Columbia Records]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=ROADRUNNER LANDS ATISLAND DEF JAM |url=https://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=274672&title=ROADRUNNER-LANDS-ATISLAND-DEF-JAM |access-date=2022-06-04 |website=HITS Daily Double |language=en}}</ref> In July 2001, [[The Island Def Jam Music Group]] purchased a 50% stake in Roadrunner worth US$33&nbsp;million, larger than the asking price.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://drownedinsound.com/news/1634-roadrunner-lands-at-island-def-jam |title=Roadrunner lands at Island Def Jam / Music News // Drowned in Sound |access-date=2020-11-21 |archive-date=2021-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620042131/https://drownedinsound.com/news/1634-roadrunner-lands-at-island-def-jam |url-status=dead }}</ref> While there were fears of legal action from Edel, who owned 17% of Roadrunner's stock, negotiations allowed the label to switch "immediately" to Island Def Jam and its distributor, [[Universal Music Group Distribution|Universal Music & Video Distribution]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yxIEAAAAMBAJ&dq=roadrunner+distribution+2001+billboard&pg=PA8 |title=Billboard |date=August 4, 2001 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>

On December 18, 2006, [[Warner Music Group]] signed an agreement to purchase a majority in shares (73.5%) of Roadrunner Records' parent company, Roadrunner Music Group B.V.<ref name="Warner">{{cite web | url=http://www.wmg.com/news/article/?id=8a0af8120f88d9f4010f956206405504 | title=Warner Music Group to Acquire Majority Stake in Roadrunner Music Group | access-date=2007-02-12 | author=Warner Music Group | author-link=Warner Music Group | publisher=[[Warner Music Group]] | date= December 18, 2006}}</ref>  This deal became finalized on January 29, 2007, after receiving regulatory approval in Germany.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wmg.com/news/article/?id=8a0af81210571b6e01106f1d6da60923 | title=Warner Music Group Completes Acquisition of Roadrunner Music Group | access-date=2007-02-12 | author=Warner Music Group | author-link=Warner Music Group | publisher=[[Warner Music Group]] | date= January 29, 2007}}</ref>

On June 11, 2008, Roadrunner Records was voted as the "Best Metal Label" by [[Metal Hammer]] at their [[Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards|Golden Gods Awards]],<ref name="Roadrunner Records Page Not Found">{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/page-not-found|title=Roadrunner Records Page Not Found|website=Roadrunner Records Official Website|access-date=2017-06-20|archive-date=2017-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526052254/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/page-not-found|url-status=dead}}</ref> an award that it has won the past four years in a row. The award was accepted by [[Sharon den Adel]] and [[Ruud Jolie]] of [[Within Temptation]], one of Roadrunner's biggest acts.

Roadrunner Records was significantly affected by Warner Music Group's legal dispute against YouTube, including having their account's YouTube partnership canceled. Most of the videos on their channel, however, are still viewable.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Slipknot's Corey Taylor Says It's 'Really Sad' What Happened to Roadrunner After Warner Acquisition: They Fired Everyone Working There for 20 Years |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/slipknots_corey_taylor_says_its_really_sad_what_happened_to_roadrunner_after_warner_acquisition_they_fired_everyone_working_there_for_20_years.html |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=www.ultimate-guitar.com |language=en}}</ref>

On November 11, 2010, Warner Music Group announced they had acquired the remaining of Roadrunner's stock, acquiring the company fully. However, WMG maintained that  Roadrunner would still continue to operate as a distinct brand. Cees Wessels, the label's founder, remained as CEO.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i380e27368bb3e68c7cf55652f184b1f5 |title=WMG Fully Acquires Roadrunner |access-date=2011-05-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101114060535/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i380e27368bb3e68c7cf55652f184b1f5 |archive-date=2010-11-14 }}</ref> Employees at Roadrunner nicknamed WMG's acquisition of the company "The Red Wedding", in reference to the [[Game of Thrones]] episode "[[The Rains of Castamere]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=MetalSucks |date=April 26, 2022 |title=Glow On: A Complete History of Roadrunner Records, Pt. 2 – 2012–2022 |url=https://www.metalsucks.net/2022/04/26/glow-on-a-complete-history-of-roadrunner-records-pt-2-2012-2022/ |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=MetalSucks |language=en}}</ref>

On April 26, 2012, it was announced that Warner Music Group would make substantial cutbacks throughout Roadrunner Records worldwide operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rocksins.com/2012/04/warner-music-closes-roadrunner-records-uk-offices-huge-cuts-elsewhere-14746/ |title=Roadrunner Records UK & European Offices To Close |website=Rocksins.com |date=July 14, 2017 |access-date=2017-07-21}}</ref> According to staff working at the company, the UK offices and the Canadian offices of Roadrunner Records are to be closed completely, with severe levels of cutbacks occurring across the rest of the label worldwide. It has also been announced that the Roadrunner office in the Netherlands is to close, and that the label's founder Cees Wessels is stepping down from his role of CEO.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/layoffs-at-roadrunner-records-founder-ceo-1006893352.story |title=Layoffs at Roadrunner Records; Founder/CEO Cees Wessels Stepping Down |website=Billboard.biz |date=April 26, 2012 |access-date=2017-07-21 |archive-date=2013-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123125452/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/layoffs-at-roadrunner-records-founder-ceo-1006893352.story |url-status=dead }}</ref> The following years saw several major Roadrunner acts being dropped by the label, including   [[DevilDriver]], [[Cavalera Conspiracy]]   and [[Alter Bridge]] (who both moved to [[Napalm Records]], with Devildriver's catalogue being sold to [[The Echo Label]]), [[Opeth]], [[Machine Head (band)|Machine Head]], [[Slipknot (band)|Slipknot]] (after releasing [[The End, So Far]] in 2022) and [[Soulfly]] (all of whom followed former A&R of SVP Monte Conner to [[Nuclear Blast]]) and [[Dream Theater]] (who signed with [[InsideOut Music]] in 2017). In July 2017, British rock band Milk Teeth signed with Roadrunner Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicconnection.com/milk-teeth-sign-roadrunner-records/|title=Milk Teeth Sign to Roadrunner Records|website=Music Connection|date=July 28, 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref>

In June 2018, Roadrunner became a sub-label of Warner's [[Elektra Records|Elektra Music Group]] division.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roadrunner Records – Official Site |url=https://www.elektramusicgroup.com/roadrunnerrecords |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=Elektra Music Group |date=December 18, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> In June 2022, Elektra Music Group, and subsequently Roadrunner, was merged into the new umbrella label group [[300 Elektra Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=WMG 300 Elektra Entertainment – 3EE – Arrives, Led by Chairman & CEO Kevin Liles |url=https://www.wmg.com/news/300-elektra-entertainment-3ee-arrives-led-chairman-ceo-kevin-liles-36506 |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=WMG Official Website |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Warner Music Group |url=https://variety.com/t/warner-music-group/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>