Editing Asylum Records

{{short description|American record label}}
{{Infobox record label
 | image = Asylum Records logo.svg
 | caption = Current logo since 2004
 | parent = [[Warner Music Group]]
 | founded = {{start date and age|1971}}
 | founder = [[David Geffen]]<br />[[Elliot Roberts]]
 | status = <!--Leave blank unless "Inactive" or "Defunct"-->
 | distributor = {{Unbulleted list|[[Atlantic Records Group]]|{{small|(United States/United Kingdom)}}|[[Warner Music Group]]|{{small|(International)}}|[[Elektra Records]]|{{small|(Back Catalog)}}|[[Rhino Entertainment|Rhino Entertainment Company]]|{{small|(Re-issues)}}}}
 | genre = Various{{efn|[[Folk rock]] and [[country rock]] (1971–1980s), [[Country music|country]] (1990s, 2003–present under Asylum-Curb sub-label), [[Hip hop]], [[Rock music|rock]], and [[alternative metal]] (2004–present)}}
 | country = United States
 | url = {{url|https://www.asylumrecords.com/}}
}}
'''Asylum Records''' is an American [[record label]], founded in 1971 by [[David Geffen]] and partner [[Elliot Roberts]]. It was taken over by [[Warner Communications]] (now the [[Warner Music Group]]) in 1972, and later merged with [[Elektra Records]] to become [[Elektra Records#The Asylum Records merger|Elektra/Asylum Records]].

After previous incarnations, it is geared primarily towards [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]], along with [[Rock and roll|rock]] and [[alternative metal]]. It is owned and distributed by Warner Music Group.

==History==
===Formation===
[[Image:Asylum Records logo.jpg|thumb|Original logo]]
Asylum was founded in 1971 by [[David Geffen]], and partner [[Elliot Roberts]], both of whom had previously worked as agents at the [[William Morris Agency]], and operated a [[folk music|folk]]/[[rock music|rock]] label. They had also previously founded their own management company. While unsuccessfully pitching a recording contract for their client [[Jackson Browne]] to [[Atlantic Records]] president [[Ahmet Ertegun]], Geffen said, "You'll make a lot of money." Ertegun replied, "You know what, David, I have a lot of money. Why don't you start a record company and then you'll have a lot of money." A deal was then struck in which Ertegun would put up the initial funds, Atlantic Records would distribute Asylum Records, and the profits would be split 50/50.<ref>Mark Bego, ''Joni Mitchell'' (Lanham, MD, 2005, {{ISBN|978-1-58979-134-3}}), p. 106.</ref>

Although they knew they would sign Browne, the first act that Geffen asked to join the label was his close friend [[Laura Nyro]], whose career he was managing at the time.<ref name=googlebooks>{{cite book|last=Kort|first=Michele|title=Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vE8IsMvxqe0C&q=%22david+geffen%22+%22laura+nyro%22+asylum&pg=PA150|access-date=November 24, 2012|isbn=9780312303181|date=2003-05-14}}</ref><ref name=PBS>{{cite web|last=Lacy|first=Susan|title=American Masters|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/david-geffen/film-inventing-david-geffen/2361/|work=Inventing David Geffen|date=7 November 2012|publisher=PBS|access-date=November 24, 2012}}</ref> Nyro initially agreed, but without Geffen's knowledge she changed her mind and re-signed with [[Columbia Records]].<ref name=googlebooks/><ref name=PBS/> Geffen said it was the biggest betrayal of his life up to that point and that he "cried for days".<ref name=PBS/><ref name=bostonglobe>{{cite news|last=Gilbert|first=Matthew|title='American Masters' profiles mogul David Geffen|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/television/2012/11/20/david-geffen-from-mailroom-mogul/upFcS4Fm2ml0ORhpIw1XlK/story.html|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=November 20, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gay|first=Verne|title='American Masters: Inventing David Geffen' review|url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/american-masters-inventing-david-geffen-review-1.4231026|newspaper=Newsday|date=November 19, 2012}}</ref>

Asylum's early releases were distributed by Atlantic Records. The same year, Asylum signed [[Jo Jo Gunne]], [[Linda Ronstadt]], [[JD Souther|John David Souther]], [[Judee Sill]], [[David Blue (musician)|David Blue]], [[Joni Mitchell]] and [[Glenn Frey]] (whom Geffen encouraged to form the [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]], with [[Don Henley]], [[Bernie Leadon]], and [[Randy Meisner]]). In 1972, then folk-based singer/songwriter [[Tom Waits]] signed with the label, releasing his debut, ''[[Closing Time (album)|Closing Time]]'', in 1973. His seventh and final album for the label, ''[[Heartattack and Vine]]'', was released in 1980. Former [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]] frontman [[John Fogerty]] signed with the label in 1974. The biggest coup for Asylum was signing [[Bob Dylan]], who had been with [[Columbia Records]] since the early 1960s but who, after a falling-out with the company, was shopping around for a new label. Dylan recorded two albums, ''[[Planet Waves]]'' and the live ''[[Before the Flood (album)|Before the Flood]]'', for Asylum before returning to Columbia. Columbia reissued Dylan's two Asylum albums in 1981.

===Merger with Elektra Records===
{{Plain image with caption|Asylum Records.svg|width=170px|Asylum logo used between 1973 and 1980}}
Asylum was taken over by Warner Communications in 1973<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/label/33574-Asylum-Records|title=Asylum Records|website=Discogs|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref> and merged with Elektra Records to become Elektra/Asylum Records. David Geffen and Elliot Roberts each received $2 million in cash and $5 million in Warner Communications stock, thereby becoming two of the company's largest shareholders. Geffen served as president and chairman of Elektra/Asylum Records until 1975, when he crossed over to film and was named vice-chairman of [[Warner Bros.|Warner Bros]]. One of Asylum's most prominent signings after Geffen's departure was [[Warren Zevon]], who released a series of successful and critically acclaimed LPs for the label; his [[Warren Zevon (album)|self-titled 1976 label debut]] has been called the best California rock album of the decade.{{By whom|date=July 2018}}

By the early 1980s, although the copyright lines on albums still read "Elektra/Asylum Records" or "Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records", Elektra was becoming the more prominent of the two labels with Asylum turning into a secondary imprint. By the middle of the decade, the company was unofficially calling itself Elektra Records, and in 1989 it was renamed Elektra Entertainment. By this time Asylum's remaining acts had been shifted to the Elektra roster, although catalog recordings and reissues continued to be sold with the Asylum label on them.

===Country format===
Asylum was reformatted into a country music label, still operated by Elektra, in 1992. Under the new format, Asylum scored successful recordings by such acts as [[Emmylou Harris]], [[Brother Phelps]], [[Thrasher Shiver]], [[Kevin Sharp (country singer)|Kevin Sharp]], [[Bryan White]], and [[Lila McCann]]. They also produced many critically acclaimed albums by artists such as [[George Jones]], [[Mandy Barnett]], [[Guy Clark]], [[The Cox Family]], [[Bob Woodruff (singer)|Bob Woodruff]], [[Monte Warden]], [[JD Myers]] and [[Jamie Hartford]] (although the last two artists' albums were initially shelved. By the end of the decade, however, mismanagement and a lack of promotion money led to the dissolution of the Asylum country label.

In 2003, [[Mike Curb]], head of [[Curb Records]], revived the Nashville division of Asylum, forming a new label known as Asylum-Curb. [[LeAnn Rimes]], [[Clay Walker]], [[Lee Brice]], [[Rio Grand]], [[Hank Williams, Jr.]] and [[Wynonna Judd|Wynonna]] were among the artists on the Asylum-Curb division.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2003/1/29/mike_curb_to_revive_asylum/ |title=Mike Curb to revive Asylum |access-date=2007-11-22 |last=Ruble |first=Dave |date=2003-01-29 |work=Nashville Post}}</ref>

===Relaunch===
After being dormant for several years, Asylum Records was revived as an urban music-based label in 2004, with some of its releases distributed in conjunction with [[Warner Bros. Records]] and others through [[Atlantic Records]]. Asylum found success with [[Americans|American]] rapper [[Paul Wall]]. Asylum released Paul Wall's commercial debut studio album, ''[[The Peoples Champ]]''‚ in September 2005. The album debuted and peaked at number one on the ''[[Billboard 200]]'', and was ultimately certified Platinum in America. In 2006, WMG shifted Asylum to operate under their newly created [[Independent Label Group]], which also comprises [[Cordless Recordings]] and [[East West Records]]. In December 2006, Asylum Records announced the signing of Atlanta, Georgia-based [[Heavy metal music|metal]] band [[Sevendust]], the first non-hip-hop artist to be signed to the newly reconfigured label. On March 30, 2009, Asylum president and CEO [[Todd Moscowitz]] was promoted to co-president of Warner Bros. Records Inc.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Anonymous|title=Todd Moscowitz Joins Warner Bros. Records|work=Business Wire|agency=Business Wire|publisher=Business Wire|date=30 March 2009|id={{ProQuest|444182020}}}}</ref> Subsequently, Asylum was detached from the Independent Label Group and operated under Warner Bros. from 2009 to 2013 before being moved to Atlantic.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wmg.com/newsdetails/id/8a0af8122040e2dc01207bf1f9d844e3 |title=Todd Moscowitz Joins Warner Bros. Records |access-date=2009-04-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711022006/http://www.wmg.com/newsdetails/id/8a0af8122040e2dc01207bf1f9d844e3 |archive-date=2011-07-11 |url-status = dead}}</ref> [[Cee Lo Green]] was signed to the label as well as [[New Boyz]] and [[Ed Sheeran]]. The label achieved its first number 1 hit on the [[UK Singles Chart]] with "[[Feel the Love (Rudimental song)|Feel the Love]]" by [[Rudimental]] in May 2012. The label was relaunched in the US in 2017, operating separately from the UK label.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/warner-music-group-to-relaunch-asylum-label-founded-by-david-geffen-1202603122/|title=Warner Music Group to Relaunch Asylum, Label Founded by David Geffen|first=Jem|last=Aswad|date=31 October 2017|website=variety.com|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wmg.com/news/asylum-records-relaunched-us-32396|title=Asylum Records Relaunched In U.S. - Warner Music Group Official Blog|website=Warner Music Group Official Website|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Asylum Records artists]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Atlantic Records}}
{{Warner Music Group}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Elektra Records]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1971]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 2004]]
[[Category:Re-established companies]]
[[Category:Warner Music labels]]
[[Category:Labels distributed by Warner Music Group]]
[[Category:American record labels]]
[[Category:Hip-hop record labels]]
[[Category:David Geffen]]