Editing DGC Records

{{short description|American record label}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music -->
| name        = DGC Records
| image       = DGC_Records_logo,_1990.png
| image_size  = 180
| parent      = [[Universal Music Group]]
| founded     = {{start date and age|1990}} <br />
{{start date and age|2007}} (relaunch)
| founder     = [[David Geffen]]
| status      = Inactive
| distributor = [[Interscope Geffen A&M Records]]<br />(United States)<br />[[Polydor Records]]<br />(United Kingdom)
| genre       = Various; general focus on [[Rock music|rock]]
| country     = United States
| location    = [[Santa Monica, California]]
| url         = {{URL|www.dgcrecords.com}} {{dead link|date=January 2024}}
| defunct     = {{end date|1999}} (original)<br />
{{end date|2021}} (relaunch)
}}

'''DGC Records''' (an initialism for the '''David Geffen Company''') was an American [[record label]] that operated as a division of [[Interscope Geffen A&M Records]], which is owned by [[Universal Music Group]].

In 1999, after the [[PolyGram]] merger into UMG which created the Interscope Geffen A&M unit,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Philips |first=Chuck |date=1998-12-10 |title=Merger Puts Seagram at Top of Music Charts |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-dec-10-fi-52395-story.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Neil |date=1998-12-21 |title=A Major Merger Shakes Up the World of Rock |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/21/arts/a-major-merger-shakes-up-the-world-of-rock.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> DGC was absorbed into [[Geffen Records]], but was later revived in 2007 before being merged into Geffen again in September 2021 following eight years of inactivity.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2023-10-10 |title=Interscope Records (biography section) |url=https://www.avid.wiki/Interscope_Records |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Audiovisual Identity Database |language=en}}</ref>

The most famous group they signed was [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Nirvana|title=Gold & Platinum|website=RIAA}}</ref>

==History==
DGC Records (The 'DGC' portion of the name was then known as the '''David Geffen Company''') was launched in 1990 by [[David Geffen]] as a subsidiary label of [[Geffen Records]] and was distributed by [[Warner Bros. Records]] until 1991, when it was acquired by MCA Music Entertainment Group, a division of [[MCA Inc.]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1990-03-21 |title=Geffen Launches New Label: Music mogul David... |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-21-fi-802-story.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Jr |first1=JUBE SHIVER |last2=Cieply |first2=Michael |date=1990-03-15 |title=MCA Buys Out Last Major Independent Record Label : Entertainment: In a much anticipated deal, the giant conglomerate will get Geffen Records for stock worth $545 million. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-15-fi-389-story.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Stevenson |first1=Richard W. |date=1990-03-15 |title=Geffen Records Sold to MCA For Stock Worth $550 Million |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/15/business/geffen-records-sold-to-mca-for-stock-worth-550-million.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The label was created as a response to the success Geffen had with the harder rock acts on its roster. Though it initially focused on more progressive rock and heavy metal, as the decade progressed it also embraced the emergence of (and become a seminal label of) [[alternative rock]], with influential acts like [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], [[Sonic Youth]], [[Hole (band)|Hole]], [[Weezer]] and [[Beck]]. The label also released early titles by [[Philadelphia]] [[Alternative hip hop|alternative]] [[hip hop music|hip hop]] band [[the Roots]].

In 1994, Nirvana, which became one of DGC's most promising sources of revenue following the release of their 1991 album ''[[Nevermind]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/nirvana-kurt-cobain-sign-to-geffen-the-real-story/|title=Grunge goes mainstream: 30 years on from when Nirvana signed to Geffen|first=Joe|last=Taysom|publisher=Far Out Magazine|date=2021-04-30|access-date=2024-07-17}}</ref> would disband.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-06-ca-42770-story.html|title=Nirvana Pulls Out of Tour Plan : Pop music: Amid reports of a breakup, the band withdraws from talks about headlining this summer's 'Lollapalooza '94,' citing singer Kurt Cobain's health problems.|first=Steve|last=Hochman|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 6, 1994|accessdate=July 17, 2024}}</ref> In 1995, [[David Geffen]] would leave Geffen Records to help form DreamWorks SKG (later [[DreamWorks Pictures]]) with [[Steven Spielberg]] and [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mendelson |first=Scott |title=15 Years Of DreamWorks Animation And Its Complicated Legacy |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2013/10/02/15-years-of-dreamworks-animation-and-its-complicated-legacy/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> In 1996, a year after Matsushita Corporation (now [[Panasonic]]) sold off 80% of MCA Inc. To Canadian distillery and media conglomerate [[Seagram]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bates |first=James |date=1995-04-07 |title=Matsushita to Sell 80% of MCA to Seagram Co. : Business: Distiller to pay about $7.1 billion. Japanese owner and Hollywood giant clashed often over five years. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-07-mn-52060-story.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> the company name was reincorporated as Universal Studios, Inc. (later doing business as [[Universal Pictures]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Busch |first=Anita M. |date=1996-12-10 |title=A whole new U for MCA |url=https://variety.com/1996/scene/vpage/a-whole-new-u-for-mca-1117466464/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Even so, MCA Music Entertainment also rebranded as [[Universal Music Group]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bates |first=James |date=1996-12-10 |title=Name Dropping : Parent Firm Won't Be 'MCA' Anymore |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-10-fi-7695-story.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> DGC, and its sister labels, Geffen, [[Interscope Records]], [[DreamWorks Records]], [[MCA Records]], [[Universal Records (1995−2006)|Universal Records]] and [[Republic Records]], would now operate under the new music company name. However, despite the parent company name changing, chances of DGC performing as a label proved less fruitful as its record sales started to see a small 19% decrease in the first quarter of 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Timberg |first=Scott |date=2017-10-25 |title=The life and death of the indie-rock heyday |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/10/25/16070928/peak-indie-rock-1997 |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Vox |language=en}}</ref>

On December 10, 1998, Seagram completed its seven-month $10.6 billion plan to acquire [[PolyGram]], merging its music division's operations into Universal Music.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sandler |first=Adam |date=1998-12-11 |title=Music will boot 3,000 |url=https://variety.com/1998/music/news/music-will-boot-3-000-1117489335/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Following so, on time for New Year's Day 1999, UMG combined the operations of Interscope, Geffen and now-inactive sister label [[A&M Records]] into [[Interscope Geffen A&M Records]], a newly formed one out of the four label groups under UMG (the other three being the [[Verve Records|Verve Label Group]], [[Universal Motown Republic Group]] and the [[The Island Def Jam Music Group|Island Def Jam Music Group]]).<ref name=":0" /> DGC would have been a sister label to newly acquired A&M, [[Island Records]], [[Def Jam Recordings]], [[Mercury Records]] and [[Motown]] (which had previously been a part of UMG during its preceding MCA era from 1988 to 1991), but later in 1999, the label's operations were folded into Geffen Records, as was A&M (which itself would be absorbed into Geffen's parenting label, Interscope).<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hilburn |first1=Robert |last2=Boucher |first2=Geoff |last3=Philips |first3=Chuck |date=1999-01-22 |title=A & M Records Closes; Geffen Lays Off 110 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-22-mn-524-story.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The retained acts went on to record for the main Geffen imprint. However, [[Beck]] and [[Sonic Youth]] would remain recording for DGC until August 2003, during a reorganization at IGA, which finally fulfilled both acts' involvement with the imprint when they altogether would finally be drafted into Geffen, effectively ending the label name,{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} at the same time as MCA and DreamWorks Records being absorbed into the label as well,<ref>{{Cite web |title=MCA, GEFFEN TO MERGE |url=https://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=276833&title=MCA-GEFFEN-TO-MERGE |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=HITS Daily Double |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=UMG buys DreamWorks Records |url=https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2003/11/12/umg-buys-dreamworks-records/28774491007/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> expanding Geffen's artist roster.

In the years to follow, the DGC title and logo occasionally appeared on reissues of its past catalog items, maintained by UMG's catalogue remaster label [[Universal Music Enterprises]].

In 2007, the label was revived as a brand for both Geffen and Interscope Records, inheriting many alternative acts signed to Interscope Geffen A&M (including acts that previously recorded for either Geffen, MCA or DreamWorks Records).{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} Throughout its revival, it released albums by [[Weezer]], [[Beck]], [[Counting Crows]], [[Papa Roach]], [[AFI (band)|AFI]] and [[Rise Against]]. In 2008, DGC, in partnership with [[MySpace Records]], signed Los Angeles-based artist [[Meiko (American singer)|Meiko]] (through indie label Lucky Ear Music) and alternative indie [[singer-songwriter]] [[Kate Voegele]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

In 2009, [[Blink-182]] and [[Alabama]] rapper [[Yelawolf]] also joined the imprint. Albums releases followed: Blink-182's [[Neighborhoods (Blink-182 album)|''Neighborhoods'']] (2011),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heisel |first=Scott |date=2011-09-25 |title=Blink-182 – Neighborhoods |url=https://www.altpress.com/blink_182_neighborhoods/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Alternative Press Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Yelawolf's EP, [[Trunk Muzik|''Trunk Muzik 0-60'']] (2010),<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Rosen |first=Jody |date=2010-11-22 |title=Trunk Muzik 0-60 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/trunk-muzik-0-60-118799/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |last=Records |first=Interscope |title=Yelawolf Releases Trunk Muzik 0 – 60 on Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment/DGC/Interscope Records — on November 22nd |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yelawolf-releases-trunk-muzik-0---60-on-ghet-o-vision-entertainmentdgcinterscope-records--on-november-22nd-106972563.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref> and his sophomore studio album, [[Radioactive (Yelawolf album)|''Radioactive'']] (released in conjunction with [[Kawan Prather]]'s Ghet-O-Vision and [[Eminem]]'s [[Shady Records]] on November 21, 2011).<ref>{{Cite web |first1=Insanul |last1=Ahmed |first2=Keenan |last2=Higgins |title=The Making of Yelawolf's "Radioactive" |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/insanul-ahmed/the-making-of-yelawolfs-radioactive |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Complex |language=en-us}}</ref> All three projects managed to receive critical praise and commercial success.

In December 2010, [[Luke Wood]] stepped down as president of the label.<ref name="Hollywood Reporter">{{cite news|last=Halperin|first=Shirley|title=Luke Wood Named President and COO of Beats Headphones|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/luke-wood-named-president-coo-94963-0|accessdate=15 October 2012|newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=1 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/17943315|title=Luke Wood, Beats Electronics LLC: Profile and Biography|website=Bloomberg.com}}</ref> After five years under Geffen, [[Compton, California|Compton]] rapper [[The Game (rapper)|The Game]] resigned with Interscope through DGC. On August 22, 2011, his fourth studio album, ''[[The R.E.D. Album]]'', was released under the imprint. Despite mixed reception, it debuted at number one on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Caulfield |first=Keith |date=2011-08-31 |title=Game's 'R.E.D.' Debuts at No. 1 On Billboard 200 Albums Chart |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/games-red-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200-albums-chart-1172779/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> After releasing his fifth follow-up, [[Jesus Piece (album)|''Jesus Piece'']], in December 2012, Game parted ways with DGC and ended his relationship with Interscope.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Diep |first=Eric|date=2013-10-02 |title=Game's Leaving Interscope – XXL |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/game-confirms-leave-interscope/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=XXL Mag |language=en}}</ref> As a result, and without an artist on its own roster, the label went inactive in 2013. However, DGC as an imprint and name managed to hold copyrights for reissues of catalogue releases under UMe for the time being.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

On September 27, 2021, following its eight years of hibernation, DGC Records was permanently merged into Geffen Records, once again ending the label's operations and name.<ref name=":2" /> The remains of DGC's artist roster and catalogue releases were to be transferred to Geffen following its merger and later closure.<ref name=":2" /> The last of what was the imprint is now under the corporate control of Universal Music's Interscope Geffen A&M division.

To date, the best-selling album in the DGC catalog is ''[[Nevermind]]'', the 1991 album by [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], reaching international sales of 25 million copies worldwide, with ten million copies sold in the United States, and was one of the first albums on the label to be [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]–[[RIAA certification|certified]] diamond.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sexton |first=Paul |date=2023-09-24 |title=How Nirvana Redefined Teen Spirit And Rewrote Rock With 'Nevermind' |url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/nirvana-nevermind-album/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=uDiscover Music |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Artists prior to 2021 closure==
The following artists have recorded for DGC Records:
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[The All-American Rejects]]
*[[All Time Low]]
*[[Arc Angels]]
*[[Murray Attaway]]
*[[Beck]]
*[[Bivouac (band)|Bivouac]]
*[[Black Lab]]
*[[Black Tide]]
*[[Blink-182]]
*[[Boss Hog]]
*[[Brand New (band)|Brand New]]
*[[The Candyskins]]
*[[Cell (American band)|Cell]]
*[[Ceremony (punk band)|Ceremony]]
*[[Toni Childs]]
*[[Ciccone Youth]]
*[[Coldplay]]
*[[Counting Crows]]
*[[Rivers Cuomo]]
*[[Dashboard Confessional]]
*D.O.E.
*[[Drivin' N' Cryin']]
*[[Elastica]]
*[[Embrace (English band)|Embrace]]
*[[Enter Shikari]]
*[[Escape the Fate]] 
*Fluorescein
*The Freewheelers
*[[froSTed]]
*[[Galactic Cowboys]]
*[[Game (rapper)|Game]]
*[[Girls Against Boys]]
*Gutterboy
*[[Ted Hawkins]]
*[[Harvester (American band)]]
*Hog
*[[Hole (band)|Hole]]
*Hunk
*Jasper and the Prodigal Sons
*[[Jawbreaker (band)|Jawbreaker]]
*[[Jimmy Eat World]]
*[[King of Kings]]
*[[Klaxons]]
*[[Linoleum (band)|Linoleum]]
*[[Little Caesar (band)|Little Caesar]]
*Loud Lucy
*[[Aimee Mann]]
*[[Meiko (American singer)|Meiko]]
*[[Thurston Moore]]
*[[Nelson (band)|Nelson]]
*[[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]
*[[Papa Roach]]
*[[Pell Mell (band)|Pell Mell]]
*[[Pere Ubu]]
*[[Pitchshifter]]
*[[The Posies]]
*[[Queens of the Stone Age]]
*[[The Raincoats]]
*[[Remy Zero]]
*[[Rev Theory]]
*[[Rise Against]]
*Tyson Ritter
*[[Kane Roberts]]
*[[The Roots]]
*[[St. Johnny]]
*[[Sammy (band)|Sammy]]
*[[60 Ft. Dolls]]
*Skiploader
*[[Sloan (band)|Sloan]]
*Slowpoke
*[[Sonic Youth]]
*[[Southern Culture on the Skids]]
*[[Street Drum Corps]]
*[[The Sugarplastic]]
*[[Sugartooth]]
*[[The Sundays]]
*[[Switches (band)|Switches]]
*[[that dog.]]
*[[Teenage Fanclub]]
*[[Terri Nunn]]
*[[Them Crooked Vultures]]
*[[TV on the Radio]]
*[[Urge Overkill]]
*[[Veruca Salt (band)|Veruca Salt]]
*[[Kate Voegele]]
*[[Billy Joe Walker Jr.]]
*[[Warrior Soul]]
*[[Weezer]]
*[[White Zombie (band)|White Zombie]]
*[[Wild Colonials]]
*[[Wolfmother]]
*[[Yeah Yeah Yeahs]]
*[[Yelawolf]]
*[[Rob Zombie]]
{{div col end}}

== See also ==

* [[List of record labels]]
* [[DGC Rarities Vol. 1]]
* [[Interscope Geffen A&M Records]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.dgcrecords.com/ DGC Records Official Website]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Record labels established in 1990]]
[[Category:American record labels]]
[[Category:Alternative rock record labels]]
[[Category:Rock record labels]]
[[Category:Labels distributed by Universal Music Group]]
[[Category:Companies based in Santa Monica, California]]
[[Category:Companies based in California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:David Geffen]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in California]]