Editing Epitaph Records

{{short description|American independent record label}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox record label 
 | name        = Epitaph Records
 | image       = Epitaph Records Logo.svg
 | image_size = 
 | founded     = {{start date|1980}}
 | founder     = [[Brett Gurewitz]]
| distributor = AMPED Distribution (US),<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/record-labels/8533366/epitaph-anti-amped-distribution-physical|title=Epitaph & Anti- Partner With AMPED for US Physical Distribution|date=October 18, 2019|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> [[PIAS Group|PIAS]] (UK), [[Alternative Distribution Alliance|ADA]] (former)
 | genre  = [[Punk rock]]
 | location    = [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], California
 | country     = United States
| website     = {{URL|epitaph.com}}
}}

'''Epitaph Records''' is an American [[independent record label]] owned by [[Bad Religion]] guitarist [[Brett Gurewitz]]. A large portion of the record label, known as [[Hellcat Records]], is owned by [[Tim Armstrong]], frontman of the [[punk rock]] band [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]]. Several sister labels also exist, such as [[ANTI-]], [[Burning Heart Records]], [[Hellcat Records]], and Heart & Skull Records that have signed other types of bands.

==History==

===Early years (1980s)===
[[Brett Gurewitz]] formed Epitaph Records as a vehicle for releases by his band [[Bad Religion]].<ref name="Larkin">Larkin, Colin (1999) "Epitaph Records" in ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock'', Virgin Books, {{ISBN|0-7535-0257-7}}, p. 150</ref> The name had been taken from the [[King Crimson]] [[Cold War]] protest song "[[Epitaph (song)|Epitaph]]" from which the lyrics "Confusion will be my epitaph." had struck a chord with Brett and Greg when they were young.<ref>{{cite journal | title=Against the Grain: The Oral History of Epitaph Records | author=Buhrmester, Jason | journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |date=November 2010 | pages=62 | issn=0886-3032 }}</ref> Its first release for the label was Bad Religion's 1981 [[Bad Religion (EP)|self-titled]] EP, followed by their debut ''[[How Could Hell Be Any Worse?]]'', which was also the label's first full-length release. Also released during this period was ''[[Peace thru Vandalism]]'', an EP by [[the Vandals]], who were the first band besides Bad Religion to sign to Epitaph. Two more Bad Religion releases followed – ''[[Into the Unknown (Bad Religion album)|Into the Unknown]]'' and the EP ''[[Back to the Known]]'' – before their temporary split. After Gurewitz had cleaned up his drug issues, both Epitaph and Bad Religion were revived in 1987. In the following year, Epitaph released its first record as a proper label, which was [[L7 (band)|L7]]'s [[L7 (album)|self-titled album]], and it was distributed by [[Chameleon (label)|Chameleon]]. Also in 1988, Bad Religion released ''[[Suffer (album)|Suffer]]'', which was both released and distributed by Epitaph.

In 1989, Gurewitz signed [[NOFX]] to Epitaph. They released their debut for the label, ''[[S&M Airlines]]'', that same year, featuring the video for its title track and the cover of [[Fleetwood Mac]]'s "[[Go Your Own Way]]", which featured guest vocals by Gurewitz and [[Greg Graffin]], also a member of Bad Religion. This was followed by Bad Religion's next two albums – ''[[No Control (Bad Religion album)|No Control]]'' and ''[[Against the Grain (Bad Religion album)|Against the Grain]]'' – which sold 60,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebrpage.net/theanswer/?article=no%5Fcontrol%5F%28album%29|title=No Control (album) – The Answer – The Bad Religion Page – Since 1995|access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref> and 100,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebrpage.net/theanswer/?article=against_the_grain_(album)|title=Against The Grain (album) – The Answer – The Bad Religion Page – Since 1995|access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref> copies respectively.

===Breakthrough success (1990s)===
By 1993, more punk acts had signed to Epitaph, and the label relocated to new offices in [[Silver Lake, Los Angeles]].<ref name="Larkin" />

Although [[Bad Religion]] was the founding band of Epitaph, releasing their early records through the label, they switched over to [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] in 1993, with ''[[Recipe for Hate]]'' being their first record outside of the label. Brett Gurewitz is thought to have left Bad Religion as a result of internal disputes, but actually left the band in 1994 so he could run Epitaph full-time.

===Change in style (2000s)===
In 2001, Brett Gurewitz returned to Bad Religion, and the band returned to Epitaph Records,<ref name="Piccoli">Piccoli, Sean (2002) "Punk's been good to bad religion", ''[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]'', March 1, 2002, p. 36</ref> releasing seven more albums, the latest being ''[[Age of Unreason (album)|Age of Unreason]]'' (2019).

In mid-2005 Epitaph was added to the official list of [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]] members<ref name="RIAA Member List">{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/aboutus.php?content_selector=aboutus_members|title=RIAA – default members – June 07, 2015|publisher=Record Industry Association of America|year=2015|access-date=June 7, 2015}}</ref> along with several other high-profile independent labels. The reason for the listing is not clear, but one source points to an agreement for internet [[Peer-to-peer|P2P]] distribution.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news|title=News|date=April 30, 2017|publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences}}</ref> Another source claims label management joined RIAA to get certified sales awards (i.e., official "Gold" or "Platinum" record status) for releases. This sparked some controversy as some feel they should no longer be labeled independent if they are a member of the RIAA.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mammothpress.com/index.php?area=readmore&pid=3954|title=Mammoth Press|access-date=June 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183705/http://www.mammothpress.com/index.php?area=readmore&pid=3954|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, the only source that has actually been used for these claims of membership is the official RIAA membership list, which has been disputed.<ref name=" RIAA Member List"/> As of this writing, not only is Epitaph listed as an official member but [[Lookout! Records]] is once again listed, after being falsely listed before. In addition, [[Fat Wreck Chords]] has released statements denying their own involvement in the RIAA, condemning the organization.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fatwreck.com/community/faq|title=F.A.Q.: Community: Fat Wreck Chords|access-date=June 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214073716/http://www.fatwreck.com/community/faq|archive-date=February 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Recent years (2010s)===
Epitaph signed [[Weezer]] in 2010, the label releasing ''[[Hurley (album)|Hurley]]'' later that year.<ref name="Luerssen">Luerssen, John D. (2010) "[http://www.spinnermusic.co.uk/2010/08/05/weezer-epitaph-hurley-new-album/ Weezer Sign to Epitaph, Announce 'Hurley' Album]{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}", Spinner, August 5, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2011</ref> The label signed [[Social Distortion]] in the same year.<ref>Goodman, Dean (2010) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20160201115156/http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-50783420100811 Rock band Weezer honors 'Lost' star on new album]", [[Reuters]], August 11, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2011</ref> Epitaph signed [[Australia]]n punk band [[Dangerous!]] in 2011 and released album ''Teenage Rampage''. Epitaph had also signed the Canadian punk rock band [[Propagandhi]]. The label has also been more active in signing bands from the [[emo revival]] including [[The Menzingers]], [[Joyce Manor]], [[Pianos Become the Teeth]], [[Defeater (band)|Defeater]], [[the World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die]], and [[Touché Amoré]].

==Sales certifications==
Epitaph has issued two albums that have been certified as platinum or multi-platinum, for sales of over 1 million units, by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]]: ''[[Smash (The Offspring album)|Smash]]'' by [[the Offspring]], which has been certified six-times platinum, and ''[[...And Out Come the Wolves]]'' by [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]], which has been certified platinum.<ref name="epitaphgold">{{cite web|title=Gold & Platinum – Record Industry Association of America: Epitaph|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=&ti=&lab=epitaph&genre=&format=Album&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section|publisher=Record Industry Association of America|access-date=November 15, 2017}}</ref>

Seven albums released by the label, or its subsidiaries [[Hellcat Records|Hellcat]] and [[Anti- (record label)|ANTI-]], have been certified gold for sales of 500,000 copies: ''[[Ignition (The Offspring album)|Ignition]]'' by the Offspring, ''[[Punk in Drublic]]'' by [[NOFX]], ''[[Let's Go (Rancid album)|Let's Go]]'' by Rancid, ''[[Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards]]'' by [[Tom Waits]], ''[[The Drug in Me Is You]]'' and ''[[Popular Monster (album)|Popular Monster]]'' by [[Falling in Reverse]], ''[[The Warrior's Code]]'' by [[Dropkick Murphys]] and ''[[Sempiternal (album)|Sempiternal]]'' by [[Bring Me the Horizon]].<ref name="epitaphgold"/>

==Artists==

===Current===
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
* [[The All-American Rejects]]
* [[Architects (British band)|Architects]] (World ex. Australia, South Africa and New Zealand)
* [[Bad Religion]]
* [[Bad Suns]]
* [[Cold Hart]]
* [[Converge (band)|Converge]]
* [[Danny Elfman]]
* [[Descendents]]
* [[Defeater (band)|Defeater]]
* [[Dolo Tonight]]
* [[Falling in Reverse]]
* [[The Frights]]
* [[The Garden (band)|The Garden]]
* [[The Ghost Inside (band)|The Ghost Inside]]
* [[Hollow Front]]
* [[Hunny (band)|Hunny]]
* [[Jamie T]]
* [[Joyce Manor]]
* [[Justin Pierre]]
* [[La Dispute (band)|La Dispute]]
* [[Late Night Drive Home]]
* [[The Lawrence Arms]]
* [[Lil Lotus]]
* [[The Linda Lindas]]
* [[Magnolia Park (band)|Magnolia Park]]
* [[Mannequin Pussy]]
* [[The Menzingers]]
* [[Millencolin]]
* [[The Muslims]]
* [[Off With Their Heads (band)|Off With Their Heads]]
* [[Parkway Drive]] (World Ex. Australia & New Zealand)
* [[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]]
* [[Pianos Become the Teeth]]
* [[Propagandhi]]
* [[Quicksand (American band)|Quicksand]]
* [[Raised Fist]]
* [[Remo Drive]]
* [[Retox (band)|Retox]]
* [[Saosin]]
* [[Save Face]]
* [[SayWeCanFly]]
* [[Sleepwave]]
* [[Social Distortion]]
* [[Soul Glo]]
* [[Teenage Wrist]]
* [[Thrice]]
* [[This Wild Life]]
* [[The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die]]
{{div col end}}

===Former===
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
* [[1208 (band)|1208]] (Disbanded)
* [[98 Mute]] (Disbanded)
* [[59 Times The Pain]] (Disbanded)
* [[Agnostic Front]]
* [[ALL (band)|ALL]]
* [[Alesana]]
* [[Alkaline Trio]] (active with [[Rise Records]])
* [[Atmosphere (hip hop group)|Atmosphere]]
* [[Avion Roe]] (Disbanded)
* [[Beatsteaks]]
* [[Beautiful Bodies]] (Disbanded)
* [[Brand New (band)|Brand New]]
* [[Big Talk (band)|Big Talk]]
* [[The Blood Brothers (band)|The Blood Brothers]] (re-releasing old material)
* [[Boysetsfire]] 
* [[Bombshell Rocks]]
* [[Bob Log III]]
* [[The Bouncing Souls]] (active with [[Pure Noise Records]])
* [[Bring Me the Horizon]] (active with [[Sony Music]])
* [[Burning Heads]]
* [[The Blackout (band)|The Blackout]] (Disbanded)
* [[The Business (band)|The Business]] (Disbanded)
* [[Circle Jerks]]
* [[Claw Hammer]] (Disbanded)
* [[Coffin Break]] (Disbanded)
* [[The Color of Violence]]
* [[Cover Your Tracks (band)|Cover Your Tracks]] (inactive since 2016)
* [[The Cramps]] (Disbanded)
* [[Culture Abuse]] (Disbanded)
* [[Dag Nasty]]
* [[Danger Doom]] (Disbanded)
* [[Dangerous!]]
* [[Daredevils (band)|Daredevils]] (Disbanded)
* [[A Day to Remember]] (one partner release with [[ADTR Records]]; distribution only, active with [[Fueled By Ramen]])
* [[Dropkick Murphys]] ([[Hellcat Records]])
* [[Dead Fucking Last]]
* [[Death by Stereo]] (active with Indecision Records)
* [[Desaparecidos (band)|Desaparecidos]]
* [[The Distillers]]
* [[Division of Laura Lee]]
* [[Down By Law (band)|Down By Law]]
* [[The Draft (band)|The Draft]] (disbanded)
* [[Dwarves (band)|Dwarves]]
* [[Error (band)|Error]] (Disbanded)
* [[Escape the Fate]] (active with [[Better Noise Music]])
* [[Every Time I Die]] (disbanded)
* [[Eyedea & Abilities]] (Disbanded)
* [[Farewell (band)|Farewell]]
* [[Frank Turner]] (active with Polydor/Xtra Mile)
* [[Frenzal Rhomb]]
* [[Flogging Molly]] 
* [[From First to Last]]
* [[Gallows (band)|Gallows]] (re-releasing old material in North America)
* [[Gas Huffer]] (Disbanded)
* [[The Ghost of a Thousand]] (Disbanded)
* [[Green Day]] (re-releasing old material in [[Europe]];)
* [[The Get Up Kids]] (re-release only)
* [[Guttermouth]]
* [[H2O (American band)|H<sub>2</sub>O]] (active with [[Bridge Nine Records]])
* [[Heavens (band)|Heavens]] (disbanded)
* [[Hot Water Music]]
* [[The Higher]] (Disbanded)
* [[Hell Is for Heroes (band)|Hell Is for Heroes]]
* [[The Hives]]
* [[Heideroosjes]]
* [[Humpers]]
* [[I Against I (band)|I Against I]]
* [[I Am Ghost]] (Disbanded)
* [[I Killed the Prom Queen]] (Disbanded)
* [[Ikara Colt]] (Disbanded)
* [[The (International) Noise Conspiracy]] (disbanded)
* [[I Set My Friends on Fire]]
* [[The Joykiller]] (Disbanded)
* [[Wayne Kramer]]
* [[L7 (band)|L7]]
* [[Less Than Jake]]
* [[Leathermouth]]
* [[Letlive]]
* [[Madball]]
* [[Matchbook Romance]] (Disbanded)
* [[Me First and the Gimme Gimmes]] (one time release only) (Active with [[Fat Wreck Chords]])
* [[The Matches]]
* [[Motion City Soundtrack]]
* [[New Found Glory]] (active with Revelation Records)
* [[New Bomb Turks]]
* [[Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds]]
* [[No Fun At All]] ([[Burning Heart Records]])
* [[NOFX]] (disbanded)
* [[Obey the Brave]] (Disbanded)
* [[The Offspring]] 
* [[Osker]] (Disbanded)
* [[Our Last Night]]
* [[Pete Philly and Perquisite]] (Disbanded)
* [[The Pietasters]]
* [[Poison Idea]] (Disbanded)
* [[Pulley (band)|Pulley]]
* [[Randy (band)|Randy]]
* [[Red Aunts]] (Disbanded)
* [[Refused]]
* [[Rich Kids on LSD]] (Disbanded)
* [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]] (Now active on Epitaph’s sub label,[[Hellcat Records]])
* [[Ruth Ruth]]
* [[Satanic Surfers]]
* [[Scatter the Ashes]]
* [[Settle (band)|Settle]]
* [[Set Your Goals (band)|Set Your Goals]]
*[[The Donnas]]
* [[The Sidekicks]] (Disbanded)
* [[Sing It Loud]] (Disbanded)
* [[Sleeping with Sirens]] (active with [[Sumerian Records]])
* [[SNFU]] (Disbanded)
* [[Some Girls (California band)|Some Girls]]
* [[The Sound of Animals Fighting]]
* [[The Special Goodness]]
* [[Story of the Year]]
* [[Straight Faced]]
* [[Sugarcult]] (on hiatus)
* [[Ten Foot Pole]]
* [[Terrorgruppe]]
* [[Thelonious Monster]]
* [[Thursday (band)|Thursday]]
* [[Too Close to Touch]] (Disbanded)
* [[Total Chaos (band)|Total Chaos]]
* [[Title Fight (band)| Title Fight]] (inactive)
* [[Touché Amoré]]
* [[Tricky (musician)|Tricky]]
* [[Turbonegro]]
* [[U.S. Bombs]]
* [[The Vandals]] (active with [[Kung Fu Records]])
* [[Vanna (band)|Vanna]] (Disbanded)
* [[Voodoo Glow Skulls]] (active with Dr. Strange Records)
* [[The Weakerthans]] (on hiatus) 
* [[Weezer]] (active with Atlantic Records)
* [[You Me at Six]] (active with BMG Rights Management)
* [[Zeke (band)|Zeke]] 
{{div col end}}

== Compilations ==
* [[Punk-O-Rama]] ''series''
* [[Unsound (compilation album)|Unsound]] ''series''
* How We Rock
* Spirit of the Streets
* Epitaph / Union skate/surf DVD series
** Football Schmootball (1st)
** [[DC Video]] (3rd)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.epitaph.com/artists/album/393/?notes=The|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610051950/http://www.epitaph.com/artists/album/393/?notes=The|url-status=dead|title=DC Video|archive-date=June 10, 2011}}</ref>
** Circle One (5th)
** Bored Generation skate/surf enhanced CD-ROM (1996)
** [[More Songs About Anger, Fear, Sex & Death]] (1992)
* ''New Noise'' (2010)
* ''New Noise 2'' (2011)

== See also ==
* [[Epitaph Records discography]]
* [[List of record labels]]
* [[Hellcat Records]]
* [[ANTI-]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Epitaph Records| ]]
[[Category:Bad Religion]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1980]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1987]]
[[Category:1980 establishments in California]]
[[Category:1987 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Re-established companies]]
[[Category:Record labels based in California]]
[[Category:American independent record labels]]
[[Category:Punk record labels]]
[[Category:Hardcore record labels]]
[[Category:Alternative rock record labels]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1980]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1987]]
[[Category:Post-hardcore record labels]]
[[Category:Pop punk record labels]]