Editing Vagrant Records

{{short description|American record label}}
{{Infobox record label
| name        = Vagrant Records
| image       = Vagrant Logo.svg
| image_bg    = 
| parent      = [[BMG Rights Management]]
| founded     = 1995
| founder     = [[Rich Egan]], Jon Cohen
| distributor = [[Universal Music Group]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bmg-forms-alliance-with-universal-sets-plan-to-move-physical-distro-to-umgs-commercial-services-division12/|date=19 October 2023|website=musicbusinessworldwide.com |title=BMG forms alliance with Universal Music Group; plans to move physical distribution to UMG's Commercial Services division }}</ref> (physical) <br> [[BMG Rights Management]] (digital)
| genre       = [[Emo]], [[punk rock|punk]], [[indie rock]], [[alternative rock]], [[post-hardcore]]
| country     = United States
| location    = [[Santa Monica, California]]
| url         = {{URL|vagrant.com}}
}}
'''Vagrant Records''' is an American [[record label]] based in [[California]].<ref name="sacher">{{cite web|last=Sacher|first=Andrew|title=Vagrant Records launches 25th anniversary campaign w/ reissues, a podcast & more|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/vagrant-records-launches-25th-anniversary-campaign-w-reissues-a-podcast-more/|work=[[Brooklyn Vegan]]|date=May 19, 2021|access-date=May 23, 2021}}</ref> It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on [[rock music|rock]], but features artists in a variety of other genres including [[folk music|folk]], [[soul music|soul]], [[electronic music|electronic]], and [[pop music|pop]]. It is home to artists such as [[the 1975]], [[Death Spells]], [[Eels (band)|Eels]], [[Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes]], [[CRUISR]], [[Active Child]], [[PJ Harvey]], [[School of Seven Bells]], [[Black Rebel Motorcycle Club]], [[James Vincent McMorrow]], [[Black Joe Lewis]], [[Wake Owl]], [[Blitzen Trapper]], and [[Bombay Bicycle Club]]. Originally, Vagrant Records was mostly focused on [[emo]] bands such as [[Dashboard Confessional]], [[Saves the Day]], [[the Get Up Kids]], [[Senses Fail]], and [[Alkaline Trio]]. The label is considered one of the pre-eminent labels of the [[emo]] music scene.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kerrang.com/25-years-of-vagrant-records-the-label-that-accidentally-took-emo-to-the-mainstream | title=25 Years of Vagrant Records: The label that accidentally took emo to… | date=4 November 2021 }}</ref>

In 2014, Vagrant was acquired by [[BMG Rights Management]].<ref>{{cite web|title=US: BMG Acquires Vagrant Records|url=https://www.bmg.com/us/news/us-bmg-acquires-vagrant-records.html|work=[[BMG Rights Management]]|date=November 17, 2014|access-date=May 23, 2021}}</ref> Co-founder Jon Cohen then became BMG's executive vice president of recorded music,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/bmg-acquires-vagrant-records|title=BMG acquires Vagrant Records - Complete Music Update|website=www.completemusicupdate.com}}</ref> until he left the company in September 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/jon-cohen-out-at-bmg/069866|title=Jon Cohen out at BMG|website=www.musicweek.com}}</ref> It remains to be distributed autonomously (outside of BMG's main distribution partner Warner Music Group), by affiliated labels in selected countries.

==History==
{{more citations needed section|date=May 2021}}
The first band signed by Vagrant Records was Boxer and their album, ''The Hurt Process'', released on May 5, 1998. The pop-punk album notably featured drummer [[Chris Pennie]], who would go on to play with [[Dillinger Escape Plan]] and [[Coheed and Cambria]].

===The Get Up Kids===
In 1999, Vagrant Records signed Kansas City, Missouri, band [[the Get Up Kids]], and the band's Vagrant debut, ''[[Something to Write Home About]]'', was released in September 1999. Egan and Cohen borrowed $50,000 from Cohen's parents to fund the recording of the Get Up Kids album, derived from the mortgaging of the family house.<ref>[[Alternative Press (music magazine)|Alternative Press]] Issue 204 "Say Goodnight, Mean Goodbye: The Oral History of The Get Up Kids"</ref> The album was successful, and single-handedly made Vagrant Records one of the top independent labels in the country.<ref>{{Citation |last=Paul |first=Aubin |title=About Vagrant Records |url=http://www.punknews.org/labels/vagrant |publisher=Punk News |access-date=2008-03-02}}</ref><ref name="Post">{{Citation |last=Grubbs |first=Eric |title=Post: A Look at the Influence of Post-Hardcore-1985-2007 |publisher=[[iUniverse]] |year=2008 |pages=224–266 |isbn=978-0-595-51835-7}}</ref>

===Rapid growth===
They signed Los Angeles punk rock trio [[Automatic 7]] and released the band's 2nd album ''Begger's Life'' on July 25, 2000. They followed this by signing and releasing albums from heavyweights in the emo scene like [[Alkaline Trio]], [[Saves the Day]], and [[Dashboard Confessional]]. In June 2001, the label signed a distribution deal with JCOR Records, which in turn was distributed by [[Universal Records]]. It allowed Vagrant's releases to be available in stores via Universal's distribution methods.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/1609/the-vagrant-gets-major-rumor-is-not-true|title=The Vagrant-gets-major-rumor is Not True!|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=June 29, 2001|accessdate=February 10, 2021}}</ref> In March 2002, the label made a distribution deal with [[Festival Mushroom Records]], who would handled Vagrant's releases in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/2908/vagrant-in-oz|title=Vagrant in Oz|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=March 4, 2002|accessdate=February 16, 2021}}</ref> Vagrant would later enter into a deal with [[Interscope Records]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/15724/interviews-buddy-nielsen-of-senses-fail|title=Buddy Nielsen of Senses Fail|work=Punknews.org|publisher=Aubin Paul|author=August, Justin|date=February 12, 2006|accessdate=May 21, 2018}}</ref> In June 2002, the label signed a deal with [[Motor Music]], which handled distribution and promotion for Vagrant's releases in Germany.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/3719/vagrant-installs-one-of-those-fancy-german-motors|title=Vagrant installs one of those fancy German Motors|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=June 18, 2002|accessdate=February 27, 2021}}</ref> Dashboard Confessional's video for "[[Screaming Infidelities]]", directed by Maureen Egan and Matthew Barry, earned Vagrant the MTV2 award at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.<ref>{{Citation |last=Heller |first=Greg |title=Bands Seek Emotional Rescue |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/2000/09/10/PK92338.DTL |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=2000-09-10 |access-date=2008-03-02}}</ref> Rich Egan is cited as saying the MTV Video Music Award win "changed everything" for the label.

===Paul Westerberg===
The label then went on to release solo material from [[The Replacements (band)|The Replacements]] frontman, [[Paul Westerberg]], signifying an initial departure from its roots of nineties punk and [[Emo (music)|emo]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Exclusive: Paul Westerberg Returns On Vagrant|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/77171/exclusive-paul-westerberg-returns-on-vagrant|work=Billboard.com|publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=1 September 2012|author=Billboard.com|year=2012}}</ref>

===Genre diversification===
They soon signed [[EELS (band)|Eels]] and released their album [[Blinking Lights and Other Revelations]]. In 2005, the label acquired New York City indie label [[Startime International]], with whom they co-released albums from [[The French Kicks]] and [[The Futureheads]]. During that time, Vagrant signed [[The Hold Steady]] and [[The Lemonheads]].

===Poquito Records===
In 2006, Vagrant formed a children's label imprint, Poquito Records, and released Vagrant artist [[The New Amsterdams]]' side-project [[The Terrible Twos]]' debut album ''[[If You Ever See an Owl]]''.

===Density Records===
In April 2007, Vagrant formed another imprint label, Density Records, which will release heavier material than has traditionally been released on the label.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/23206/vagrant-launches-heavy-music-imprint|title=Vagrant launches 'heavy music' imprint|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=April 12, 2007|access-date=February 14, 2022}}</ref>

On August 5, 2009, [[Rammstein]], the [[Berlin]]-based [[industrial metal]] sextet, signed a US marketing and distribution deal with Vagrant Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/page-not-found|title=Roadrunner Records Page Not Found|website=Roadrunner Records Official Website}}</ref>

==Current bands==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*[[Active Child]]
*[[Alexander (band)|Alexander]]
*[[Band of Skulls]]
*[[Benjamin Francis Leftwich]]
*[[Black Rebel Motorcycle Club]]
*[[Blitzen Trapper]]
*[[Brooke Fraser]]
*[[Art History (album)|California Wives]]
*[[CRUISR]]
*[[Death Spells]]
*[[Dustin Kensrue]]
*[[Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros]]
*[[Eels (band)|Eels]]
*[[The Elected]]

{{col-2}}
*[[French Kicks]]
*[[The Grates]]
*[[The Hold Steady]]
*[[LP (singer)|LP]]
*[[Mayer Hawthorne]]
*[[Missy Higgins]]
*[[MonstrO (band)|MonstrO]]
*[[The Night Marchers]]
*[[Pete Yorn]]
*[[PJ Harvey]]
*[[Reptar (band)|Reptar]]
*[[Rogue Wave (band)|Rogue Wave]]
*[[Sublime with Rome]] (Europe)
*[[The Terrible Twos]]
*[[Wake Owl]]
*[[The 1975]]

{{col-end}}

==Former bands==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{{Expand section|date=November 2007}}
*[[Ace Enders and a Million Different People]]
*[[Albert Hammond Jr.]]
*[[Alkaline Trio]]
*[[Alexisonfire]]
*[[The Anniversary]]
*[[The Appleseed Cast]]
*[[The A-Sides]]
*[[Audio Learning Center]]
*[[Automatic 7]]
*[[Bad Suns]]
*[[Balance and Composure]]
*[[Biology (band)|Biology]]
*[[The Bled]]
*[[Bloc Party]]
*[[Bombay Bicycle Club]]
*[[Boxer (band)|Boxer]]
*[[Dallas Green (musician)|City and Colour]]
*[[The Comas]]
*[[A Cursive Memory]]
*[[Dashboard Confessional]]
*[[Dr. Manhattan (band)|Dr Manhattan]]
*[[Emanuel (band)|Emanuel]]
*[[Face to Face (punk band)|Face to Face]]
*[[Fact (band)|FACT]]
*[[Far (band)|Far]]
*[[From Autumn To Ashes]]
*[[The Futureheads]]
*[[The Get Up Kids]]
*[[Hey Mercedes]]
*[[The Hippos]]
*[[The Hold Steady]]
*[[Horse the Band]]
*[[Hot Rod Circuit]]
*[[The (International) Noise Conspiracy]]
*[[J. Roddy Walston and the Business]]
*[[John Ralston (musician)|John Ralston]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_367|title=Vagrant signs John Ralston|work=Alternative Press|date=January 20, 2006|access-date=June 27, 2016}}</ref>
*[[Justin Townes Earle]]
*[[Koufax (band)|Koufax]]
*[[The Lemonheads]]
*[[Matt Pryor (musician)|Matt Pryor]]
*[[Moneen]]
*[[Murder by Death (band)|Murder by Death]]
*[[The New Amsterdams]]
*[[The Night Marchers]]
*[[No Motiv]]
*[[Olivia Broadfield]]
*[[Protest the Hero]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_373|title=Protest The Hero sign to Vagrant, touring with the Fall Of Troy|work=Alternative Press|date=January 24, 2006|access-date=June 27, 2016}}</ref>
*[[Paul Westerberg]]
*[[Placebo (band)|Placebo]]
*[[Reggie and the Full Effect]]
*[[Rocket From The Crypt]]
*[[Saves the Day]]
*[[School of Seven Bells]]
*[[Senses Fail]]
*[[So Many Dynamos]]
*[[Stars (Canadian band)|Stars]] (except Canada)
*[[Thrice]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bringthenoise.com/blog/thrice-have-officially-signed-to-epitaph-records|title=THRICE OFFICIALLY SIGN TO EPITAPH RECORDS, SHARE NEW SINGLE & ANNOUNCE FALL TOUR WITH THE BRONX|work=The Noise|date=June 5, 2018}}</ref>
*[[Two Tongues]]
*[[Viva Death]]
*[[Warship (band)|Warship]]
*[[Waylon Jennings|Waylon Jennings & The .357's]]

{{col-end}}

==See also==
*[[List of record labels]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.vagrant.com/ Vagrant Records]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American record labels]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1996]]
[[Category:Alternative rock record labels]]
[[Category:Punk record labels]]