4AD

Headquarters: London

Founded: late 1979

Founded by: Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent

Link: http://www.4ad.com/

Genre(s): indie-rock, new wave, electronica

Active Roster
Blonde Redhead, Breeders, Tanya Donelly, Fifty Foot Wave, Lisa Gerrard, Rachel Goswell, Kristin Hersh, His Name is Alive, Neil Halstead, Vinny Miller, Magnetophone, Cass McCombs, Minotaur Shock, Mojave 3, Mountain Goats, Brendan Perry, Piano Magic, Sybarite, Throwing Muses, TV on the Radio

Past Artists
Belly, Heidi Berry, Michael Brook, Cocteau Twins, Colourbox, M/A/R/R/S, Cuba, Dead Can Dance, Gus Gus, The Hope Blister, Lisa Germano, Lush, Modern English, Pixies, Rema Rema, Scheer, Tarnation, Thievery Corporation, The Wolfgang Press

Key Releases
(3 or 4 albums that put the label on the map/define the sound of the label, should be links)

History
Originally named Axis Records, which was changed due to another existing company already named Axis, 4AD was started by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent as a subsidiary of Beggars Banquet. In the first year, the label released a number of 7 inches from bands that would grow to become very influential groups of the 80s including Bauhaus, The Birthday Party, The The, Modern English and The Wolfgang Press which featured members of Wire. I'd call that a promising start. Through the rest of the 80s, 4AD would continue to grow to international recognition releasing praised records from the bands I just listed along with Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, their first U.S. band signee, Throwing Muses and a very young Pixies. The 90s saw 4AD sign a huge distribution with Warner Bros. to release their albums stateside along with a lot of bandmate swapping, which of course breeds new and sometimes even more exciting bands. The Breeders and Belly are among these releasing popular albums released in the early 90s, along with the debut releases from His Name is Alive, Red House Painters and Frank Black's first solo material. The late 90s saw debut albums from Thievery Corporation and Cuba, though the state-side offices were closed down when co-founder Watts-Russell sold his shares to Beggars Banquet founder Martin Mills. It is also very notable that most of the artwork you'll find on 4AD's records is the creation of 23 Envelope, a collaboration between graphic designer Vaughan Oliver and photographer Nigel Grierson. Their work helped set 4AD's releases apart from the piles and piles of mundane records that fill record store shelves. More recently, 4AD has fallen into different, though very able hands. Over the last few years, the label has released a number of albums from bands that are high on artistic quality as well as popularity, which is a rare accomplishment. TV on the Radio, Blonde Redhead, Mojave 3 and Mountain Goats are just a few of the names that have graced 4AD's extremely deep discography. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on this label; they have consistently released solid albums for the last 25 years and have shown absolutely no sign of age or slowing down.

Back to Label Search

Main Page