| Rak Records | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parent company | EMI,PRT Records (1987–1988), Gearbox Music (2014–present) |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Mickie Most |
| Status | Active |
| Distributor(s) | Gearbox Music (2014–present catalogue) Parlophone Records (back catalogue) Chrysalis Records/Blue Raincoat Music (Suzi Quatro catalogue) |
| Genre | Rock,pop |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Location | London, England |
| Official website | [1] |
Rak Records is a Britishrecord label, founded byrecord producerMickie Most in 1969.[1] Rak was home to artists such asHerman's Hermits,Suzi Quatro,Mud,Kenny,Hot Chocolate,Smokie,Arrows,Span,Racey andKim Wilde.[2] Rak Records were distributed via a licensing deal withEMI Records, which bought the company and its master recordings from Most in 1983. Most kept the company name and hisRAK Studios, which still exists inSt. John's Wood along with Rak Publishing. The latter company represents artists such asJoan Jett, Ben Taylor andKK. In 1986, Most defected the label from EMI to PRT Records which handled the last releases until February 1988. Owing to the records not being hits, the label folded. However, 26 years later in late 2014, Rak Records was revived as a label for new artists releasing both downloads and 7-inch vinyl in the form of a singles club.The Cadbury Sisters,Trojanhorse, and Beautiful Boy were the new signings. They recorded their own original songs as the A-sides, and covered a classic Rak artists cover as the B-side. The Cadbury Sisters coveredSteve Harley's 1975 classic "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" (even though it was originally released on the generic EMI label), Trojan Horse didCozy Powell's "Dance With The Devil", and Beautiful Boy did "Kids In America". As PRT Records no longer exists, the label is now distributed byGearbox Records using the original sailing yacht paper label and the records packaged in the original royal blue paper sleeves.
WhenWarner Music Group acquiredParlophone from EMI in 2013, this included the rights to Hot Chocolate[3] and other artists. However, Suzi Quatro's albums on Rak are owned by currently independent labelChrysalis Records afterBlue Raincoat Music acquired that label in May 2016 from Warner.[4][5]
Rak Publishing is currently in London, in the originalRAK Studios complex in St John's Wood.[6] They manage the publishing rights for songs like "You Sexy Thing" byHot Chocolate, "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" byArrows, covered byJoan Jett andBritney Spears, and "Kids In America" recorded byKim Wilde.[7] Rak Publishing andTummy Touch Records are currently releasing new and archive material from the Rak catalogue.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
