| 19 Recordings | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parent company | 19 Entertainment |
| Founded | 1999; 27 years ago (1999) |
| Founder | Simon Fuller |
| Distributors | BMG (United States) Polydor Records (international) |
| Genre | Various |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | New York City |
19 Recordings Inc. is a New York–based[1]record label owned by19 Entertainment. Founded in London by British entrepreneurSimon Fuller in 1999 as the music division of 19 Entertainment, the label is one of the top record imprints as compiled byBillboard in 2012.[2] 19 Recordings has theexclusive rights to signcontestants of the television seriesIdols. Since 2005, it shifted its main operations to the United States following CKX, Inc.'s (Industrial Media) acquisition of 19 Entertainment.
From 1999 to 2000,EMI distributed its recordings. From 2001 to 2004, releases by most of the artists signed to 19 Recordings were distributed byBertelsmann Music Group (BMG). Following BMG's merger withSony Music Entertainment to formSony BMG,RCA Music Group distributed releases by 19 Recordings from 2005 to 2010. 19 Recordings partnered withUniversal Music Group from 2011 to 2020, for distribution throughInterscope Geffen A&M Records (2011–2014),Big Machine Records (2015–2016) andDisney Music Group (2017–2020).
In 2014, 19 Recordings sued Sony Music Entertainment for $10 million, alleging years of incorrect royalty payments and calculations, exploitation of master recording agreements, underreporting synchronization deals in television series and films, and improperly deducting money spent for music videos and advertisements.[3]
As of 2021, 19 Recordings is partnered withBMG Rights Management.[4]
Fuller, who had previously managed the careers of musiciansAnnie Lennox,Cathy Dennis, andSpice Girls in the 1990s,[5][6] founded 19 Recordings as the music division of 19 Entertainment. The first artist Fuller signed to 19 Recordings was the English indie band21st Century Girls in 1999, who released its only single "21st Century Girls", which only peaked at the top 20 on theUK Singles Chart.[7] The English pop groupS Club 7, the second act to be signed to 19 Recordings andPolydor Records, achieved better success.[5] S Club 7 went on to sell over 14 million albums worldwide until their disbandment in 2003.[8] After disbanding in 1990, the British duoEurythmics reunited in 1999 and was signed toRCA Records and 19 Recordings, and released their final studio albumPeace (1999) to commercial success.[9]
In 2001, Fuller created the singing competition seriesPop Idol, which became an instant success in British television and has had international versions in over 48 countries.Pop Idol's first winner,Will Young was signed to 19 Recordings and RCA Records in 2002, became one of the most successful British recording artists of the 2000s.[6] Young's debut single, ""Anything Is Possible"/"Evergreen" (2002), became the best-selling single of the 2000s, won aBRIT Award and anIvor Novello Award. OtherPop Idol contestants signed with 19 Recordings includeGareth Gates,Sam & Mark,Michelle McManus, andSarah Whatmore, had moderate success. 19 Recordings has since retained theexclusive rights to signcontestants of all versions ofIdols around the world and has released compilation albums related toIdols ever since. In 2003, two members of the Spice Girls,Victoria Beckham andEmma Bunton, were signed to 19 Recordings and Polydor Records. Beckham released her final single "This Groove"/Let Your Head Go" (2003) and Bunton released her second album,Free Me (2003), to commercial success.[10]
In 2002,American Idol, whose format was based onPop Idol, became one of the most successful programs in the history of American television.[6] Its first winner,Kelly Clarkson, was immediately signed to RCA Records and 19 Recordings in 2002 and became 19 Recordings' most successful artist with over 20 million albums sold worldwide.[11] Clarkson's second studio album,Breakaway (2004), also became 19 Recordings' best-selling release with worldwide sales of over 12 million copies and has won twoGrammy Awards in 2006;[12]Breakaway, along with Young's second studio album,Friday's Child (2003), both became 19 Recordings' best-selling album in the United Kingdom with sales of over 1.5 million each.[13][14] Clarkson's single "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" (2012), also became 19 Recordings' best-selling single after selling over 5 million copies worldwide[15] and has been nominated for 3 Grammy Awards, includingRecord of the Year andSong of the Year in 2013. Other contestants fromAmerican Idol, such asRuben Studdard,Clay Aiken,Fantasia Barrino,Carrie Underwood,Daughtry, andJordin Sparks, also followed suit with commercial success. Underwood's debut albumSome Hearts (2005), became 19 Recordings's best-selling release in the United States with sales of 7 million copies.[16]
Beginning in 2006, 19 Recordings also began to sign artists who were unrelated toIdols, such asAnnie Lennox,Amy Studt,Orianthi, andSons of Sylvia. 19 Recordings co-releasedThe Annie Lennox Collection (2008) with RCA Records to commercial success. Albums by Studt, Orianthi, and Sons of Sylvia were released to minimal success.
In February 2014, 19 Recordings sued Sony Music Entertainment for $10 million in damages, claiming that Sony is robbing them in royalties from digital revenue from streaming platforms such asSpotify,Google, andApple.[17] As of January 2018, a settlement in principle was reached.[18]
