Roadrunner Records is a
major record label that concentrates heavily on
metalcore and
post-hardcore bands (with exceptions). The label was launched in
Holland in 1980 and was originally called "Roadracer Records". In 1986 Roadrunner opened its US headquarters in
New York City and later opened offices in
England,
Germany,
France,
Japan and
Australia. They gained prominence in the early 90's as being a primary distributor of mainstream death metal artists. As the 90's went on, several of Roadrunner's bands managed to make an impact on the mainstream, most notably
Sepultura and
Type O Negative. Sepultura's 1993 album, Chaos A.D., became the first Roadrunner band to crack the Top 40 on the Billboard album chart. Type O Negative became the first Roadrunner band to receive a certification from the RIAA. This was a Gold award for the 1993 album, Bloody Kisses, which was certified in late 1995. In 2000,
Slipknot became the 1st Roadrunner band to go Platinum. Some consider their later switch of band types for more commercial fare to be a fall from grace. Roadrunner is distributed by the
Universal Music Group through a share of the label owned by
The Island Def Jam Music GroupAlso
Corinne Bailey Rae's group
Helen was its first indie group signed.
Some of their most successful artists include Megadeth, Black Label Society (two recent acquisitions), Cradle of Filth, Machine Head,Opeth, Nickelback, Nightwish, Slipknot, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Theory of a Deadman and Stone Sour.
See also
External links
Record labels
Roadrunner Records | Roadrunner Records | Roadrunner Records | Roadrunner (label) | Roadrunner Records | Roadrunner Records
"Roadrunner Records"