Interscope Geffen A&M Records | |
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Interscope Center in Santa Monica, L.A., CA
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Parent company |
Universal Music Group a subsidiary of Vivendi S.A. |
Founded | January 1999 |
Distributor(s) |
Universal Music Distribution (International) Polydor (United Kingdom) Universal Music Enterprises (Re-issues) |
Genre | Hip hop, pop, rock |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | Santa Monica, California |
Official website | Official website |
Interscope Geffen A&M Records (also known as IGA Records) is an American record company. Its parent company is the Universal Music Group, a subsidiary of Paris-based media conglomerate Vivendi S.A.
Interscope Geffen A&M Records was established in 1999, following the PolyGram and MCA Music Entertainment merger (which created UMG). The label group was created by combining the PolyGram-owned A&M Records, and the MCA labels Interscope Records and Geffen Records. The label operated as one of the newly formed Universal Music Group's four umbrella companies.
As a result of the merger, a significant percentage of artists and bands were dropped from A&M and Geffen, and though both continued to exist as labels, 280 jobs were eliminated and A&M's Charlie Chaplin lot offices were closed. The reorganization, expected to produce $300 million in savings annually, was described by the Los Angeles Times as underscoring the "changing economics and direction of the music business."
As independent labels, A&M and Geffen were revered and had achieved substantial commercial and artistic success. Both had been sold by their founders, however, and both had suffered from budget restraints and unproductive band signings over the previous years. At the time of the merger neither label had records in the Billboard Top 40 while Interscope had "defined the new sound of young America" with hit records from artists including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt, Limp Bizkit, and Bush, among others. Interscope co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field were named co-chairmen of IGA at its launch.