The Island Def Jam Music Group | |
---|---|
Parent company | Universal Music Group |
Founded | 1998 |
Status | active |
Distributor(s) | Self-distributed (In the US) Virgin EMI Records (In the UK) Universal Music Group (Worldwide) |
Genre | Various |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | New York City |
Official website | islanddefjam |
The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American record label group formed in 1998, combining the operations of over 14 record labels including Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, and Mercury Records. In 2011, Motown Records was split from The Universal/Motown Records Group and subsequently became a division of The Island Def Jam Music Group. On April 1, 2014, Universal Music announced that Island Def Jam's operations would be split between three entities: Island Records, Motown Records, and Def Jam Recordings
In 1998, The Seagram Company acquired the PolyGram Group Distribution, Inc. family of labels and merged them with the Seagram owned MCA Music Entertainment family of labels, forming what is now known as Universal Music.
Following the formation of Universal Music Group was the creation of The Island Def Jam Music Group, a company founded through the integration of more than 14 record labels, including former PolyGram flagship labels: Island Records, Mercury Records, and Def Jam Recordings.
Despite being a new organization, Island Def Jam quickly made a name for itself in the music industry. The label gained notoriety for its untraditional and innovative approach when it came to breaking new artists, creating joint ventures, acquisitions, internet marketing, etc. IDJ had a great A&R team that oversaw chart-topping talent such as Jay-Z, Bon Jovi, DMX, Elton John, & Ashanti (among others). These savvy business moves are the reason IDJ prospered.
In 2000, IDJMG announced that they would be launching Def Jam Germany, the first international Def Jam brand/label. This move expanded urban music into a global phenomenon.
In 2001, Island Def Jam created a country label, Lost Highway Records. The label operated as an imprint of IDJ's Mercury Records division.