TVT Records

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

TVT Records
Founded	1985
Founder	Steve Gottlieb
Distributing label	TVT Distribution
Genre	Various
Country of origin	United States
Location	New York City, New York
Official website	http://www.tvtrecords.com

TVT Records is an American record label, founded by Steve Gottlieb, and is the nation's largest independent label. Gottlieb launched the label from his New York City apartment in 1985 with the release of "Television's Greatest Hits". It was an album featuring theme songs from various TV shows; hence the label's acronym, TVT (Tee Vee Toons). The album proved so successful that a total of eight volumes would ultimately be released. TVT then turned its attention to signing new acts of various genres.

The label's long history of recording artists includes: Nine Inch Nails, Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins, Sevendust, The Connells, Pitbull, XTC, Guided By Voices, Snoop Dogg & Tha Eastsidaz, 213, Yo Gotti, Teedra Moses, Default, Naughty By Nature, Bounty Killer The KLF, Buck-O-Nine, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Gravity Kills, Nashville Pussy, Southern Culture On The Skids, Jimmy Page/Black Crowes, Juno Reactor, The Saints, Modern English and many, many more.

Recent signings include Ambulance LTD, Lumidee, The Polyphonic Spree, the Holloways, Dude 'N Nem, Keke Wyatt, Bobaflex, The A'z, The Cinematics, New Year's Da, Magic and Just Jack.

The label's publishing arm, TVT Music Publishing has had much recent success making the top ten list of Billboard Magazine's Publishers Airplay Chart for each quarter of 2006. Songwriters include Scott Storch, LIl Jon, Devo Springsteen, Steve Morales and Big Reese.

The label was Billboard's Magazine's #1 Independent Label for 5 consecutive years (2001-2006).

A sub-label, TVT Soundtrax, has released more than 100 soundtrack albums to films, TV shows and theater productions. They include Mortal Kombat, Blade, Miss Congeniality, Snatch, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Run Lola Run, Party Monster, Fargo/Barton Fink, Survivor, Jingle All The Way, Lost In Space, Starsky & Hutch, Seven and The Wizard Of Oz.

In 1992, TVT had purchased Chicago-based Wax Trax Records, another independent label which had been successful in the 1980s with the then-new industrial music genre. Wax Trax is credited for helping to bring industrial music to the forefront. Wax Trax would continue to run for several years after being purchased by TVT, but would subsequently be closed. The artist released by Wax Trax! / TVT included KMFDM, Underworld, Autechre, Sister Machine Gun, Chris Connelly, Psykosonik and the large Wax Trax catalog of classic industrial dance albums.

TVT Records also operates TVT Distribution, an independent distribution company. The distribution arm distributes all TVT Records releases as well as other indie labels. The labels have included Vagrant, Quannum, Battle Axe and others.

TVT has offices in New York, Berlin and London.