Parent company Warner Music Group Country of origin U.S., Sweden Founder Irving Azoff Parent organization Warner Music Group | Genre Various Official website www.giantrecords.se Founded 1990 | |
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Records
Rhino Entertainment
(re-issues) Artists Disturbed, Blake Shelton, Color Me Badd, David Draiman, Dan Donegan Albums The Sickness, Covenant, Domination, Two Against Nature, Ledbetter Heights | ||
Giant Records was launched in 1990 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. Records and record executive Irving Azoff.
In 1990 Giant became a subsidiary label for Warner Music Group. Its first release, in early 1991, was the Gulf War all-star tribute song "Voices That Care," assembled by producer David Foster. That spring, "Hold You Tight" by Tara Kemp was released and went on to become a top-five single. In the months that followed, Giant Records released the soundtrack album for the film New Jack City, selling 16 million copies worldwide. The label signed such acts as MC Hammer, Jade, Lord Finesse, and teen pop star Jeremy Jordan. Giant also signed established acts such as Big Car, Miles Zuniga, Steely Dan, Warren Zevon, Oingo Boingo, Chicago, Deep Purple, Morbid Angel, Brian Wilson, and Kenny Rogers. The label operated a country music division in Nashville; the first act signed was Dennis Robbins.
In 1993 Giant became dissatisfied with the way Warner Music Group was handling its international affairs, so it made a deal with BMG to distribute its recordings outside of the U.S. By the mid- to late '90s, the company had replaced most of its staff and launched a subsidiary label called Revolution Records; Brian Wilson signed with the new label in 1997.
The company later reverted to its original name and distributed Paladin Records, which included singer-songwriter Steve Forbert. In 2001 Warner Music Group ended its joint venture with Giant Records, which was absorbed into Warner Bros. Records.
In February 2015 Warner Music Sweden announced that it would reactivate Giant's name; the first single released under the new Giant Records banner was Simon Erics's "Waiting for the Sun."