Parent company Concord Bicycle Music Location New York City Founded March 1997 Parent organization Wind-Up Records LLC | Country of origin United States Official website www.winduprecords.com CEO Edward Vetri (Jan 2003–) | |
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Distributor(s) Bertelsmann Music Group (1997-2004)
Sony BMG (2004-2008)
Sony Music Entertainment (2008-2015)
Universal Music Group (2015-present) Genre various; focus on rock music Headquarters New York City, New York, United States Founders Diana Meltzer, Alan Meltzer Artists Evanescence, Amy Lee, Seether, Ben Moody, Creed Albums Fallen, The Open Door, Anywhere but Home, Evanescence, Human Clay Profiles | ||
Wind-up Entertainment, Inc. is an American record label founded by Alan and Diana Meltzer in 1997. It is based in New York City and is distributed by Universal Music Group. Wind-up's best-selling artists worldwide were Creed and Evanescence.
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History
Wind-up Records was formed in 1997 by Alan Meltzer, former owner of CD One Stop, and his wife Diana Meltzer, following their 1996 purchase of Grass Records. Wind-up at one point was the largest independently owned record label in the world. The parent company Wind-up Entertainment also runs numerous publishing companies as well as a full-scale retail, online and tour merchandising company. The company's slogan is "Developing Career Artists".
Some of the successful acts on the label included Creed, Evanescence, Seether and Finger Eleven. The label has also re-released albums from bands previously associated with Grass Records, such as Toadies, The Wrens and Commander Venus.
The label's current roster includes Civil Twilight, Jillette Johnson, The Griswolds, The Virginmarys, Young Guns, Strange Talk, The Revivalists, Five For Fighting, Crobot, Filter, SPEAK, Genevieve and Aranda.
In September 2009, the label reached an agreement with EMI Music Germany and in February 2011 with EMI Music Canada. The partnership has seen EMI Music take over the marketing and distribution of artists such as Creed, Evanescence, Seether and Finger Eleven throughout the world outside of the US.
In Canada, distribution was initially with Sony Music Canada as was the distribution in the United States. However, in October 2004, distribution in Canada switched over to Warner Music Canada with the creation of Wind-up Entertainment Canada. Distribution in Canada moved again, for a third time in February 2011, this time to EMI Music Canada.
On October 31, 2011, the label's founder, Alan Meltzer, died at the age of 67.
In 2012, Universal Music Group acquired the EMI music operations, while Sony/ATV acquired EMI Music Publishing, making the distribution in Canada solely distributed by Universal Music Group.
In October 2013, the Bicycle Music Company bought the rights to much of Wind-Up's back catalogue, including the contracts to acts such as Seether. These artists will be distributed by the Concord Music Group. In May 2015, Concord Bicycle Music bought the rest of the Wind-Up label.
Current artists
Accurate according to Wind-up's website as of November 25, 2013.