01
I
Island Records
Bob Marley, U2, Amy Winehouse — Chris Blackwell's visionary label championed outsiders and world music.
▲ Rising·Score +21
Music
Greatest Music Record Labels of All Time
Behind every legend is a label that believed in them — which record label has the most iconic roster and history?
Pick your favorites · Every vote moves the ranking · Results update live
02
P
Parlophone / EMI
The Beatles, Coldplay, Radiohead — EMI's flagship label shaped British pop music across seven decades.
▲ Steady·Score +16
03
XL Recordings
Radiohead, Adele, M.I.A. — the independent UK label that consistently finds the artists who define their era.
▲ Steady·Score +15
04
B
Blue Note Records
Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock — Blue Note is the most respected jazz label ever created.
▲ Steady·Score +14
05
Cash Money Records
Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj — Birdman's New Orleans label became the most dominant hip-hop empire of its era.
▲ Steady·Score +12
06
Stax Records
Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes — Memphis soul at its rawest and most honest.
▲ Steady·Score +12
07
D
Def Jam Recordings
Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Jay-Z, Kanye — Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin built hip-hop's most powerful institution.
▲ Steady·Score +7
08
I
Interscope Records
Eminem, Dr. Dre, Lady Gaga, Kendrick — Jimmy Iovine built the most commercially powerful label of the 90s and 2000s.
▲ Steady·Score +5
09
M
Motown Records
Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross — Berry Gordy's Detroit hitmaking machine defined Black American music.
▲ Steady·Score +4
10
A
Atlantic Records
Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Ray Charles — Atlantic signed the legends that shaped soul, R&B, and rock.
▲ Steady·Score +1
11
S
Sun Records
Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis — Sam Phillips discovered rock and roll in a Memphis studio.
▲ Steady·Score +1
12
C
Columbia Records
Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson — the world's oldest and most storied major record label.
▲ Steady·Score -3
Predict the rank
“Island Records”
Currently ranked #1. Where will it be in 7 days?
More in Music
MusicBest Reggae Artists of All Time
Reggae emerged from Kingston, Jamaica, and conquered the world with its message of unity, resistance, and love. These artists are the immortal voices of one of music's most globally beloved genres.
12 items107 votesUpdated 24 hours ago
MusicBest Latin Music Artists of All Time
Latin music has conquered the world from salsa and bossa nova to reggaeton and Latin pop. These artists shaped global music culture and brought Spanish-language music to every corner of the planet.
12 items104 votesUpdated 24 hours ago
MusicBest R&B Albums of All Time
R&B has been the heartbeat of Black American music — from Motown soul to neo-soul to modern trap-R&B. These albums represent the absolute pinnacle of the genre across every era.
12 items76 votesUpdated 24 hours ago