History Creator / ChrysalisRecords

[[https://www.blueraincoatmusic.com/chrysalisrecords/ Chrysalis Records]] was one of the major record comapnies of TheSeventies, TheEighties, and TheNineties. It eventually re-launched as an up-and-coming indie label.

When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner|Band}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone, Ensign Records (home of Music/SineadOConnor), [[Music/{{Blondie}} Chris Stein]]'s short-lived Animal Records, and the UK indie label China Records (before the latter switched to Creator/PolydorRecords in 1988). The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series, which crossed over with China signees Music/ArtOfNoise under Chrysalis' wing), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

In TheNineties, Chrysalis was bought out by Creator/{{EMI}}, began signing HipHop acts such as Arrested Development and Music/GangStarr, and had a string of British hits with Music/RobbieWilliams. However, by the TurnOfTheMillennium, the hits gradually stopped coming and the label became dormant.

* Music/{{Blondie}}

* Music/IggyPop[[note]]His 1982 album ''Zombie Birdhouse'' was on [[Music/{{Blondie}} Chris Stein]]'s Animal Records, which was distributed by Chrysalis; the album was released on Chrysalis proper in some countries[[/note]]

This arrangement lasted until 2016, when Chrysalis went full circle ''again'', as part of WMG's divestments to independent labels. Warner sold the label to [[http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-sells-chrysalis-records-back-to-chris-wright-and-blue-raincoat/ Blue Raincoat Music]], a company affiliated with Chris Wright; he and his partners relaunched Chrysalis before the year was out. The reborn Chrysalis began by focusing on reissues of its catalog (both physical and digital), with only one release of new material during its first four years[[note]]a CoverVersion of Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}}' "[[Music/LetItBleed You Can't Always Get What You Want]]", re-purposed as a CharityMotivationSong recorded by various celebrities and credited to Friends of Jo Cox (a [[UsefulNotes/BritishPoliticalSystem Labour Party MP]] who was assassinated in 2016)[[/note]]. The new Chrysalis has also acquired the rights to some artists who never recorded for its original incarnation, such as Steve Harley, Music/SuziQuatro and Music/EverythingButTheGirl. Warner Music (through Creator/ParlophoneRecords) retains the catalogues of Jethro Tull, Spandau Ballet, The Proclaimers, and international rights to the Ramones.

When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner|Band}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone, [[Music/{{Blondie}} Chris Stein]]'s short-lived Animal Records, and the UK indie label China Records (before the latter switched to Creator/PolydorRecords in 1988). The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series, which crossed over with China signees Music/ArtOfNoise under Chrysalis' wing), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

* Music/SineadOConnor

* Music/TheSelecter

This arrangement lasted until 2016, when Chrysalis went full circle ''again'', as part of WMG's divestments to independent labels. Warner sold the label to [[http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-sells-chrysalis-records-back-to-chris-wright-and-blue-raincoat/ Blue Raincoat Music]], a company affiliated with Chris Wright; he and his partners relaunched Chrysalis before the year was out. The reborn Chrysalis began by focusing on reissues of its catalog (both physical and digital), with only one release of new material during its first four years[[note]]a CoverVersion of Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}}' "[[Music/LetItBleed You Can't Always Get What You Want]]", re-purposed as a CharityMotivationSong recorded by various celebrities and credited to Friends of Jo Cox (a [[UsefulNotes/BritishPoliticalSystem Labour Party MP]] who was assassinated in 2016)[[/note]]. The new Chrysalis has also acquired the rights to some artists who never recorded for its original incarnation, such as Steve Harley, Music/SuziQuatro and Music/EverythingButTheGirl. Warner Music (through Creator/ParlophoneRecords) retains the catalogues of Jethro Tull, Spandau Ballet, The Proclaimers, and international rights to The Ramones.

* Music/TheRamones*

This arrangement lasted until 2016, when Chrysalis went full circle ''again'', as part of WMG's divestments to independent labels. Warner sold the label to [[http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-sells-chrysalis-records-back-to-chris-wright-and-blue-raincoat/ Blue Raincoat Music]], a company affiliated with Chris Wright; he and his partners relaunched Chrysalis before the year was out. The reborn Chrysalis began by focusing on reissues of its catalog (both physical and digital), with only one release of new material during its first four years[[note]]a CoverVersion of Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}}' "[[Music/LetItBleed You Can't Always Get What You Want]]", re-purposed as a CharityMotivationSong recorded by various celebrities and credited to Friends of Jo Cox (a [[UsefulNotes/BritishPoliticalSystem Labour Party MP]] who was assassinated in 2016)[[/note]]. The new Chrysalis has also acquired the rights to some artists who never recorded for its original incarnation, such as Music/SuziQuatro and Music/EverythingButTheGirl. Warner Music (through Creator/ParlophoneRecords) retains the catalogues of Jethro Tull, Spandau Ballet, The Proclaimers, and international rights to The Ramones.

During the 1970s, Chrysalis became a force in post-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] genres such as ProgressiveRock (Jethro Tull, Music/ProcolHarum, Music/GentleGiant), BluesRock (Ten Years After), FolkRock (Music/SteeleyeSpan, Tir Na Nog) and HeavyMetal (Music/{{UFO|Band}}). The success of these acts allowed it to compete with major label "hippie" imprints such as Creator/{{Decca|Records}}'s Creator/{{Deram|Records}}, Creator/{{EMI}}'s {{Creator/Harvest|Records}} and Creator/{{Philips|Records}}/Phonogram's {{Creator/Vertigo|Records}}, as well as like-minded indies such as Island and {{Creator/Charisma|Records}}.

When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner|Band}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone and the UK indie label China Records (before the latter switched to Creator/PolydorRecords in 1988). The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series, which crossed over with China signees Music/ArtOfNoise under Chrysalis' wing), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

[[http://chrysalisrecordings.com/roster/ Chrysalis Records]] was one of the major record labels of TheSeventies, TheEighties, and TheNineties.

This arrangement lasted until 2016, when Chrysalis went full circle ''again'', as part of WMG's divestments to independent labels. Warner sold the label to [[http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-sells-chrysalis-records-back-to-chris-wright-and-blue-raincoat/ Blue Raincoat Music]], a company affiliated with Chris Wright; he and his partners relaunched Chrysalis before the year was out. The reborn Chrysalis began by focusing on reissues of its catalog (both physical and digital), with only one release of new material during its first four years[[note]]a CoverVersion of Music/TheRollingStones' "[[Music/LetItBleed You Can't Always Get What You Want]]", re-purposed as a CharityMotivationSong recorded by various celebrities and credited to Friends of Jo Cox (a [[UsefulNotes/BritishPoliticalSystem Labour Party MP]] who was assassinated in 2016)[[/note]]. The new Chrysalis has also acquired the rights to some artists who never recorded for its original incarnation, such as Music/SuziQuatro and Music/EverythingButTheGirl. Warner Music (through Creator/ParlophoneRecords) retains the catalogues of Jethro Tull, Spandau Ballet, The Proclaimers, and international rights to The Ramones.

!!Chrysalis Records performers, past and present, with Wiki/TVTropes pages:

* Music/ArtOfNoise[[note]]Handled distribution of their China Records output until 1988; releases during this period are billed under both China and Chrysalis' names.[[/note]]

When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner|Band}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone. The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

In August 2019, Blue Raincoat (the parent company of Chrysalis) was acquired by Reservoir Media Management. In early 2020, Chrysalis announced it would once again start signing new artists, beginning with Music/LauraMarling. In September, Chrysalis revealed that Music/LizPhair had joined the label.

When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone. The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

During the 1970s, Chrysalis became a force in post-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] genres such as ProgressiveRock (Jethro Tull, Music/ProcolHarum, Music/GentleGiant), BluesRock (Ten Years After), FolkRock (Music/SteeleyeSpan, Tir Na Nog) and HeavyMetal (Music/UFOBand). The success of these acts allowed it to compete with major label "hippie" imprints such as Creator/{{Decca|Records}}'s Creator/{{Deram|Records}}, Creator/{{EMI}}'s {{Creator/Harvest|Records}} and Creator/{{Philips|Records}}/Phonogram's {{Creator/Vertigo|Records}}, as well as like-minded indies such as Island and {{Creator/Charisma|Records}}.

* Music/UFOBand

During the 1970s, Chrysalis became a force in post-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] genres such as ProgressiveRock (Jethro Tull, Music/ProcolHarum, Music/GentleGiant), BluesRock (Ten Years After), FolkRock (Music/SteeleyeSpan, Tir Na Nog) and HeavyMetal (Music/UFOBand). The success of these acts allowed it to compete with major label "hippie" imprints such as Creator/{{Decca|Records}}'s Creator/{{Deram|Records}}, Creator/{{EMI}}'s {{Creator/Harvest|Records}} and Creator/{{Philips|Records}}/Phonogram's {{Creator/Vertigo|Records}}, as well as like-minded indies such as Island and {{Creator/Charisma|Records}}. When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone. The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

During the 1970s, Chrysalis became a force in post-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] genres such as ProgressiveRock (Jethro Tull, Music/ProcolHarum, Music/GentleGiant), BluesRock (Ten Years After), FolkRock (Music/SteeleyeSpan, Tir Na Nog) and HeavyMetal (Music/UFOBand). The success of these acts allowed it to compete with major label "hippie" imprints such as Creator/{{Decca|Records}}' Creator/{{Deram|Records}}, Creator/{{EMI}}'s {{Creator/Harvest|Records}} and Creator/{{Philips|Records}}/Phonogram's {{Creator/Vertigo|Records}}, as well as like-minded indies such as Island and {{Creator/Charisma|Records}}. When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone. The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

During the 1970s, Chrysalis became a force in post-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] genres such as ProgressiveRock (Jethro Tull, Music/ProcolHarum, Music/GentleGiant), BluesRock (Ten Years After), FolkRock (Music/SteeleyeSpan, Tir Na Nog) and HeavyMetal (Music/{{UFO}}). The success of these acts allowed it to compete with major label "hippie" imprints such as Creator/{{EMI}}'s [[Creator/HarvestRecords Harvest]] and Creator/{{Philips|Records}}/Phonogram's [[Creator/VertigoRecords Vertigo]], as well as like-minded indies such as Island and {{Creator/Charisma|Records}}. When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone. The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

* Music/{{UFO}}

* Music/TheRamones

The company evolved out of the Ellis-Wright Agency, a UsefulNotes/{{London}}-based booking and management firm founded in the mid-1960s by two former social secretaries named Terry Ellis and Chris Wright. Their clients included up-and-coming underground bands such as Ten Years After (who quickly became successful) and Music/JethroTull, who had released only a flop single with Creator/{{MGM}}'s record division on which they were miscredited as "Jethro Toe". This fiasco led Ellis and Wright to start thinking about [[StartMyOwn starting their own label]], which they named Chrysalis as a both a PunnyName and a {{Portmanteau}}. [[note]](Chris/Ellis, [[DontExplainTheJoke get it?]])[[/note]] In 1968, Chrysalis signed Tull with Creator/IslandRecords in England and Creator/RepriseRecords in America as a production company; Island head Chris Blackwell made a deal that if Chrysalis' acts sold a certain amount of records in a year, it would become a label in its own right. To everyone's surprise, that's exactly what happened when Tull's second album, ''Stand Up'', topped the British album charts. Chrysalis' first release (a Jethro Tull single titled "Sweet Dream", appropriately enough) hit British stores in October 1969. Three years later, Chrysalis began releasing in America through a distribution deal with Reprise's parent company, Creator/WarnerBrosRecords.

!!Chrysalis Records performers with Wiki/TVTropes pages:

During the 1970s, Chrysalis became a force in post-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] genres such as ProgressiveRock (Jethro Tull, Music/ProcolHarum, Music/GentleGiant), BluesRock (Ten Years After), FolkRock (Music/SteeleyeSpan, Tir Na Nog) and HeavyMetal (Music/{{UFO}}). The success of these acts allowed it to compete with major label "hippie" imprints such as EMI's [[Creator/HarvestRecords Harvest]] and Philips/Phonogram's [[Creator/VertigoRecords Vertigo]], as well as like-minded indies such as Island and Charisma. When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone. The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series), radio, and book publishing. Shortly after, it opened the dance music imprint Cooltempo, known for its eclectic roster of acid house and R&B artists and vocalists...''and'' for being the UK label of the infamous Music/MilliVanilli.

In August 2019, Blue Raincoat (the parent company of Chrysalis) was acquired by Reservoir Media Management. In early 2020, Chrysalis announced it would once again start signing new artists, beginning with Music/LauraMartling. In September, Chrysalis revealed that Music/LizPhair had joined the label.

* Music/LauraMartling

In August 2019, Blue Raincoat (the parent company of Chrysalis) was acquired by Reservoir Media Management. In early 2020, Chrysalis announced it would once again start signing new artists, beginning with SingerSongwriter Laura Martling. In September, Chrysalis revealed that Music/LizPhair had joined the label.

During the 1970s, Chrysalis became a force in post-[[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]] genres such as ProgressiveRock (Jethro Tull, Music/ProcolHarum, Music/GentleGiant), BluesRock (Ten Years After), FolkRock (Music/SteeleyeSpan, Tir Na Nog) and HeavyMetal (Music/{{UFO}}). The success of these acts allowed it to compete with major label "hippie" imprints such as EMI's [[Creator/HarvestRecords Harvest]] and Philips/Phonogram's [[Creator/VertigoRecords Vertigo]], as well as like-minded indies such as Island and Charisma. When PunkRock arrived, Chrysalis signed Generation X, which paid off when singer Music/BillyIdol underwent a BreakupBreakout; the label later added Music/StiffLittleFingers to its roster. In 1976, US Chrysalis ended its deal with Warners and became an independent label headquartered in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, which allowed the label to sign American talent for almost the first time.[[note]]Chrysalis signed its first American act (Black Sheep, a HardRock band featuring a pre-Music/{{Foreigner}} Lou Gramm) in 1974.[[/note]] These new pop-oriented performers, including Music/{{Blondie}}, Music/PatBenatar, and Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, signaled that Chrysalis would go in a more mainstream direction during TheEighties. Chrysalis also became the distributor for the up-and-coming {{Ska}} label TwoTone. The company also spun off the Chrysalis Group, a small media firm which owned interests in television (Chrysalis co-produced the ''Series/MaxHeadroom'' series), radio, and book publishing.