History Creator / IslandRecords

This started to change in 1967, as RockAndRoll began to evolve into GenreMotif/{{Rock}}. Steve Winwood, lead singer of Spencer Davis Group, left to form a PsychedelicRock band called Music/{{Traffic|Band}}; Island decided to release Traffic's records themselves, so they reaped the rewards when the group became popular with the hippie counterculture. While Island continued with reggae, in the late 60s and early 70s its focus shifted to the new generation of British "underground" artists who played styles such as ProgressiveRock, HardRock and FolkRock. This paid off in a big way, as the label assembled an insanely impressive roster of talent, including Music/FreeBand, Music/FairportConvention, Music/JethroTull, Music/KingCrimson, Music/MottTheHoople, Music/NickDrake, Music/RoxyMusic, Music/CatStevens, Music/JohnMartyn, and Music/EmersonLakeAndPalmer. Island's success led to several rivals aiming at the same audience, including indies such as [[Creator/ChrysalisRecords Chrysalis]] (which started as an Island offshoot) and [[Creator/CharismaRecords Charisma]], as well as major label imprints like [[Creator/HarvestRecords Harvest]] and [[Creator/VertigoRecords Vertigo]]. In the US, Island's acts were licensed to other companies (usually [[Creator/AAndMRecords A&M]] and [[Creator/AtlanticRecords Atlantic]]) until it established an American presence as a Creator/WarnerMusicGroup imprint.

* Music/{{Sum 41}}

* Music/EttaJames

* Music/FreeBand

* Music/TheOrb*

** Music/JadeEwen

* Music/{{Supergrass}} (US only)

This started to change in 1967, as RockAndRoll began to evolve into GenreMotif/{{Rock}}. Steve Winwood, lead singer of Spencer Davis Group, left to form a PsychedelicRock band called Music/{{Traffic|Band}}; Island decided to release Traffic's records themselves, so they reaped the rewards when the group became popular with the hippie counterculture. While Island continued with reggae, in the late 60s and early 70s its focus shifted to the new generation of British "underground" artists who played styles such as ProgressiveRock, HardRock and FolkRock. This paid off in a big way, as the label assembled an insanely impressive roster of talent, including Music/FreeBand, Music/FairportConvention, Music/JethroTull, Music/KingCrimson, Music/MottTheHoople, Music/NickDrake, Music/RoxyMusic, Music/CatStevens, Music/JohnMartyn, and Music/EmersonLakeAndPalmer. Island's success led to several rivals aiming at the same audience, including indies such as [[Creator/ChrysalisRecords Chrysalis]] (which started as an Island offshoot) and [[Creator/CharismaRecords Charisma]], as well as major label imprints like [[Creator/HarvestRecords Harvest]] and [[Creator/VertigoRecords Vertigo]]. In the US, Island's acts were licensed to other companies (usually [[Creator/AAndMRecords A&M]] and [[Creator/AtlanticRecords Atlantic]]) until it established an American presence.

* Music/{{Queen}}

This started to change in 1967, as RockAndRoll began to evolve into GenreMotif/{{Rock}}. Steve Winwood, lead singer of Spencer Davis Group, left to form a PsychedelicRock band called Music/{{Traffic}}; Island decided to release Traffic's records themselves, so they reaped the rewards when the group became popular with the hippie counterculture. While Island continued with reggae, in the late 60s and early 70s its focus shifted to the new generation of British "underground" artists who played styles such as ProgressiveRock, HardRock and FolkRock. This paid off in a big way, as the label assembled an insanely impressive roster of talent, including Music/FreeBand, Music/FairportConvention, Music/JethroTull, Music/KingCrimson, Music/MottTheHoople, Music/NickDrake, Music/RoxyMusic, Music/CatStevens, Music/JohnMartyn, and Music/EmersonLakeAndPalmer. Island's success led to several rivals aiming at the same audience, including indies such as [[Creator/ChrysalisRecords Chrysalis]] (which started as an Island offshoot) and [[Creator/CharismaRecords Charisma]], as well as major label imprints like [[Creator/HarvestRecords Harvest]] and [[Creator/VertigoRecords Vertigo]]. In the US, Island's acts were licensed to other companies (usually [[Creator/AAndMRecords A&M]] and [[Creator/AtlanticRecords Atlantic]]) until it established an American presence.

* Music/{{Traffic}}

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

* Music/HikaruUtada (English-speaking world only, as Utada)

* Music/UtadaHikaru (English-speaking world only, as Utada)

This started to change in 1967, as RockAndRoll began to evolve into GenreMotif/{{Rock}}. Steve Winwood, lead singer of Spencer Davis Group, left to form a PsychedelicRock band called Music/{{Traffic}}; Island decided to release Traffic's records themselves, so they reaped the rewards when the group became popular with the hippie counterculture. While Island continued with reggae, in the late 60s and early 70s its focus shifted to the new generation of British "underground" artists who played styles such as ProgressiveRock, HardRock and FolkRock. This paid off in a big way, as the label assembled an insanely impressive roster of talent, including Music/FreeBand, Music/FairportConvention, Music/JethroTull, Music/KingCrimson, Music/MottTheHoople, Music/NickDrake, Music/RoxyMusic, Music/CatStevens, Music/JohnMartyn, and Music/EmersonLakeAndPalmer. Island's success led to several rivals aiming at the same audience, including indies such as [[Creator/ChrysalisRecords Chrysalis]] (which started as an Island offshoot) and [[Creator/CharismaRecords Charisma]], as well as major label imprints like [[Creator/DeramRecords Deram]], [[Creator/HarvestRecords Harvest]] and [[Creator/VertigoRecords Vertigo]]. In the US, Island's acts were licensed to other companies (usually [[Creator/AAndMRecords A&M]] and [[Creator/AtlanticRecords Atlantic]]) until it established an American presence.

When the music world was upended by PunkRock, Island wasn't any more prepared than their competition, although they managed to sign Music/TheSlits, Music/{{Ultravox}} and Eddie and the Hot Rods. They did better with NewWaveMusic, particularly an Irish quartet whom Blackwell confidently hyped as Island's "most important signing since King Crimson." Considering that the band was Music/{{U2}}, Blackwell's brashness turned out to be justified.