| Vagrant Records | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parent company | BMG Rights Management |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Rich Egan, Jon Cohen |
| Distributor(s) | Universal Music Group[1] (physical) BMG Rights Management (digital) |
| Genre | Emo, punk, indie rock, alternative rock, post-hardcore |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Santa Monica, California |
| Official website | www |
Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California.[2] It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk, soul, electronic, and pop. It is home to artists such as The 1975, Death Spells, Eels, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, CRUISR, Active Child, PJ Harvey, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, James Vincent McMorrow, Black Joe Lewis, Wake Owl, Blitzen Trapper, and Bombay Bicycle Club. Originally, Vagrant Records was mostly focused on emo bands such as Dashboard Confessional, Saves the Day, The Get Up Kids, Senses Fail, and Alkaline Trio. The label is considered one of the pre-eminent labels of the emo music scene.[3]
In 2014, Vagrant was acquired by BMG Rights Management.[4] Co-founder Jon Cohen then became BMG's executive vice president of recorded music,[5] until he left the company in September 2017.[6] It remains to be distributed autonomously (outside of BMG's main distribution partner Warner Music Group), by affiliated labels in selected countries.
- ^ "BMG forms alliance with Universal Music Group; plans to move physical distribution to UMG's Commercial Services division". musicbusinessworldwide.com. 19 October 2023.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (May 19, 2021). "Vagrant Records launches 25th anniversary campaign w/ reissues, a podcast & more". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "25 Years of Vagrant Records: The label that accidentally took emo to…". 4 November 2021.
- ^ "US: BMG Acquires Vagrant Records". BMG Rights Management. November 17, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "BMG acquires Vagrant Records - Complete Music Update". www.completemusicupdate.com.
- ^ "Jon Cohen out at BMG". www.musicweek.com.