Mute Records
Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, Einstürzende Neubauten, Fad Gadget, Goldfrapp, Grinderman, Inspiral Carpets, Moby, New Order, Laibach, Nitzer Ebb, Yann Tiersen, Wire, Yeasayer, Fever Ray, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Yazoo, and M83.
Mute Records
Mute Artists Ltd.:
Independent (2010–present)
Mute Records Ltd.: Independent (1978–2002)
EMI Group (2002–2012)
Universal Music Group (2012)
BMG (2013–present; back catalogue)
1978
Mute Artists Ltd.:
PIAS Group (worldwide, 2013–present)
Alternative Distribution Alliance (North America, 2014–present)[1]
Mute Records Ltd.:
Alternative Distribution Alliance (worldwide, 2017–2023)[2]
Universal Music Group (worldwide, 2023–present)[3]
United Kingdom
History[edit]
Beginnings[edit]
During 1978, Daniel Miller began recording music, using synthesisers, under the name The Normal.[4] He recorded the tracks "T.V.O.D." and "Warm Leatherette" and distributed them through Rough Trade Shops under the label name Mute Records.[4] The label was formed initially just to release the one single.[5] "T.V.O.D."/"Warm Leatherette" became a cult hit ensuring the future of the label. "Warm Leatherette" was later covered by Grace Jones[4] and Chicks on Speed as well as Rose McDowell.
After meeting Robert Rental (who had previously worked with Thomas Leer), Miller began recording and playing live as Robert Rental & The Normal. In 1979 the band went on tour supporting the punk band Stiff Little Fingers, which had just released an album distributed by Rough Trade.
1980–1989[edit]
In 1980, Miller released the single "Kebab-Träume" by the German band Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (D.A.F.), who had recently moved to London. The band's 1980 album, Die Kleinen und die Bösen, was the first album released by the new label.[4] The album had the catalogue prefix "STUMM", a play on the record label's name, meaning "mute" in German. This prefix was used through most of the label's album catalogue.[4]
Also in 1980, Miller recorded and released the cover single "Memphis Tennessee" under the name Silicon Teens. The band was Miller's realisation of a dream Mute Records group whose main instruments were synthesisers. In mid-1980, Mute Records released the Silicon Teens' album, titled Music For Parties.[4]
Around this time the artist Fad Gadget had begun recording new demos, including the track "Back To Nature". This was released as a single in 1980, followed by the next single "Ricky's Hand" and the album Fireside Favourites recorded at Blackwing Studios.[4]