Rykodisc was founded in 1983 as the first CD-only music label. (Ryko is a Japanese word meaning "sound from a flash of light.") At a music convention in France, the business plan was scribbled down on a cocktail napkin after a few too many Pernods. Four years of CD-only releases from a wide variety of musical genres ensued, until Rykodisc also began releasing CD-Quality LPs and Cassettes.

With music now available in all formats (including Enhanced CD and DVD-Audio), the label reaches more listeners than ever with its eclectic catalog of high-quality musical titles.

In an industry where the big fish have swallowed the little fish at an alarming rate, Rykodisc remains an anomaly. Throughout its existence, it has grown from the little label that could into a major contender in the music business, all the while remaining fiercely committed to independent distribution and innovative thinking, even though it has an affiliation with Warner Music Group. It even survived as a sister label of Palm Pictures when it was owned by Chris Blackwell in the late 1990s and early 2000s. By resisting the trends that threaten to homogenize the industry and focusing instead on high-quality music, Rykodisc has grown into one of the largest and most successful independent labels in the USA.

Labelcode: LC 02619