Asylum Records

Label Code: LC 2648 / LC 02648
US label formed by David Geffen and Eliot Roberts in 1971. At inception, the label specialized in mainstream rock and singer/songwriters. The first artist signed to Asylum was Judee Sill, followed by David Blue, Jackson Browne and Jo Jo Gunne. Geffen scored a coup in 1974 by signing Bob Dylan for two albums during his brief estrangement from Columbia Records. In the mid and late 1970s, Asylum released records by such influential artists as Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, and Warren Zevon, as well as albums by former members of the Eagles, the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield.

From 1971 through 1973; Asylum was distributed by Atlantic Records, but in August 1973 the Elektra & Asylum Records labels were combined by parent Warner Communications to form Elektra/Asylum Records and Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records. The first record released under this new corporate structure was Joni Mitchell - Court And Spark; U.S. promotional and confirmed first pressings of this release show Atlantic catalog number SD-5072 effaced in the runouts.

Geffen left the label and founded Geffen Records in 1980. The Asylum name was retired from use on new releases in 1989, but returned occasionally in 1992 for country releases.

In 2004, after Warner Music was purchased from Time Warner by a consortium of private investors led by Edgar Bronfman Jr., Asylum was reactivated and became a southern-oriented hip-hop label. Asylum is also the current distributor for Rap-A-Lot Records and Swisha House Records. Although considered an independent label within the Warner Music structure, its numbering system and UPC prefix are those of Elektra Records.

For unofficial releases using the identity of this label, see Asylum Records (5).

Name appearances as found on this profile:
- Asylum Records
- Asylum