Big Beat Records
Corporate brand
UnclaimedAn American record label associated with Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group, known for house, hip-hop, electronic, and dance music.
Last updated August 22, 2026
Overview
Big Beat Records is an American record label whose history spans independent dance-music entrepreneurship, Atlantic Records ownership, and a later revival focused primarily on electronic and contemporary dance music. Craig Kallman founded the label in New York in 1986 while working as a young disc jockey. The operation initially functioned on a very small scale, with Kallman recording and promoting releases himself. Early records included Taravhonty's “Join Hands” and Kraze's “The Party”; the latter became an important early commercial success for the label. Big Beat subsequently developed a roster that connected house music, club culture, hip-hop, and R&B. The label's early growth attracted Atlantic Records. After Jomanda's “Got a Love for You” drew attention in 1991, Atlantic acquired Big Beat and appointed Kallman to an A&R leadership role while allowing the label's identity to continue operating within the Atlantic structure. During the 1990s, Big Beat broadened its musical focus. In addition to dance-oriented acts, it released or worked with hip-hop and R&B artists including Mad Skillz, Changing Faces, Robin S., Fat Joe, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil' Kim through the Undeas imprint, Artifacts, Kenny Dope, Dawn Penn, Marshall Jefferson, Todd Terry, and Quad City DJs. The original phase ended when Big Beat and its roster were absorbed into Atlantic Records in 1998. A proposed revival in 2001 did not proceed. In 2010, Atlantic relaunched Big Beat as a distinct label identity with a stronger emphasis on electronic and dance music. The revived label was associated with artists such as Skrillex, Chromeo, Wynter Gordon, Martin Solveig, Teddybears, Icona Pop, Cash Cash, Galantis, David Guetta, and Clean Bandit. Its early post-relaunch successes included Wynter Gordon's “Dirty Talk,” Martin Solveig's “Hello,” and Skrillex's Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites EP. Big Beat's renewed profile was strengthened by a sequence of internationally successful electronic and pop-dance releases. Skrillex's releases won multiple Grammy Awards, while Clean Bandit's “Rather Be,” David Guetta's “Hey Mama,” Cash Cash's “Take Me Home,” Icona Pop's “I Love It,” Galantis's “No Money,” and the Jack Ü project involving Skrillex and Diplo expanded the imprint's reach across streaming, radio, clubs, and mainstream charts. The label's roster and management were also visible in industry rankings during the 2010s, including Billboard and Mixmag coverage. Big Beat operates as an Atlantic-associated imprint within Warner Music Group rather than as a wholly independent label. Its catalog and brand identity combine dance-floor credibility with commercially oriented electronic pop, hip-hop, and crossover releases. Publicly available reference material identifies a roster including 100 gecs, Dog Blood, Galantis, Whethan, Cash Cash, and Clean Bandit, although artist affiliations can change over time.
History
Big Beat Records began in 1986 as an independent New York dance label founded by Craig Kallman. Kallman was a young disc jockey who initially operated the business from his bedroom, recording and promoting releases personally. The label's first track, Taravhonty's “Join Hands,” sold approximately 5,000 copies through direct promotion. A subsequent release, Kraze's “The Party,” became a much larger success, selling approximately 250,000 units in the United States and internationally according to the cited reference material. The early label concentrated on house and club music, then built a broader roster that included dance, R&B, and hip-hop artists. Kallman developed acts such as Tara Kemp and Jomanda, with Jomanda's “Got a Love for You” helping bring Big Beat to the attention of Atlantic Records executives. Atlantic acquired Big Beat in 1991 and placed Kallman in an Atlantic A&R role while the Big Beat identity continued within the larger company. During the 1990s, the label's musical center of gravity moved toward hip-hop and urban music without abandoning dance-oriented releases. Its associated artists included Mad Skillz, Changing Faces, Robin S., Fat Joe, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil' Kim through the Undeas imprint, Artifacts, Kenny Dope, Dawn Penn, Marshall Jefferson, Todd Terry, Quad City DJs, and others. Fat Joe became one of the label's notable late-1990s signings. His 1998 album Don Cartagena reached the top ten of the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. Later that year, Big Beat and its roster were absorbed into Atlantic Records. A planned 2001 relaunch was ultimately abandoned, leaving the name inactive as a distinct operating imprint for much of the following decade. Atlantic relaunched Big Beat in 2010 with a substantially different emphasis: electronic, dance, and EDM-oriented music. The new roster included Skrillex, Chromeo, Wynter Gordon, Martin Solveig, Teddybears, and other artists. Wynter Gordon's “Dirty Talk” was an early success, followed by Martin Solveig's “Hello.” Skrillex's Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites EP was especially important in establishing the revived label's identity. Its title song became a major electronic crossover recording, and the EP and song received Grammy recognition in 2012. Skrillex continued to win major awards for later releases, including Bangarang and the Jack Ü collaboration with Diplo. From 2013 onward, Big Beat expanded its international electronic-pop profile through signings and releases involving Icona Pop, Cash Cash, Galantis, Clean Bandit, and David Guetta. Icona Pop's “I Love It,” Cash Cash's “Take Me Home,” Clean Bandit's “Rather Be,” David Guetta's “Hey Mama,” and Galantis's “No Money” connected the label to global radio, streaming, club, and chart audiences. Clean Bandit's “Rather Be” won the 2015 Grammy for Best Dance Recording, while Jack Ü's “Where Are Ü Now” won the same category in 2016. By the late 2010s, Big Beat was operating as an Atlantic-associated label within Warner Music Group. Industry coverage highlighted executives and artists connected with the label, and the imprint was recognized for its role in the expansion of commercially successful electronic and dance music. Publicly listed contemporary or recent roster references include 100 gecs, Dog Blood, Galantis, Whethan, Cash Cash, and Clean Bandit. The precise current status of individual artist agreements is not established by the supplied reference material.
- 2016
Jack Ü wins Grammy awards
[1]Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü wins Best Dance/Electronic Album, and “Where Are Ü Now” wins Best Dance Recording.
- 2015
Clean Bandit wins Best Dance Recording
[1]“Rather Be,” featuring Jess Glynne, receives the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.
- 2013
Big Beat expands its electronic-pop roster
[1]The label signs or develops acts including Icona Pop, Cash Cash, and Galantis; David Guetta is later associated with the roster following Warner Music Group's Parlophone acquisition.
- 2012
Skrillex wins major Grammy awards
[1]Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites wins Best Dance/Electronic Album, while its title track wins Best Dance Recording.
- 2010
Big Beat is relaunched
[1]Atlantic revives Big Beat as a label centered primarily on electronic and dance music.
- 1998
Original label operation is absorbed by Atlantic
[1]Big Beat and its roster are incorporated into Atlantic Records.
- 1991
Atlantic Records acquires Big Beat
[1]Atlantic acquires the label after the success and industry attention surrounding Jomanda's “Got a Love for You.”
- 1986
Big Beat is founded
[1]Craig Kallman establishes Big Beat as an independent New York label focused initially on house and dance music.
Products and positioning
An Atlantic-associated label positioned around electronic, dance, house, hip-hop, and crossover pop music.
Music releases · 1986
Recorded music singles
Singles are the label's principal commercial output, spanning house, hip-hop, electronic, EDM, dance-pop, and crossover material. Representative releases associated with Big Beat include Wynter Gordon's “Dirty Talk,” Martin Solveig's “Hello,” Skrillex's “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” Clean Bandit's “Rather Be,” David Guetta's “Hey Mama,” and Galantis's “No Money.”
Music releases · 2010
Extended plays
Big Beat has been associated with electronic and dance extended plays, including Skrillex's Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites and Bangarang. These releases helped establish the revived imprint's electronic identity and connected club-oriented production with mainstream digital and award recognition.
Music releases · 1998
Studio albums
The label's album output includes hip-hop, electronic, dance-pop, and collaborative projects. Notable examples include Fat Joe's Don Cartagena, Clean Bandit's New Eyes, David Guetta's Listen, and Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü. Albums are distributed through the broader Atlantic and Warner Music Group infrastructure.
Brand decisions
2010
Relaunch Big Beat as an electronic-focused imprintStrategyBackground
Atlantic revived the dormant label amid growing commercial visibility for electronic dance music.
Action taken
Big Beat was relaunched with a roster and release strategy centered on electronic, dance, and EDM artists.
Aftermath
The imprint achieved major crossover successes through Skrillex, Clean Bandit, Galantis, David Guetta, Cash Cash, and related artists.
1998
Absorb the original Big Beat operation into AtlanticStrategyBackground
Following Atlantic's ownership of the label and the conclusion of its 1990s roster cycle, Big Beat's distinct operating structure was discontinued.
Action taken
Atlantic absorbed Big Beat and its roster into the parent label.
Aftermath
A proposed 2001 revival was abandoned, and the brand was later relaunched in 2010 with an electronic-music focus.
1991
Join Atlantic RecordsM&ABackground
Big Beat's early house and dance releases, particularly Jomanda's “Got a Love for You,” attracted Atlantic Records' attention.
Action taken
Atlantic acquired Big Beat and integrated its founder, Craig Kallman, into Atlantic's A&R structure while retaining the Big Beat identity.
Aftermath
The label expanded into hip-hop and R&B during the 1990s before later being absorbed into Atlantic.
Recent events
- 2017
Big Beat receives industry recognition as a leading dance label[1]
Other
Big Beat executives and artists appeared in Billboard's dance-industry power rankings, and Mixmag nominated the label for label of the decade.
- 2016
Skrillex and Diplo's Jack Ü project wins two Grammy Awards[1]
Product launch
Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü won Best Dance/Electronic Album, while “Where Are Ü Now” won Best Dance Recording.
- 2015
Clean Bandit's “Rather Be” wins a Grammy Award[1]
Product launch
The Big Beat-associated single won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 57th Grammy Awards.
- 2013
Big Beat signs Icona Pop, Cash Cash, and Galantis[1]
Product launch
The label expanded its electronic-pop roster with acts that later produced major international singles and streaming successes.
- 2013
Warner Music Group acquires Parlophone[1]
M&A
Warner Music Group's acquisition of Parlophone resulted in David Guetta being added to Big Beat's roster under the transaction's arrangements.
- 2010
Big Beat relaunched as an electronic and dance label[1]
Product launch
Atlantic revived Big Beat with a renewed focus on electronic and dance music and artists including Skrillex, Chromeo, Wynter Gordon, and Martin Solveig.
- 2010
Wynter Gordon's “Dirty Talk” becomes a major dance success[1]
Product launch
The first major hit associated with the relaunched label reached the top of Australia's singles chart and Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart.
- 2010
Skrillex's Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites establishes Big Beat's electronic direction[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The EP and its title track became major commercial and award successes, helping define Big Beat's post-relaunch identity.
- 1998
Original Big Beat operation absorbed into Atlantic Records[1]
Other
Big Beat and its roster were incorporated into Atlantic Records, ending the first operating phase of the label as a distinct imprint.
- 1991
Atlantic Records acquires Big Beat[1]
M&A
Atlantic acquired Big Beat after the independent label's dance releases, including Jomanda's “Got a Love for You,” attracted executive attention.
Sources2 sources
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