Magnet Records

Magnet Records was a British record label established in 1973 by Michael Levy and Peter Shelley. It operated during a period when independent labels played an important role in discovering, developing, and marketing acts outside the largest record-company systems. Magnet built a commercially visible catalogue across pop, rock, disco, new wave, ska, and related popular-music styles, with much of its strongest activity occurring during the 1970s and 1980s. The label's roster included Alvin Stardust, Stevenson's Rocket, Matchbox, Adrian Baker, Silver Convention, Guys 'n' Dolls, Darts, Kissing the Pink, Bad Manners, David D'Or, Blue Zoo, and Chris Rea. These acts represented a broad commercial strategy rather than a narrowly defined genre identity. Magnet was associated with chart-oriented singles and albums, and its releases helped give the label a recognizable place in the British popular-music market. Chris Rea was among the artists connected with the label who achieved notable success, while other acts on the roster were associated with disco, rockabilly, ska, pop, and contemporary pop-rock audiences. Magnet also functioned as a workplace and training environment for music-industry professionals. Kim Glover began her career in Michael Levy's radio-promotions department and later became Magnet's Head of TV and Radio. In that role, she created promotional campaigns for the label's artists, illustrating the importance of coordinated broadcast promotion in the pre-digital music business. Pete Waterman also worked at Magnet in the mid-1970s, an early step in his later recording-industry career. Warner Bros. Records acquired Magnet in 1988 for an estimated £10 million, bringing the label into a major-record-company structure. The transaction marked the end of Magnet's period as an independent British label, although the brand was later used for a subsequent incarnation associated with the band D:Ream in the 1990s. The available reference material does not establish the precise corporate form, catalogue-management arrangements, or final date of operation for that later incarnation. Magnet Records should also be distinguished from an unrelated British reggae label of the same name, which was started in 1971 by R. A. Coke and was based in Stoke Newington, North London.

Magnet Records was founded in Britain in 1973 by Michael Levy and Peter Shelley. Its emergence coincided with a period in which independent record companies could compete with larger groups by combining focused artist development with aggressive single promotion and relationships with radio and television. Magnet's catalogue was commercially broad. Rather than being identified with one enduring musical movement, it released and promoted artists working in pop, rock, disco, rockabilly, ska, new wave, and adjacent styles. Among the artists associated with the label were Alvin Stardust, Stevenson's Rocket, Matchbox, Adrian Baker, Silver Convention, Guys 'n' Dolls, Darts, Kissing the Pink, Bad Manners, David D'Or, Blue Zoo, and Chris Rea. The roster included acts with different audience profiles and commercial identities, suggesting that Magnet operated as a general popular-music label rather than a specialist imprint. Several of its artists achieved success during the 1970s and 1980s, the period in which the label was most prominent. The company also contributed to the development of music-business personnel. Kim Glover started in Michael Levy's radio-promotions department and later became Magnet's Head of TV and Radio. She created television and radio campaigns for the label's signed artists, reflecting the central role that broadcast exposure played in building records before streaming and social-media promotion. Pete Waterman worked for Magnet during the mid-1970s, which represented his first break in the recording business. In 1988 Warner Bros. Records acquired Magnet for an estimated £10 million. The purchase transferred the label from independent ownership into the Warner organization and is the principal documented turning point in its corporate history. A later incarnation of the label signed D:Ream, a band that achieved success during the 1990s. The available reference does not provide enough detail to establish how that later incarnation was structured or how long it remained active. Magnet Records is not the same entity as an unrelated British reggae label also called Magnet Records. That separate label was started in 1971 by R. A. Coke and was based in Stoke Newington, North London. The distinction is important because the 1973 British popular-music label covered by this dossier is the subject identified by the Wikipedia title "Magnet Records."

• 1988

  Acquisition by Warner Bros. Records

  [1]Magnet Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Warner Bros. Records acquires Magnet Records for an estimated £10 million.

• 1973

  Magnet Records is founded

  [1]Magnet Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Michael Levy and Peter Shelley establish Magnet Records as a British record label.

• D:Ream joins a later incarnation

  [1]Magnet Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  D:Ream is signed to a later incarnation of the Magnet label during the band's successful 1990s period.

A commercially oriented British independent record label with a broad popular-music roster, later absorbed into the Warner Bros. Records business.

• Recorded music · 1973

  Magnet singles

  Singles formed an important part of Magnet's commercial output during the 1970s and 1980s. The label's roster covered accessible pop, disco, rock, ska, new wave, and related styles, allowing it to promote individual tracks to radio and television audiences.

• Recorded music · 1973

  Magnet albums

  Magnet released album projects by artists across its broad popular-music roster. The album catalogue complemented the label's singles business and included work connected with artists such as Chris Rea, Alvin Stardust, Matchbox, Darts, and other acts associated with the imprint.

• Magnet artist television and radio promotion

  United Kingdom

  Kim Glover led television and radio campaigns for artists signed to Magnet after progressing from the label's radio-promotions department.

  Outcome. The campaigns supported the label's broadcast exposure and artist promotion during the pre-digital music era.

  Source

• 1988

  Sell Magnet Records to Warner Bros. RecordsM&A

  Background

  After operating as a British independent label since 1973, Magnet was acquired by a major record company.

  Action taken

  Warner Bros. Records purchased Magnet Records in a deal estimated at £10 million.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition ended Magnet's documented period as an independent label and brought it into the Warner corporate structure.

  Estimated acquisition price. £10 million (1988)

  Source

• 1988

  Warner Bros. Records acquires Magnet Records[1]Magnet Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Warner Bros. Records acquired Magnet Records in a transaction estimated at £10 million, ending the label's period as an independent British company.

• D:Ream signed to a later incarnation of Magnet Records[1]Magnet Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The successful 1990s band D:Ream was associated with a later incarnation of the Magnet label.

1. 1Magnet Recordsen.wikipedia.org