12 Facts About Island Records

Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group.

Island Records operates four international divisions: Island US, Island UK, Island Australia, and Island France .

Island Records was founded in Jamaica on 4 July 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall and Leslie Kong, and financed by Stanley Borden from RKO.

Island Records did not provide any copies to radio stations, as they would not play any of the Island music; the music was not reviewed by the press.

The group became very popular and Island Records started their own independent series to spotlight UK rock talent.

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In 2009, Island Records marked the 50th anniversary of its foundation in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell with a series of live concerts and an exhibition under the Island 50 banner.

Island Records secured the signing of English indie rock band Florence and the Machine whose debut studio album Lungs sold four million copies, and spent over 12 months on the UK Albums Chart before being crowned British Album Of The Year at the 2010 BRIT Awards ceremony.

Island Records returned to the label in 2008 and began an outstanding trilogy of releases that contained some of his strongest solo work 22 Dreams, the Mercury Music Prize-nominated Wake Up The Nation and Sonik Kicks .

Island Records was responsible for securing major British breakthroughs for two of the 21st century's biggest international superstars in Drake and The Weeknd.

The duo discovered the joys of nineties house, techno and two-step garage while studying music production at college, and went on to enjoy success with their two Island Records albums Settle and Caracal, making extensive use of an array of guest vocalists including Sam Smith, Jamie Woon, Eliza Doolittle, Lorde and Gregory Porter.

In May 2018, incumbent president David Massey left Island to join Sony Music Entertainment's relaunch of Arista Records.

In 1994, Island Records sold the distribution licenses for most of Manga's releases to Siren Entertainment, an independent entertainment company in Australia.