Victory Records

Did You Know?

• Thursday's 2001 album Full Collapse was promoted by Victory's marketing staff using whoopie cushions, which the band opposed.
• A Day to Remember won a lawsuit against Victory Records on November 26, 2016, receiving $4.02 million and winning three of four issues, while Victory retained the band's master recordings.

History

Victory Records initially concentrated on hardcore punk and post-hardcore bands, later expanding into emo and pop punk. In early 2002, twenty-five percent of the label was sold to MCA Records, but the deal was terminated by Victory later that year. The label is partnered with and distributed by Sony's RED Distribution. In April 2014, Victory sponsored a stage at the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival featuring five of its artists.

Another Victory Publishing

Another Victory, the publishing arm of Victory Records, launched in 1997. It manages a catalog of more than 5,000 songs through sub-publishing deals with companies like BMG Chrysalis, Mushroom Group, and FujiPacific Music. The company has placed tracks in video games such as NHL 15 and Crazy Taxi: City Rush, and TV shows including Secrets and Lies, The Challenge: Free Agents, and Ridiculousness.

Distributed labels

Victory Records has handled distribution for labels including Sumerian, Rise, and Red Cord. In July 2012, the Boston label We Are Triumphant began using Victory for distribution. I Scream Records joined Victory’s distribution network in May 2013. A deal with Famined Records was signed in September 2014. By February 2017, Wilhelm Records had moved to exclusive distribution through Victory. The company also distributed AEI, Carbon Copy Media, Desperate Fight Records, Dragon Well, GMM Records, Ironbound Records, JMB Records, Jumpstart Records, Life Sentence Records, Lobster Records, Luxor Records, Pop Up Records, School Night Records, Smorgasbord Records, Torque Records, Toy Box Records, Undecided Records, Hand of Hope Records, Lifeforce Records, Mutant League Records, StandBy Records, and We Are Triumphant Records.

Criticism

Victory Records has experienced negative relations with some artists. Thursday cited issues with royalties and objected to the label's marketing staff producing whoopie cushions for their 2001 album Full Collapse without the band's consent. Atreyu guitarist Dan Jacobs spoke negatively about Tony Brummel in a 2021 podcast interview. Wil Francis of Aiden stated on Facebook that the band sold 500,000 albums through Victory and were not paid.

Hawthorne Heights announced their departure from the label in August 2006 and filed a lawsuit accusing Victory of fraudulent accounting practices and damaging the band's reputation; the band also alleged that Brummel issued public statements in their name criticizing hip-hop singer Ne-Yo and urged fans to conceal copies of Ne-Yo's CD in stores. Victory countersued Hawthorne Heights for breach of contract and libel in September 2006. A Chicago judge dismissed two of the three main claims in the band's suit in October 2006.

However, some bands have reported positive relations, including Close Your Eyes and Ill Niño. Emmure stated that Victory does good business and that bands expecting more than they get may feel cheated.