Reprise Records
The label where the Chairman of the Board finally owned his own masters—and left Capitol over the fight to get them.
Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels. Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Green Day, Enya, Michael Bublé, Eric Clapton, Stevie Nicks, Neil Young, Deftones, Lindsey Buckingham, Josh Groban, Disturbed, Idina Menzel, My Chemical Romance, Gerard Way, Dwight Yoakam, Never Shout Never, and Billy Strings.
Quick Facts
- Parent
- Warner Music Group
- Founded
- 1960 (original); 1987 (relaunch)
- Distributor
- Warner Records (United States)
- Warner Music Group (international)
- Rhino Entertainment Company (re-issues)
- Country
- United States
Lore & Background
Reprise Records was formed in 1960 by Frank Sinatra in order to allow more artistic freedom for his own recordings, because of dissatisfaction with Capitol Records, and after trying to buy Norman Granz's Verve Records. The first album Sinatra released on Reprise was Ring-a-Ding-Ding! Soon thereafter, he garnered the nickname "The Chairman of the Board". As CEO of Reprise, Sinatra recruited several artists for the fledgling label, such as fellow Rat Pack members Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. The original roster from 1961 to 1963 included Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford, Rosemary Clooney, Duke Ellington, Nancy Sinatra, Esquivel, and stand-up comedian Redd Foxx. One of the label's founding principles under Sinatra's leadership was that each artist would have full creative freedom, and at some point complete ownership of their work, including publishing rights. This is the reason why recordings of early Reprise artists (Dean Martin, Jimi Hendrix, the Kinks, etc.) are (in most cases) currently distributed through other labels.
Reader's Guide
In 1976, the Reprise label was deactivated by Warner Bros. and all of its roster (except Frank Sinatra and Neil Young) were moved to the main Warner Bros. label. Although older catalog albums continued to be manufactured with the Reprise logo, and albums by the Beach Boys on Brother Records were issued in the Reprise catalog numbering sequence, aside from Sinatra and Young (and the Sylvia Syms album Syms by Sinatra, which Sinatra conducted and co-produced) there were no new releases on Reprise for several years. In late 1985, some copies of the Dream Academy's hit single "Life in a Northern Town" were pressed on the Warner Bros. label bearing the Reprise logo. 1986 saw releases bearing Reprise labels from the Dream Academy as well as Dwight Yoakam. In summer 1987, Warner Bros. Records chairman Mo Ostin and label president Lenny Waronker officially announced the reactivation of Reprise, including its own separate promotions department, and former Warner Bros. Vice President of Promotion Rich Fitzgerald was appointed as label vice president.
The Warner Bros. Era and Rock Expansion
In August 1963, as part of a film deal, Warner Bros. purchased Reprise (which had been losing money) from Frank Sinatra, who nonetheless retained a 1/3 interest in the label until the end of the year. Many of the older artists on the label were dropped by Warner Bros. Records. Reprise president Mo Ostin was retained as the head of the label. Warner-Reprise executives began targeting younger acts, beginning by securing the American distribution rights to the Pye Records recordings by the Kinks in 1964. Reprise soon added teen-oriented pop acts like Dino, Desi & Billy to the roster. Through direct signings or distribution deals, by the 1970s the Reprise roster grew to include Lee Hazlewood, Jill Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, the early Joni Mitchell recordings, Neil Young, the Electric Prunes, Donna Loren, Arlo Guthrie, Norman Greenbaum, Tom Lehrer, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, Tiny Tim, Ry Cooder, Captain Beefheart, John Sebastian, Family, the early 1970s recordings by Frank Zappa and the Mothers, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Nico's Desertshore, the Fugs, Jethro Tull, Pentangle, T. Rex, the Meters, John Cale, Gordon Lightfoot, Michael Franks, Richard Pryor, Al Jarreau, Fleetwood Mac, Fanny, and the Beach Boys.
Label Ecosystems and Cultural Footprint
Reprise Records has historically functioned as a hub for numerous subsidiary labels and specialized imprints, including 143 Records (1999–2001), Bizarre Records (1968–1972), Big Brother Records (2008–present), BME Recordings (2004–present), Brother Records (1970–1977), Chrysalis Records (1969–1972), Cold Chillin' Records (1988–1993; select releases), DiscReet Records (1973–1979), Elementree Records (1995–2000), Giant Records (1990–2001; select releases), Grand Jury Records (1990–1993), In Bloom Records (1998–2000), Kinetic Records (1992–2000), Straight Records (1968–1972), Sire Records (1977–2000: select releases), and Vapor Records (1995–present; currently active). Neil Young stated in a documentary about his life that Charles Manson was turned down by Reprise. The label also published the book Hard Rope & Silken Twine (1974), written by The Incredible String Band, illustrated by Wayne Anderson.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the key artists signed to Reprise during its early years?
The roster famously included Sinatra's 'Rat Pack' colleagues like Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., alongside family members such as Nancy Sinatra. These signings reflected Sinatra's desire to surround himself with talent that matched his specific vision of musical excellence.
What happened to Reprise Records after Frank Sinatra left management?
Warner Bros. eventually acquired the label, integrating it into what is now the Warner Music Group. Despite this corporate shift, the imprint retained its legacy as a historic home for classic American vocalists.
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