Drakkar Entertainment
German record label; originally a joint venture with Bertelsmann Music Group for its predecessor entity.
Drakkar Entertainment GmbH, operating under the names Drakkar Records or Drakkar Publishing, is a German record label based in Witten. It was originally a joint venture with Bertelsmann Music Group for its predecessor entity, Drakkar Promotion Musikverlag GmbH.
The company started in 1986 as Kopec Music Publishing, founded by Bogdan Kopec. At first it only handled publishing, but that same year Kopec renamed it "Drakkar Promotion" and broadened its work to include management, booking, and merchandising. Later, the label signed metal acts like Running Wild and Sodom, as well as the British band Raven.
In 1992, the firm partnered with Bertelsmann Music Group to become Drakkar Promotion Musikverlag GmbH. Around the same time, a separate entity, G.U.N. Records GmbH, was established. That second company grew so successful that Kopec, feeling overwhelmed, sold his shares to BMG. He then shut down Drakkar Promotion’s merchandising, booking, and trading divisions and founded "Drakkar Records". His original business was renamed Drakkar Entertainment GmbH.
Today, Drakkar Entertainment is split into four divisions: Drakkar Classic (a label for rock and metal with orchestral elements), Drakkar Records (its metal label), e-Wave Records (its electronic label), and Edition Drakkar (its publishing arm).
- known_for
- Signing metal bands such as Running Wild, Sodom, and the British band Raven
Lore & Background
Originally founded as Kopec Music Publishing in 1986 by Bogdan Kopec, the company initially handled only publishing. Later that year, Kopec renamed it to Drakkar Promotion and expanded into management, booking, and merchandising. The company signed metal acts including Running Wild, Sodom, and the British band Raven.
In 1992, Drakkar Promotion joined forces with Bertelsmann Music Group to become Drakkar Promotion Musikverlag GmbH. Simultaneously, G.U.N. Records GmbH was created. G.U.N. Records became so successful that Kopec, feeling overworked, sold his shares to BMG. He then closed the merchandising, booking, and trading departments of Drakkar Promotion and founded Drakkar Records. His original company became Drakkar Entertainment GmbH.
Today, Drakkar Entertainment operates four divisions: Drakkar Classic (rock and metal with orchestral accompaniment), Drakkar Records (metal), e-Wave Records (electronic), and Edition Drakkar (publishing).
Reader's Guide
Drakkar Entertainment's significance lies in its evolution from a small publishing firm into a multifaceted label and publishing house with a joint venture with Bertelsmann Music Group. Its early signing of influential German metal bands like Raven, Running Wild, and Sodom helped shape the European metal scene. The creation of G.U.N. Records as a separate entity and its subsequent success led to a restructuring that defined the modern Drakkar Entertainment. The company's four divisions—covering orchestral rock/metal, pure metal, electronic music, and publishing—demonstrate its diversification beyond a single genre. Its legacy includes a continued presence in metal and electronic music, with an official website and an archive site documenting its history.
Did You Know?
- Drakkar Entertainment was originally founded as Kopec Music Publishing in 1986 by Bogdan Kopec.
- The company once had a division called G.U.N. Records GmbH, created in 1992, which became so successful that Kopec sold his shares to BMG.
- Drakkar Entertainment now has four divisions: Drakkar Classic, Drakkar Records, e-Wave Records, and Edition Drakkar.
- The label signed metal bands Running Wild, Sodom, and the British band Raven.
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