Earache Records
British independent label that pioneered extreme metal.
Earache Records is a British independent record label, music publisher, and management company. It was founded in 1985 by Digby Pearson and is based in Nottingham, England, with additional offices in London and New York. The label was instrumental in pioneering extreme metal, issuing early grindcore and death metal records from the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. Over time, its roster expanded to include more mainstream guitar-based rock, featuring acts such as Rival Sons, the Temperance Movement, Blackberry Smoke, Scarlet Rebels, and the White Buffalo. In 2017, Earache hosted the 'Earache Express' stage at Glastonbury Festival, and in 2018, it curated 'The Earache Factory' at Boomtown. The label's logo pays homage to Thrasher magazine, reflecting Pearson's enthusiasm for skateboard culture.
Pearson started Earache after self-releasing a compilation called *Anglican Scrape Attic*, which featured hardcore punk and early crossover thrash bands like Hirax, Lipcream, and Concrete Sox. The label's first official vinyl release, in 1987 with catalogue number MOSH 1, was The Accüsed's *The Return of Martha Splatterhead*. This was followed by a split LP from the crust/crossover band Concrete Sox and the proto-grind band Heresy. The first major release was MOSH 3: Napalm Death's *Scum*, which BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel championed. That record reached number 7 on the UK indie chart. Earache then released music from many emerging grindcore and death metal acts, including Morbid Angel, Carcass, Entombed, Bolt Thrower, and Terrorizer.
Though strongly associated with death metal, Earache's catalogue is diverse. It includes Welsh ragga-metal act Dub War, Birmingham industrial metal pioneers Godflesh, Nottingham's Pitchshifter, hardcore techno outfit Ultraviolence, Mick Harris's industrial/experimental group Scorn, John Zorn-led experimental group Naked City, and doom and sludge metal bands Sleep and Acid Bath. In the early 1990s, Columbia Records—seeking to enter the metal market—signed a deal with Earache. Columbia would license, market, and distribute Earache's titles in the Americas, with rights returning to Earache after the deal ended. Columbia failed to meet its own sales projections and tried to end the agreement early. Napalm Death's Barney Greenway objected to the partnership with Columbia (a subsidiary of Sony Music), calling it "selling out," though Napalm Deat
- founded
- 1985
- founder
- Digby Pearson
- field
- Record label, music publisher, management
- nationality
- British
- known_for
- Pioneering extreme metal; early grindcore and death metal releases
Lore & Background
Earache was founded in 1985 by Digby Pearson, who prior to launching the label had self-released 'Anglican Scrape Attic', a compilation of hardcore punk and early crossover thrash acts. The first official Earache vinyl release in 1987 was The Accüsed's The Return of Martha Splatterhead, followed by a split LP by Concrete Sox and Heresy. The label's first major release was Napalm Death's Scum (MOSH 3), which reached number 7 in the UK indie chart after being championed by John Peel on BBC Radio 1. Earache subsequently released music by many emerging grindcore and death metal bands, including Morbid Angel, Carcass, Entombed, Bolt Thrower and Terrorizer.
In the early 1990s, Columbia Records signed a deal with Earache to license and distribute its titles in the Americas, but the partnership was widely considered a failure, with Columbia seeking to prematurely terminate the agreement. Barney Greenway of Napalm Death objected to the deal as 'selling out', though Napalm Death later released music distributed by Columbia parent Sony Music Entertainment. All rights to Columbia-licensed titles have since reverted to Earache, which has remained wholly independent. The label has also hosted stages at Glastonbury Festival (the Earache Express in 2017) and Boomtown (the Earache Factory in 2018).
Reader's Guide
Earache Records holds a significant place in heavy music history as a key force in bringing grindcore and death metal to wider audiences during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Its early releases, particularly Napalm Death's Scum, helped define the sound and ethos of extreme metal. The label's willingness to diversify—signing acts like Godflesh, Dub War, and later rock bands such as Rival Sons and The Temperance Movement—demonstrated its adaptability beyond its initial niche. Earache also made headlines for holding the Guinness World Record for the shortest music video (Napalm Death's 10-second 'The Kill', later surpassed by Brutal Truth's 2.18-second video). In the digital era, it signed the first independent label direct deal with iTunes and even inserted a song into the blockchain. Despite its successes, the label has faced criticism from former artists over payment and treatment, as documented in the article. Overall, Earache's legacy is that of an independent label that evolved from extreme metal roots to a broader rock and alternative roster while maintaining its independence.
Did You Know?
- Earache's logo is a homage to Thrasher magazine, as founder Digby Pearson was a skateboard culture enthusiast.
- The label holds the Guinness World Record for the shortest music video: Napalm Death's 10-second 'The Kill', later replaced by Brutal Truth's 2.18-second video.
- In 2018, the label created a Twitter bot (@NapalmDeathBot) that sends an hourly tweet with the price of bitcoin, after the song 'You Suffer' was featured in the TV show Silicon Valley.
- Earache signed the first independent label direct deal with iTunes shortly after the service launched.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Earache Records?
Earache Records is a British independent label, music publisher, and management company that was launched in 1985 by Digby Pearson. It operates out of Nottingham, England, with additional offices in London and New York.
Why is Earache Records famous in metal history?
The label is widely credited with putting extreme metal on the map by putting out some of the earliest grindcore and death metal records between the late 1980s and mid-1990s. Those pioneering releases helped shape the entire extreme-metal landscape that followed.
What bands did Earache Records release?
After its extreme-metal heyday, the roster broadened to include guitar-driven rock acts such as Rival Sons, Blackberry Smoke, the Temperance Movement, Scarlet Rebels, and the White Buffalo. The label thus spans a wide range of guitar-based rock and metal.
Who founded Earache Records and where is it based?
Digby Pearson started the label in 1985 in Nottingham, England. Over the years it grew into a full management and publishing operation with extra offices in London and New York.
Did Earache Records abandon extreme metal?
Not so much abandon as expand — the label kept its roots in extreme music while gradually adding more mainstream guitar-based rock to its lineup. Its identity as a pioneer of grindcore and death metal remains central to its legacy.
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