Interscope Records

• 1. Founding And Creative Philosophy

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  Jimmy Iovine stood in a Westwood office building on 10900 Wilshire Boulevard in late 1990 and declared that music was about to change. He had produced records for U2, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks, and John Lennon before this moment. Ted Field began building Interscope Records as a division of his film company, Interscope Communications, just months earlier. They created a joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Music Group using $20 million to start the label. This partnership differed from most record labels by letting A&R staff control decisions and allowing artists full creative control. The label hired John McClain who played a central role in Janet Jackson's success at A&M Records. Tom Whalley joined as head of A&R after leading Capitol Records' A&R department. Their first release arrived in December 1990 when Gerardo released Rico Suave. That single reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in April 1991. Primus followed with Sailing the Seas of Cheese in May while Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch released Music for the People in July. Two days after hearing Tupac Shakur's demo, Whalley signed him in August 1991. By November, Interscope released 2Pacalypse Now, Shakur's studio debut.

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• 2. Gangsta Rap Controversy And Exit

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  In September 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle called on Interscope to withdraw 2Pacalypse Now from stores. He stated that the album was responsible for the death of a Texas state trooper shot to death in April by a suspect listening to the album on a stolen truck tape deck. The trooper's family filed a civil suit against Shakur and Interscope claiming the record's violence-laden lyrics incited imminent lawless action. Earlier that year, Interscope negotiated a $10 million deal with Dr. Dre and Marion Suge Knight to finance Death Row Records. Original plans had called for Sony to release The Chronic but they passed due to crazy things going around Death Row. Iovine agreed to put it out requiring a complicated distribution agreement with Priority Records. The Chronic sold almost 3 million copies by the end of 1993. Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle sold more than 800,000 copies in its first week alone. In May 1995, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole accused Interscope of releasing music that glorified violence and degraded women. William J. Bennett and C. DeLores Tucker criticized the label publicly. Time Warner announced in September that it would disassociate itself from Interscope by selling its half-interest back to Field and Iovine for $115 million. The Los Angeles Times noted in December 1995 that what may have been smart politics now looked like a financial fiasco despite five albums on that week's pop charts and sales of $350 million over three years.

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• 3. Universal Acquisition And Restructuring

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  MCA Inc. bought 50% of Interscope for a reported $200 million in February 1996 under an agreement where Interscope retained complete creative control. MCA was not required to distribute material it deemed offensive while also acquiring Interscope's music publishing arm. Dre left Death Row in mid-1996 due to tension over creative direction and founded Aftermath Entertainment as a new joint venture with Interscope. November 1996 saw Aftermath debut with Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath album. The Death Row deal remained until 1997 when Knight was imprisoned for parole violations. In 1996, MCA Music Entertainment renamed itself Universal Music Group. Seagram acquired PolyGram Records in 1998 before merging Geffen Records and A&M Records into Interscope. Early 1999 marked when Interscope began operating under the umbrella of Interscope Geffen A&M Records with Iovine and Field serving as co-chairmen. Dean Geistlinger saw Eminem perform at the Rap Olympics in Los Angeles in 1997 and passed his CD to Iovine who then passed it to Dre. February 1999 brought The Slim Shady LP which entered charts at number two and won two Grammy Awards. Later that year Eminem and Paul Rosenberg founded Shady Records.

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• 4. Hip Hop Dominance And Commercial Peak

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  Interscope/Shady released The Marshall Mathers LP on the 23rd of May 2000 selling 1.76 million copies in its first week as the fastest-selling rap album in history. the 19th of October 2000 saw Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water shift 1.05 million copies becoming the fastest-selling rock album in history. This cemented Nu Metal's status during the 2000s while Interscope began its relationship with U2 after acquiring US rights to All That You Can't Leave Behind. In 2001 Ted Field resigned as co-chairman to start a new label described as an amicable parting where he was anxious to become an entrepreneur again. Whalley accepted chairman of Warner Bros. Records in May 2000 but remained until August 2001 when his contract expired. The Eminem Show released in May 2002 combined with the 8 Mile soundtrack sold more than 11 million records before year end. New York City rapper 50 Cent signed to Interscope with a $1 million advance in 2002. Get Rich or Die Tryin' debuted at number one on the 6th of February 2003 and went 9 times platinum in America. April announcements showed 50 Cent would sign artists for G-Unit Records marketed through Interscope. Beg for Mercy peaked top three on Billboard 200 and certified double platinum by RIAA.

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• 5. Pop Culture Expansion And Artist Roster

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  Four Interscope releases appeared in top ten year-end sales charts in 2005 including The Massacre at number one and Encore at number two. Love.Angel.Music.Baby. charted at number six while How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb reached number eight. The Game's The Documentary appeared at number 16 and Black Eyed Peas Monkey Business charted at number 18. Lady Gaga's The Fame released August 2008 re-released as The Fame Monster November 2009 with eight new songs. Interscope held top four positions on 2009 Hot 100 charts with Boom Boom Pow at number one and I Gotta Feeling at number four. Poker Face charted second while Just Dance sat third. Born This Way by Lady Gaga released May 2011 debuting number one in 23 countries with over one million copies sold first week. That represented highest first-week album sales in five years. Four singles from the album charted top ten including Judas, The Edge of Glory, and You and I. Madonna and Van Halen signed 2011 after previously being Warner Bros. Records artists releasing first records for Interscope in 2012.

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• 6. Leadership Transition To John Janick

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  October 2012 saw John Janick named president and COO of Interscope Geffen A&M having founded Fueled By Ramen with success including Jimmy Eat World and Fall Out Boy. At appointment time reports stated Iovine chose Janick as eventual successor since his attention turned to Beats dominating headphone market with 2012 revenues of $512 million. May 2014 followed Apple's acquisition of Beats when Iovine resigned and Janick became chairman and CEO. Six releases appeared Billboard year end album charts 2014 including Marshall Mathers LP 2 and Ultraviolence. Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence and Maroon 5 V both charted alongside Native from OneRepublic and Lady Gaga ARTPOP. Oxymoron by Schoolboy Q rounded out the list. December 2014 announced Selena Gomez signing with Interscope after Hollywood Records. Imagine Dragons Smoke + Mirrors debuted number one March 2015 while Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly held top position two consecutive weeks. Lamar won five Grammys in 2016. August 2017 JoJo re-signed to Interscope launching Clover Music imprint through joint venture deal.

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• 7. Operational Controversies And Legal Disputes

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  Several artists criticized Interscope for delaying albums including Bilal whose Love for Sale shelved indefinitely after leaking 2006 despite Dr. Dre assisting production. M.I.A. said Matangi held because label felt record too positive for fans while Eve left after three-year Lip Lock delay. Blink-182, All Time Low, and 50 Cent similarly criticized Interscope practices. Elton John discussed The Captain & the Kid fury stating they dropped it like turd during South of France meetings causing heartbreak that stopped him making another solo record until returning 2019. Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor criticized Universal inflated Year Zero Australia pricing claiming core audience would buy whatever put out at higher cost before signing Columbia 2013. Die Antwoord left November 2011 over dispute wanting Tension reworked for mainstream appeal after lead single Fok julle naaiers caused problems releasing through Zef Recordz early 2012 instead. the 15th of March 2015 saw Kendrick Lamar album To Pimp a Butterfly released eight days ahead schedule on iTunes Spotify Google Play prompting Top Dawg Anthony Tiffith to blame Interscope via deleted tweet saying someone had to pay mistake.

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• 8. Legal Issues And Corporate Evolution

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  September 2011 federal prosecutors reported Interscope Geffen A&M building used by drug-trafficking ring Rock-It Cargo as transport center. Drug Enforcement Administration inspected year-long case stating Los Angeles offices received hundreds kilograms cocaine 2010 and 2011 shipped in music cases to New York City studios. Interscope responded no evidence any employee involved or knew package contents while neither UMG nor Interscope subject target of investigation. Trauma Records filed $100 million lawsuit 1997 charging fraud and unfulfilled two-year promise assigning No Doubt to Trauma roster. Four-month dispute dissolved out-of-court agreement where principals received additional $3 million while No Doubt remained with Interscope. Jay Faires JCOR founder filed $30 million breach suit 2002 alleging Interscope withheld millions driving business out. Interscope countered JCOR hid true financial position using company money to finance operations. Since founding label underwent multiple reorganizations within Universal Music Group structure including merging Geffen and A&M forming Interscope Geffen A&M group after PolyGram acquisition 1998. 2023 placed label under Interscope Capitol Labels Group unifying UMG West Coast operations before becoming flagship beginning 2024.

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