Century Media Records
Century Media Records is a German-founded heavy metal record label with international offices and a catalog spanning extreme metal, metalcore, hard rock, and related heavy music.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Century Media Records is a German-founded record label specializing in heavy metal and adjacent forms of rock music. Robert Kampf and Oliver Withöft established the label in Dortmund in 1988, initially building its identity around underground and extreme-metal releases. Over time, Century Media developed from a regional specialist into an international label with offices in Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom, while licensing and distributing recordings from artists and partner labels in multiple territories. The label's catalog has covered a broad range of metal styles, including death metal, black metal, gothic metal, doom metal, metalcore, thrash, progressive metal, industrial metal, and commercially oriented hard rock. Its artist history includes influential and commercially successful acts such as Grave, Samael, Tiamat, Unleashed, Asphyx, Architects, Devin Townsend, Eyehategod, God Forbid, Iced Earth, In This Moment, Lacuna Coil, Moonspell, Nevermore, Shadows Fall, Suicide Silence, and Warbringer. The label has also been associated with Arch Enemy, Lorna Shore, Napalm Death, Orbit Culture, Queensrÿche, and other established or emerging artists. Some artists have been signed directly, while others have been licensed to Century Media for particular markets, especially the United States. Century Media's commercial development was strongly connected to the expansion of metal into mainstream and alternative album markets during the 2000s. Lacuna Coil's album "Comalies" became the label's first release by an act to enter the Billboard 200, and the band's later album "Karmacode" achieved a substantially higher chart position in the United States. Shadows Fall's "The War Within" subsequently reached the Billboard 200's top 20 and topped the Independent Albums chart, establishing another important milestone for the company. Releases by artists including In This Moment, Arch Enemy, Stuck Mojo, Nightrage, Behemoth, Strapping Young Lad, Suicide Silence, and God Forbid also appeared on the Billboard 200. The label expanded its portfolio through specialist imprints. Century Black, created in the 1990s, focused on bringing difficult-to-find black-metal recordings from smaller European labels to the American market. Abacus Recordings, established in 2002, concentrated largely on metalcore before being absorbed into Century Media in 2007. In late 2014, Kampf launched Another Century as a separate hard-rock-oriented label intended to distinguish more accessible rock artists from Century Media's heavier core. Another Century later signed or acquired associations with acts including New Years Day, XO Stereo, Like a Storm, Awaken the Empire, and Stitched Up Heart. Century Media's ownership changed in August 2015, when Sony Music acquired the label. Following the transaction, Sony's worldwide infrastructure became central to distribution, while RED handled United States distribution according to the cited reference material. In 2017, Century Media sold its music publishing catalog to Reservoir Media Management. The label has continued operating under its own name within the Sony Music structure, retaining a specialist identity in heavy music while benefiting from a major-company distribution network. The company has also made notable catalog and platform decisions. In 2011, it temporarily removed its catalog from Spotify, saying the move was intended to protect artists' interests. Following discussions with fans and Spotify, the catalog returned to the service in July 2012. Century Media therefore combines the role of a specialist artist-development label with that of an international catalog, licensing, and distribution business.
History
Century Media Records was founded in Dortmund, Germany, in 1988 by Robert Kampf and Oliver Withöft. The company emerged as a specialist label during a period when independent European companies were playing an important role in developing extreme and underground metal. Its early and subsequent catalog included death metal, black metal, gothic metal, doom, thrash, progressive, and other heavy styles. The label's strategy combined direct artist signings with licensing arrangements, allowing it to bring recordings from European and other specialist labels to additional territories. During the 1990s, Century Media broadened its international presence and established Century Black, an imprint devoted to hard-to-find black-metal albums from foreign bands. The imprint helped make releases from smaller European labels more accessible to American listeners. Its activities included new issues and reissues, and it became associated with a curated, import-oriented approach to black metal. By around 2000, Century Black had been discontinued as artists moved to other American labels or into Century Media's broader artist network. The label entered the metalcore market more directly with Abacus Recordings, an imprint created in 2002. Abacus primarily signed metalcore artists and was distributed by Century Media. In July 2007, Abacus was reported to have been absorbed into Century Media, consolidating its operations under the parent label. Century Media's commercial profile grew through artists whose recordings reached wider rock and mainstream album audiences. Lacuna Coil's 2002 album "Comalies" was identified as the first Century Media act to enter the Billboard 200, although it did so two years after its original release. The band's 2006 album "Karmacode" performed more strongly in the United States, reaching number 28 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Independent Albums chart. Shadows Fall made another significant contribution with "The War Within," which debuted in the Billboard 200 top 20 and at number one on the Independent Albums chart. Other Century Media-associated artists also appeared on the Billboard 200, demonstrating the label's ability to move specialist heavy music beyond its traditional underground audience. Distribution partnerships were central to the label's expansion. EMI distributed Century Media releases in the United States beginning in 1997 and in Europe beginning in 2005. In 2009, the parties extended the arrangement to Australasia. This agreement provided a broader physical and commercial infrastructure for the label's international releases. In 2011, Century Media withdrew its catalog from Spotify, stating that the action was intended to protect the interests of its artists. The decision drew criticism from MetalSucks and generated debate about streaming economics and artist compensation. After discussions with Spotify and substantial feedback from fans, Century Media returned its full catalog to the service in July 2012. Another major change occurred in 2014. Co-founder Oliver Withöft died on January 21 after a long illness, ending one of the label's founding partnerships. Later that year, Robert Kampf created Another Century, a separate hard-rock imprint. The new label was designed to develop rock acts that might be commercially or stylistically distinct from Century Media's core extreme-metal identity. Its associated roster included New Years Day, XO Stereo, Like a Storm, Awaken the Empire, and Stitched Up Heart. Sony Music acquired Century Media in August 2015. The transaction reportedly valued the label at US$17 million, a figure that should be understood in the context of the acquisition announcement and not as a current valuation. Following the acquisition, Sony Music became the worldwide distribution network for Century Media releases, with RED handling United States distribution according to the cited reference. Century Media retained its specialist branding and catalog identity within the larger organization. In June 2017, Century Media sold its music publishing catalog to Reservoir Media Management. This transaction separated a publishing asset from the label's continuing recorded-music operations. Century Media remains associated with a wide-ranging heavy-music roster, including established acts and newer artists, and continues to operate as an internationally oriented label within the Sony Music structure.
- 2017
Publishing catalog is sold
[1]Century Media sells its music publishing catalog to Reservoir Media Management.
- 2015
Sony Music acquires Century Media
[1]Sony Music acquires the label and becomes its parent company.
- 2014
Oliver Withöft dies
[1]Co-founder and co-owner Oliver Withöft dies after a long illness.
- 2014
Another Century launches
[1]Robert Kampf establishes Another Century as a hard-rock-oriented label.
- 2012
Catalog returns to Spotify
[1]The label restores its catalog to Spotify after discussions and fan feedback.
- 2011
Catalog is removed from Spotify
[1]Century Media temporarily withdraws its catalog from Spotify over concerns about artist interests.
- 2009
Distribution expands to Australasia
[1]Century Media extends its EMI distribution arrangement to include Australasia.
- 2008
Sentenced receives platinum recognition
[1]The Finnish band Sentenced is recognized for platinum sales of its Century Media live DVD "Buried Alive."
- 2007
Abacus is absorbed into Century Media
[1]Abacus Recordings is consolidated into Century Media after operating as a distributed imprint.
- 2002
Abacus Recordings is created
[1]Century Media launches an imprint concentrating mainly on metalcore.
Products and positioning
A specialist international heavy-music label that develops, licenses, markets, and distributes metal and adjacent rock artists, combining underground genre credibility with major-label distribution through Sony Music.
Heavy metal recordings · 1988
Century Media recorded-music catalog
The central product of Century Media is its recorded-music catalog, covering extreme metal and related genres. Releases have included albums, singles, live recordings, DVDs, reissues, and licensed recordings. The catalog spans both influential underground artists and acts that achieved wider chart visibility, including Lacuna Coil, Shadows Fall, Arch Enemy, Suicide Silence, Moonspell, Nevermore, and Napalm Death.
Black-metal imprint · 1990
Century Black
Century Black was a specialist imprint created to release or reissue difficult-to-find black-metal albums by foreign bands. It often worked with material originally issued by smaller European labels and helped make those recordings available in the American market. The imprint was discontinued by approximately 2000 as some artists moved elsewhere or became part of the broader Century Media family.
Metalcore imprint · 2002
Abacus Recordings
Abacus Recordings was an imprint created by Century Media in 2002 and focused mainly on metalcore. Century Media distributed its releases before absorbing the imprint into the main label in 2007.
Hard-rock label imprint · 2014
Another Century
Another Century was launched by Robert Kampf in late 2014 to develop hard-rock acts whose sound and market positioning differed from Century Media's heavier metal core. Its associated artists included New Years Day, XO Stereo, Like a Storm, Awaken the Empire, and Stitched Up Heart.
Brand decisions
2017
Sale of music publishing catalogM&ABackground
Century Media separated its music publishing assets from its recorded-music label operations.
Action taken
The label sold its music publishing catalog to Reservoir Media Management.
Aftermath
Reservoir became the owner of the transferred publishing catalog, while Century Media continued as a recorded-music label.
2015
Sony Music acquisitionM&ABackground
Century Media had developed an international specialist catalog and distribution network in heavy music.
Action taken
Sony Music acquired Century Media in August 2015.
Aftermath
Century Media continued under its own specialist identity while Sony Music became its parent and worldwide distribution platform.
Reported acquisition price. US$17 million acquisition consideration (August 2015)
2014
Launch of Another CenturyStrategyBackground
Robert Kampf sought a clearer organizational and market identity for hard-rock artists that could be obscured within a roster centered on heavier metal.
Action taken
Kampf launched Another Century as a separate hard-rock-focused label.
Aftermath
The imprint developed associations with several hard-rock acts, including New Years Day, Like a Storm, and Stitched Up Heart.
2011
Temporary withdrawal from SpotifyStrategyBackground
Century Media reassessed the availability of its catalog on Spotify amid concerns about how streaming affected the interests of its artists.
Action taken
The label removed its artists' recordings from Spotify.
Aftermath
Following discussions with Spotify and strong feedback from fans, Century Media returned its entire catalog to the service in July 2012.
Recent events
- 2017
Century Media sells music publishing catalog to Reservoir[1]
M&A
Century Media sold its music publishing catalog to Reservoir Media Management.
- 2015
Sony Music acquires Century Media[1]
M&A
Sony Music acquired Century Media in August 2015. The acquisition placed the specialist metal label within Sony's global music organization.
- 2014
Century Media co-owner Oliver Withöft dies[1]
Leadership change
Oliver Withöft, who co-founded and co-owned Century Media, died after a long illness. Artists and music-industry figures publicly paid tribute to him.
- 2014
Robert Kampf launches Another Century[1]
Product launch
Century Media founder Robert Kampf launched Another Century as a hard-rock-focused label intended to provide a clearer home for rock acts that did not fit Century Media's heavier metal profile.
- 2012
Century Media restores its catalog to Spotify[1]
Other
After discussions with Spotify and messages from fans, Century Media made its catalog available on the streaming platform again.
- 2011
Century Media removes its catalog from Spotify[1]
Other
The label temporarily withdrew its artists' recordings from Spotify, citing a desire to protect artists' interests. The move prompted criticism and public discussion within the metal community.
- 2009
Century Media extends distribution arrangement with EMI[1]
Other
Century Media announced an extension of its existing distribution relationship with EMI, expanding the arrangement to Australasia after earlier coverage of the United States and Europe.
Sources1 sources
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