Cherry Red
British independent record label and catalogue group known for eclectic new releases, archival reissues, compilations, and specialist imprints.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Cherry Red Records is a British independent record label founded in Malvern, Worcestershire, in 1978 by Iain McNay and Richard Jones. It developed during the expansion of independent music that followed punk, initially releasing singles and albums by artists who operated outside the more tightly defined identities of many specialist independent labels. Its early catalogue included punk, post-punk, new wave, experimental, and alternative music, and it became associated with artists and releases such as the Dead Kennedys' Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, The Monochrome Set, Everything but the Girl, Felt, Eyeless in Gaza, and the compilation Pillows & Prayers. The label grew out of a rock-promotion business established in 1971 to present concerts at Malvern Winter Gardens. Its first single was Bad Hearts by The Tights, issued in June 1978. A decisive early investment was McNay's financing of the Dead Kennedys' debut album, whose international sales substantially expanded Cherry Red's profile. Mike Alway's work in A&R broadened the roster further, bringing in artists whose individuality and stylistic variety reflected McNay's stated philosophy of supporting music with character rather than enforcing a narrow genre identity. Cherry Red's reputation in the early 1980s was reinforced by Pillows & Prayers, a low-priced compilation released at Christmas 1982. Priced at 99 pence, it reached the top of the independent charts and became one of the label's defining releases. The company also worked with other independent operations, including Adrian Sherwood's ON-U Sound and Bristol's Heartbeat Records. From the late 1980s onward, Cherry Red increasingly concentrated on reissues and catalogue development while continuing to release new work by established and emerging artists. The modern business operates as an umbrella for numerous imprints and catalogue specialists. These have covered areas including punk, psychobilly, goth, metal, progressive rock, folk, pop, glam, electronic music, reggae, football songs, outsider music, and theatrical recordings. Associated labels and divisions have included RPM Records, Esoteric Recordings, 7T's Records, Anagram, él Records, Poker, Giant Steps, Mortarhate, Now Sounds, Ork, and others. Cherry Red has also acquired or represented catalogues from independent labels and artists, often providing rights management, physical production, distribution, and archival curation. Its catalogue strategy has included box sets, deluxe editions, compilations, restored albums, unreleased material, and new studio records. Examples include Scared to Get Happy, a survey of British indie pop from 1980 to 1989; Close to the Noise Floor, focused on formative UK electronic music; Silhouettes and Statues, covering gothic music; and reissue programmes for artists such as Kylie Minogue, Hawkwind, Kim Wilde, Procol Harum, The Residents, Genesis-related projects, Strawbs, Peter Hammill, and many others. In addition to music, the company has operated Cherry Red TV, published an in-house magazine, and maintained a music-publishing arm. Iain McNay remains associated with the company as chairman, while Adam Velasco has served as managing director. Cherry Red has retained a visible connection with football through releases of club and national songs, sponsorship of Wycombe Wanderers, and long-term stadium sponsorship of AFC Wimbledon. The label has received recognition for catalogue work and independent-music stewardship, including awards for Pillows & Prayers, Scared to Get Happy, and McNay's contribution to independent music. Its continuing identity is that of a diversified independent music group combining contemporary releases with extensive ownership, licensing, and reissue activity.
History
Cherry Red's origins lie in a rock-promotion company established in 1971 to stage concerts at Malvern Winter Gardens in Worcestershire. Iain McNay and Richard Jones later converted that experience into a record-label operation during the independent-label expansion associated with punk. The first Cherry Red single, The Tights' Bad Hearts, appeared in June 1978. The early label combined original releases with licensed material and unusual artist projects. Morgan Fisher recorded material under several names using a compact studio in his Notting Hill flat, while Cherry Red licensed recordings connected with The Hollywood Brats, Destroy All Monsters, and The Runaways. The Runaways material became an important early seller. A larger breakthrough came when McNay invested in the debut album of San Francisco political punk group Dead Kennedys. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, released in 1979, and its related singles sold internationally and gave the young label a substantial profile. Mike Alway became an important A&R figure during the label's formative period. His connections to the Snoopies venue and the Scissor Fits helped him identify artists including The Monochrome Set, Everything but the Girl, Eyeless in Gaza, Felt, and Five or Six. Cherry Red's roster was deliberately broad. Rather than adopting one tightly policed sound, the company sought music with individuality, diversity, commitment, and character. It also assisted smaller independent labels, including Bristol's Heartbeat Records, whose catalogue included the Glaxo Babies. The label's early-1980s importance was confirmed by Pillows & Prayers, a budget compilation assembled by Alway and released at Christmas 1982. Its unusually low retail price helped it reach the top of the independent charts for several weeks. Cherry Red also issued or supported releases connected with Adrian Sherwood's ON-U Sound during this period. The label subsequently became part of the infrastructure of the British independent scene while continuing to release music from artists who did not fit conventional commercial categories. From the late 1980s, catalogue and reissue work became increasingly central. Cherry Red obtained rights from a range of 1970s and 1980s independent labels, including No Future, Flicknife, Rondelet, Midnight, Temple, and In Tape. These acquisitions supported Collector series devoted to punk, psychobilly, goth, metal, and other specialist areas. The company also developed a substantial football-music catalogue, eventually issuing more than 60 collections of club and national songs. The business evolved into an umbrella organization for semi-autonomous specialist labels. RPM Records, associated with Mark Stratford, focused on 1960s pop through the period immediately before punk. Esoteric Recordings, led by Mark Powell, concentrated on progressive rock and folk catalogues. Mark Brennan's 7T's Records handled glam and glitter reissues, while Anagram covered punk, psychobilly, and goth. Other imprints included él Records, Poker, Giant Steps, Mortarhate, Now Sounds, and Ork. These arrangements allowed individual catalogues to retain specialist editorial identities while benefiting from Cherry Red's manufacturing, distribution, financing, and rights infrastructure. Cherry Red did not abandon new music. Its later releases included studio albums by established performers such as Suzi Quatro, Marc Almond, Red Box, Van der Graaf Generator, Jah Wobble, Keith Levene, Hazel O'Connor, The Christians, Ken Hensley, and others. In 2007 the company launched Cherry Red TV and maintained publishing and magazine activities. Its previous publishing operation, Complete Music, was acquired by BMG Music Publishing in 2006. During the 2010s and 2020s, catalogue expansion accelerated. The company worked with PWL on deluxe reissues of Kylie Minogue's first four albums, represented catalogues linked to artists including Procol Harum, The Residents, Arthur Brown, Glenn Hughes, and Tim Blake, and acquired or represented catalogues divested by Warner Music Group. Further acquisitions included Witchwood Media, Safari Records, Emerald Music, Chapter One Records, Dissonance Productions, and catalogues connected with artists ranging from Trapeze and July to Joe Meek. Cherry Red also acquired Joe Meek's Tea Chest Tapes collection, comprising quarter-inch tapes stored in numerous tea chests. The group continued broadening its coverage through deals involving Golf, Abstract, Planet Dog, Peer Music, Peter Hammill's Fie! catalogue, Jay Records, Manafest, Dome Records, and other catalogues. Its reissue activity has covered progressive rock, indie pop, electronic music, theatrical recordings, soul, punk, metal, folk, glam, goth, reggae, and outsider music. Contemporary releases have remained part of the business, including albums by Hawkwind, Kim Wilde, Jim Bob, and others. Cherry Red's public profile has also been shaped by awards and football relationships. Pillows & Prayers won a Mojo catalogue award in 2008, Scared to Get Happy received an Association of Independent Music catalogue award in 2013, and McNay received the AIM Special Recognition Award in 2018. The company sponsored Wycombe Wanderers from 2018 to 2020 and has been a long-term stadium sponsor of AFC Wimbledon, first at Kingsmeadow and later at Plough Lane. Under McNay's chairmanship and Adam Velasco's managing directorship, Cherry Red remains an active independent label group whose core proposition is the preservation, presentation, and continued exploitation of diverse music catalogues alongside new releases.
- 2025
Kim Wilde's Closer released
[1]The Cherry Red release reached number 27 on the UK Albums Chart.
- 2023
Fie! catalogue acquired
[1]Cherry Red acquired Peter Hammill's Fie! catalogue and began a reissue programme through Esoteric Recordings.
- 2021
Dissonance Productions joins the group
[1]The extreme-metal label and catalogue were acquired from Plastic Head Distribution.
- 2018
Witchwood Media catalogue acquired
[1]The group acquired the catalogue associated with Witchwood Media and the Strawbs.
- 2017
Major catalogue expansion
[1]Cherry Red expanded its representation of artist and label catalogues, including rights divested by Warner Music Group.
- 2016
Hawkwind reaches a new label chart high
[1]Hawkwind's The Machine Stops reached number 29 on the UK Albums Chart.
- 2013
Scared to Get Happy receives catalogue recognition
[1]The indie-pop box set won the Association of Independent Music's Special Catalogue Release award.
- 2007
Cherry Red TV launches
[1]The company introduced a streaming television service and continued related publishing and editorial activities.
- 1982
Pillows & Prayers tops the independent charts
[1]The low-priced compilation became a landmark release and spent several weeks at the top of the independent charts.
- 1979
Dead Kennedys breakthrough
[1]Cherry Red funded and released Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, expanding its international profile.
Products and positioning
An eclectic independent music group combining artist-led new releases with deep catalogue ownership, licensing, reissue expertise, and genre-specialist imprints.
Compilation album · 1982
Pillows & Prayers
A budget compilation assembled by Mike Alway and released in 1982. Its low price and broad selection of independent music helped it top the UK independent charts and made it one of Cherry Red's best-known catalogue releases.
Punk album · 1979
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
The Dead Kennedys' debut studio album, recorded with financial backing from Iain McNay and released by Cherry Red in 1979. Its strong international performance was an important early commercial and reputational breakthrough for the label.
Box set · 2013
Scared to Get Happy: A Story of Indie-Pop 1980–1989
A multi-disc historical compilation documenting British indie pop across the 1980s. The set reflects Cherry Red's role in curating and contextualizing independent music and won the Association of Independent Music's Special Catalogue Release award.
Archival reissue series
Collector series
A group of catalogue-oriented releases built around specialist genres and acquired independent-label archives. Editions have covered punk, psychobilly, goth, metal, and football music, often combining restored recordings with rare or previously unavailable material.
Specialist imprint
Esoteric Recordings
A Cherry Red-associated imprint focused primarily on progressive rock, folk, and related archival catalogues. It has issued expanded and remastered editions and has handled reissue projects for artists including Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator.
Specialist imprint
RPM Records
A specialist label associated with Mark Stratford that concentrates on pop music from the 1960s through the transition into the punk era. Its output emphasizes historical context, archival restoration, and collector-oriented editions.
Specialist imprint
7T's Records
An imprint led by Mark Brennan and focused on reissues from the glam and glitter generation. It forms part of Cherry Red's strategy of maintaining genre-specific editorial identities within a larger catalogue group.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018Wycombe Wanderers shirt sponsorship
United Kingdom
Cherry Red served as main shirt sponsor of English football club Wycombe Wanderers from July 2018 through August 2020, extending the label's association with football culture and music catalogues.
Outcome. The sponsorship ended in 2020.
- 2003AFC Wimbledon stadium sponsorship
United Kingdom
Cherry Red became a long-term stadium sponsor of AFC Wimbledon at Kingsmeadow and continued the relationship after the club moved to Plough Lane in 2021.
Outcome. The sponsorship continued at the club's new stadium.
Brand decisions
2021
Acquisition of Dissonance ProductionsM&ABackground
Cherry Red continued building specialist genre divisions, including extreme metal.
Action taken
The company acquired Dissonance Productions and its catalogue from Plastic Head Distribution.
Aftermath
The deal added approximately 130 metal releases and supported subsequent releases by artists including Agent Steel, Lawnmower Deth, and Tokyo Blade.
2017
Expansion through major-label catalogue divestmentsM&ABackground
Warner Music Group was divesting selected catalogues while independent companies were seeking historically significant rights.
Action taken
Cherry Red acquired or represented 13 artist catalogues and arranged worldwide distribution through Absolute Label Services.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened the group's catalogue footprint across pop, rock, electronic, jazz-related, and alternative music.
2015
Deluxe Kylie Minogue reissue programmeProduct launchBackground
Cherry Red and PWL sought to revisit Minogue's early catalogue in expanded collector formats.
Action taken
The first four albums—Kylie, Enjoy Yourself, Rhythm of Love, and Let's Get to It—were reissued as deluxe CD/DVD and vinyl box sets.
Aftermath
The programme reinforced Cherry Red's ability to package major pop catalogues for the reissue market.
2007
Expansion into streaming television and publishingStrategyBackground
Cherry Red sought to build activities beyond recorded music distribution.
Action taken
The company launched Cherry Red TV and maintained magazine and music-publishing activities.
Aftermath
The label developed a broader media presence alongside its core recording and catalogue business.
1988
Shift toward catalogue and reissue operationsStrategyBackground
After establishing itself as an early independent-label force, Cherry Red faced a changing market and saw opportunities in under-documented 1970s and 1980s catalogues.
Action taken
The company increasingly acquired, licensed, and reissued recordings through genre-focused series and specialist imprints while retaining selected contemporary signings.
Aftermath
Catalogue preservation and reissue work became a central pillar of the business and supported later expansion into numerous labels and genres.
1982
Launch of a low-price compilation strategyPrice changeBackground
Cherry Red sought to present independent artists to a wider audience during a period when specialist music retail and independent charts were expanding.
Action taken
The label released Pillows & Prayers at a highly discounted retail price of 99 pence.
Aftermath
The compilation topped the independent charts for several weeks and became a defining release in the label's history.
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