CNR Music

CNR Music is a Dutch audio and video label whose history stretches from the pre-war record business to the modern independent-label and entertainment sector. The company was established in 1937 as CNR Records by Cornelis Nicolaas Rood. Rood had made his fortune in the manufacture and production of lampshades and related lighting materials, and initially treated the record label as a personal hobby rather than as the center of a large entertainment enterprise. The business began to expand in the early 1950s, when CNR obtained distribution and marketing rights for a number of foreign pop and classical labels. Alongside this licensed repertoire, it developed a roster of Dutch performers. One of its early major successes was singer Gert Timmerman, who became one of the Netherlands' leading-selling male artists from the late 1950s. During the 1960s, CNR strengthened its position through releases by Trio Hellenique, Timmerman and the duo Gert & Hermien, and Heintje. Heintje's singles and albums sold in the millions across Europe between 1966 and the early 1970s, giving CNR substantial visibility beyond the Dutch market. By the late 1960s and 1970s, CNR had become one of the Netherlands' significant independent record companies. Its strategy combined local repertoire with licensed international releases. The domestic roster included artists such as André van Duin, Benny Neyman and Tol Hansse, while internationally sourced successes included Baccara's songs "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" and "Sorry, I'm a Lady." CNR also benefited from the Dutch and European success of Stars on 45 in the early 1980s. In 1982, it began distributing the emerging American label Jive Records, extending its role beyond releasing recordings under its own name. CNR also entered the developing home-video market through CNR Video. That imprint became especially associated with children's material, including the popular Dutch television and entertainment characters Bassie & Adriaan. The company continued to combine music with family entertainment, comedy and television programming. In 1988, René Froger released his first Dutch top-ten hit, "Winter in America," on CNR. His subsequent CNR albums Who Dares Wins and You're My Everything both received gold certification, and his first Dutch number-one hit came during this period before he moved to Dino Music. During the early 1990s, CNR became a subsidiary of Arcade Records, then a major Dutch compilation-label business. Arcade subsequently faced the prospect of bankruptcy, raising uncertainty over the recording contracts of its signed artists. Although Arcade survived, CNR's output and commercial momentum declined sharply later in the decade. The company went through a succession of management, licensing and branding changes, reflecting the restructuring of the Dutch recorded-music market. CNR entered a joint venture with the American rock label Roadrunner Records in 1998. In later years the business operated under the CNR Entertainment name and emphasized Dutch and other local products, children's content, comedy and television series. It also revived the Arcade compilation label and distributed several smaller labels. In 2011, CNR announced a joint venture with the Dutch branch of Rough Trade to manage distribution of their material; the resulting venture was launched as Tone Entertainment. Through the end of 2012, CNR held distribution and marketing rights for Roadrunner acts including Lenny Kravitz, Young the Giant and Nickelback. The available reference material presents CNR as an active Dutch entertainment and label operation, although it does not establish a current corporate ownership structure or a definitive current headquarters address.

CNR Music originated in 1937, when Cornelis Nicolaas Rood founded CNR Records in the Netherlands. Rood's commercial background was in lampshades and other lighting materials, and the label initially functioned largely as a hobby. Its prospects changed in the early 1950s, when CNR secured distribution and marketing rights for several foreign pop and classical labels. The company paired this licensed repertoire with contracts for Dutch performers, creating a mixed business model that would remain important throughout its history. Gert Timmerman was among CNR's first major domestic successes. From the end of the 1950s he was one of the Netherlands' top-selling male artists, and he also performed with Hermien in the duo Gert & Hermien. In the 1960s, CNR scored further successes with Trio Hellenique and Heintje. Heintje's European sales, particularly from 1966 into the early 1970s, made him one of the label's most commercially important artists and helped establish CNR's international reach. CNR developed into a leading Dutch independent label by concentrating heavily on local talent while continuing to license foreign recordings. Its Dutch-associated artists included André van Duin, Benny Neyman and Tol Hansse. The label also handled successful international productions, notably Baccara's "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" and "Sorry, I'm a Lady." The company remained commercially visible in the 1980s through projects such as Stars on 45 and through distribution agreements. In 1982, it began distributing Jive Records, then an up-and-coming American label. The company diversified into video through the CNR Video imprint. The label specialized in children's material, including releases connected with Bassie & Adriaan, thereby broadening CNR's business from recorded music into family-oriented audiovisual entertainment. CNR's music operation continued to develop Dutch artists as well. René Froger's 1988 release "Winter in America" became his first top-ten hit in the Netherlands. His CNR albums Who Dares Wins and You're My Everything both achieved gold status, although he later moved to Dino Music and became a leading Dutch-selling musician in the early 1990s. In the early 1990s, CNR became a subsidiary of Arcade Records. Arcade was a major Dutch compilation-label company, but it approached a financial crisis and warned that a bankruptcy could place its artists' recording contracts at risk. Arcade ultimately survived, but CNR's production and market success diminished substantially later in the decade. The label also passed through several management, licensing and naming changes, indicating a period of organizational instability and adaptation within the recorded-music industry. A 1998 joint venture with Roadrunner Records connected CNR with an American rock-label partner. In its later presentation as CNR Entertainment, the business emphasized local repertoire, children's products, comedy and television series, while also reviving the Arcade compilation label and distributing smaller labels. In August 2011, CNR announced another distribution-focused joint venture, this time with Rough Trade's Dutch branch. The venture was launched as Tone Entertainment. CNR continued to market and distribute Roadrunner acts, with rights for artists such as Lenny Kravitz, Young the Giant and Nickelback stated to run through the end of 2012. The supplied references do not document a current owner, parent company, executive team, exact headquarters, or detailed post-2012 release history. Accordingly, those fields remain unspecified rather than inferred.

• 2011

  Tone Entertainment is launched

  [1]CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org

  CNR and Rough Trade's Dutch branch launch a distribution joint venture called Tone Entertainment.

• 1998

  Roadrunner joint venture

  [1]CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org

  CNR establishes a joint venture with American rock label Roadrunner Records.

• 1990

  CNR becomes part of Arcade Records

  [1]CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org

  In the early 1990s, CNR becomes a subsidiary of Dutch compilation-label company Arcade Records.

• 1988

  René Froger breaks through on CNR

  [1]CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org

  René Froger releases "Winter in America," his first Dutch top-ten hit, followed by two gold-certified CNR albums.

• 1982

  Jive Records distribution begins

  [1]CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org

  CNR starts distributing the emerging American label Jive Records.

• 1966

  Heintje becomes a major European success

  [1]CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Heintje's releases generate million-selling singles and albums across Europe from 1966 into the early 1970s.

• 1950

  Expansion into licensed distribution

  [1]CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org

  In the early 1950s, CNR obtains marketing and distribution rights for foreign pop and classical labels and expands its local artist roster.

• 1937

  CNR Records is founded

  [1]CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Cornelis Nicolaas Rood establishes CNR Records in the Netherlands.

A Dutch independent entertainment label combining local artist development with licensed international repertoire, compilation publishing, children's and family content, comedy, television programming, and distribution services.

• Record label · 1937

  CNR Records

  The core CNR music imprint, founded in 1937. It released Dutch local repertoire and licensed foreign recordings, spanning pop, classical and popular entertainment. Artists associated with the label over time included Gert Timmerman, Gert & Hermien, Heintje, André van Duin, Benny Neyman, Tol Hansse and René Froger.

• Home video and children's entertainment

  CNR Video

  A CNR audiovisual imprint created for the developing video market. It concentrated particularly on children's material and was associated with releases featuring Bassie & Adriaan, helping CNR extend its activities beyond audio recordings.

• Compilation label

  Arcade

  The compilation-label identity connected with Arcade Records. During its later operations, CNR revived the Arcade label while continuing to focus on compilation releases and distribution activity.

• Entertainment label and distributor

  CNR Entertainment

  A later CNR operating identity emphasizing local music, children's entertainment, comedy, television series and the distribution of smaller labels. The name reflects the company's broadening from a conventional record label into a wider audiovisual entertainment business.

• 2011

  Launch Tone Entertainment with Rough TradeStrategy

  Background

  CNR continued to develop its distribution business alongside its local-label and entertainment activities.

  Action taken

  CNR announced and launched a joint venture with the Dutch branch of Rough Trade to oversee distribution of Rough Trade material.

  Aftermath

  The new venture operated under the name Tone Entertainment.

  Source

• 1998

  Form a Roadrunner Records joint ventureM&A

  Background

  CNR had undergone management, licensing and naming changes and was seeking ways to participate in international rock-label activity.

  Action taken

  CNR entered into a joint venture with American rock label Roadrunner Records.

  Aftermath

  CNR later handled distribution and marketing for Roadrunner acts, with the available reference identifying rights through the end of 2012.

  Source

• 1982

  Add Jive Records distributionStrategy

  Background

  CNR was expanding its role as a Dutch independent label and distributor while the international recorded-music market was developing new label partnerships.

  Action taken

  The company began distributing the emerging American label Jive Records.

  Aftermath

  The agreement broadened CNR's distribution portfolio beyond its own Dutch repertoire.

  Source

1. 1CNR Musicen.wikipedia.org