Demon Records

Demon Records is a British record-label brand established in 1980 by Andrew Lauder, a former United Artists A&R executive, and Jake Riviera, who had previously founded Stiff Records and worked with Lauder on Radar Records and F-Beat. The label began with an eclectic, independent-minded remit centred on singles and emerging artists. Its early releases included records by the Subterraneans, the Spectres, TV21, and Department S. Department S provided Demon with its first notable UK chart result when “Is Vic There?” reached number 22 on the UK singles chart. Bananarama’s “Aie a Mwana” supplied another early success. The label’s original singles-oriented direction gradually expanded into a broader artist and catalogue operation. Andrew Lauder left for Island Records in 1981 but returned in 1982. During this period Demon developed a family of imprints, including Edsel Records, which concentrated primarily on reissues of albums from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as Hi Records, Drop Out, and Zippo. Edsel became especially important to the group’s long-term identity because it connected the Demon operation with archival recordings, expanded editions, and historically significant catalogue projects. Zippo handled releases by several American alternative and Paisley Underground acts, including Dream Syndicate, Green on Red, True West, Rain Parade, and Russ Tolman. Demon’s later development was increasingly tied to the Demon Music Group, a company focused on music catalogues, licensing, reissues, and physical compilations. In 1998, Demon was acquired by Crimson Productions and combined with the Westside Records operation. The broader organisation subsequently became known as Demon Music Group. It developed a portfolio of labels and brands covering reissues, boxed sets, specialist genre compilations, DVDs, digital products, and artist projects. The catalogue has been distributed through supermarkets, specialist retailers, and other physical-media channels, with CDs and vinyl remaining central to the business. Compilation publishing became one of the group’s most visible commercial activities. Brands associated with the wider Demon operation include the Absolute Hits series, the budget-oriented 100 Hits five-CD sets, Music Club Deluxe, Harmless, Nascente, Crimson, Demon Vision, DMG TV, and Demon Digital. The 100 Hits range reportedly sold 1.5 million units during its first 18 months, although the available reference does not identify the precise accounting period or provide an independent financial source. Nascente developed world-music collections, while Harmless concentrated on funk and urban music. Demon Records itself has been particularly associated with vinyl releases, whereas Edsel has generally represented the reissue and expanded-catalogue side of the business. The label and its related imprints have also worked with licensed catalogues and contemporary artists. Edsel licensed recordings by Ant & Dec from Phoenix Music International for greatest-hits compilations; the subsequent re-charting of “Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble” reached number one in the United Kingdom in April 2013. In the late 2010s and 2020, Crimson Productions achieved repeated UK chart appearances with Gold three-CD collections built around hits and remixes, including sets focused on artists such as Dr. Hook, Bros, M People, and the Bangles. The Crimson operation also signed newer acts including Le Flex and the country-pop trio the Adelaides. Demon Records should therefore be understood less as a conventional single-genre artist label than as one label identity within a catalogue-led music group. Its historical significance rests on the combination of independent-label origins, influential subsidiary imprints, reissue expertise, physical-format publishing, and compilation brands. The wider Demon Music Group is owned by BBC Studios and continues to operate across catalogue licensing, archival releases, artist projects, and themed physical and digital music produc…

Demon Records was founded in the United Kingdom in 1980 by Andrew Lauder and Jake Riviera. Both founders had established credentials in the independent and alternative music business: Riviera had founded Stiff Records, while Lauder had worked in A&R at United Artists. Together they had also been involved in Radar Records and F-Beat before creating Demon. The initial idea was to operate as a singles label, giving the company a deliberately varied early repertoire. The first releases came from acts including the Subterraneans, the Spectres, TV21, and Department S. Department S’s “Is Vic There?” became the label’s first cited UK chart success, reaching number 22. Bananarama’s “Aie a Mwana” provided another early breakthrough. Rather than remaining limited to one musical style, Demon used these releases to build a broad independent-label profile. Andrew Lauder left Demon for Island Records in 1981 and returned in 1982. During this transition, Demon created Edsel Records, an imprint aimed mainly at reissuing albums originally released during the 1960s and 1970s. The establishment of Edsel marked an important strategic shift: the Demon organisation began to combine new-artist activity with long-term ownership, licensing, preservation, and repackaging of recorded music. Other associated imprints included Hi Records, connected with the Memphis soul catalogue, and Drop Out, which focused on psychedelic rock. Zippo released albums by American alternative and Paisley Underground performers such as Dream Syndicate, Green on Red, True West, Rain Parade, and Russ Tolman. Over time the business became increasingly catalogue-oriented. The organisation developed expertise in physical reissues and compilations, selling through supermarkets as well as specialist music retailers. Its later label family included Demon Records for vinyl, Edsel for reissues, DMG TV for artist album projects, Demon Vision for music DVDs, Demon Digital for digital products, Harmless for funk and urban collections, Nascente for world music, Music Club Deluxe for deluxe two-CD editions, and several compilation-focused brands. In 1998, Demon was acquired by Crimson Productions and merged with Westside Records. The combined operation later became known as Demon Music Group. This broader group continued to work with both owned and licensed catalogues. It became associated with large-scale compilation programmes, including the Absolute Hits single-disc series and 100 Hits multi-disc sets organised by genre or era. The 100 Hits range was reported to have sold 1.5 million units in its first 18 months, although the available reference does not provide enough context to independently assess the figure. The group also pursued licence-based projects. A notable example involved Ant & Dec recordings licensed from Phoenix Music International for greatest-hits compilations. In 2013, “Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble” unexpectedly returned to the UK chart and reached number one. During the same year, Edsel issued the complete Island Records catalogue of Robert Palmer. Those releases later became the subject of a mastering controversy: listeners and audio specialists claimed the CDs exhibited frequency limitations and stereo artefacts associated with lossy source files. Edsel’s manager rejected the allegation, while an outside producer offered an opinion supporting the technical concerns. The available material does not provide a conclusive independent resolution. By the end of 2020, the Crimson side of the organisation had achieved repeated UK chart appearances with Gold three-CD collections containing hits and remixes. Collections were issued for artists including Dr. Hook, Bros, M People, and the Bangles. Crimson also signed contemporary performers such as Le Flex and the Adelaides, showing that the wider group was not exclusively an archival publisher. Demon Music Group is owned by BBC Studios. Demon Records remains best understood as a label identity within that wider group rather than as a standalone mainstream major-label competitor. Its enduring business model combines independent-label heritage with catalogue licensing, reissues, vinyl, physical compilations, deluxe editions, and specialist genre collections.

• 2020

  Gold compilation series continues charting

  [1]Demon Music Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Crimson Productions records several UK chart appearances with three-CD Gold collections of hits and remixes.

• 2013

  Ant & Dec compilation reaches number one

  [1]Demon Music Groupen.wikipedia.org

  An Edsel-related compilation project helps “Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble” return to the UK chart and reach number one.

• 2013

  Robert Palmer catalogue reissues are released

  [1]Demon Music Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Edsel issues the Island Records catalogue of Robert Palmer, later prompting debate about the mastering sources used for the CDs.

• 1998

  Crimson Productions acquires Demon

  [1]Demon Music Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Demon is acquired by Crimson Productions and combined with Westside Records.

• 1982

  Additional specialist imprints are developed

  [1]Demon Music Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Following Andrew Lauder’s return, Demon expands its label family with imprints including Hi Records and Drop Out.

• 1981

  Edsel Records is launched

  [1]Demon Music Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Demon creates Edsel as a reissue-oriented imprint concentrating largely on 1960s and 1970s albums.

• 1980

  Demon Records is founded

  [1]Demon Music Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Andrew Lauder and Jake Riviera establish Demon Records in the United Kingdom as an independent label initially focused on one-off singles.

A British independent-origin record-label brand positioned around vinyl, catalogue reissues, licensed recordings, archival editions, and commercially accessible music compilations.

• Vinyl records

  Demon Records vinyl releases

  Demon Records is associated with vinyl publishing within the wider Demon Music Group. Its vinyl activity reflects the group’s broader emphasis on physical formats, catalogue exploitation, and re-presenting recorded music for collectors and specialist retailers. The available reference does not identify a complete current catalogue or a single defining genre for the imprint.

• Catalogue reissues · 1981

  Edsel Records reissues

  Edsel is Demon’s principal reissue-oriented imprint. It has issued expanded and repackaged editions of recordings from earlier decades, including projects connected with Robert Palmer and other established artists. Edsel’s role combines archival presentation, licensing, physical-media production, and catalogue marketing rather than focusing solely on newly signed performers.

• Compilation box sets

  100 Hits

  100 Hits is a budget-oriented compilation brand built around five-disc sets themed by genre, period, or musical subject. It became one of the most visible commercial properties associated with the wider Demon operation. The reference reports sales of 1.5 million units in the first 18 months, but does not specify the exact period or provide a separate financial source.

• Compilation albums

  Absolute Hits

  Absolute Hits is a compilation series associated with Crimson Productions and the Demon Music Group. Unlike the larger 100 Hits box sets, the series is described as using single-disc collections of popular recordings. Its positioning is broad and accessible, relying on recognisable songs and themed commercial packaging.

• Deluxe compilations

  Music Club Deluxe

  Music Club Deluxe is a related compilation imprint built around deluxe two-CD packages. It forms part of Demon Music Group’s multi-brand approach to physical music products, allowing catalogues to be presented through different price points, formats, and thematic structures.

• World-music compilations

  Nascente

  Nascente is the group’s world-music-oriented imprint. It releases genre and region-based collections, including the Beginner’s Guide series. The imprint’s packaging and editorial framing are designed to introduce listeners to broad musical traditions through accessible curated compilations.

• Funk and urban compilations

  Harmless

  Harmless is a specialist imprint associated with funk and urban music collections. It reflects Demon Music Group’s practice of dividing catalogue and compilation activity among focused brands with distinct genre identities.

• 2013

  Robert Palmer reissue mastering dispute

  Following Edsel’s release of Robert Palmer’s Island Records catalogue, listeners and audio specialists alleged that the CDs had been prepared from lossy MP3-derived sources. Edsel manager Val Jennings rejected the claim, while an outside producer cited frequency cut-offs and stereo artefacts as evidence supporting it. The available reference does not establish a definitive resolution.

  Source

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• 2013

  Edsel issues the Robert Palmer catalogueProduct launch

  Background

  Edsel obtained access to Robert Palmer’s Island Records recordings for a catalogue-wide reissue project.

  Action taken

  The imprint released the complete referenced Island Records catalogue of Robert Palmer.

  Aftermath

  The releases generated a public dispute over alleged MP3-derived mastering, which the label manager denied.

  Source

• 2013

  Ant & Dec greatest-hits licensing projectProduct launch

  Background

  Edsel licensed Ant & Dec recordings from Phoenix Music International for compilation use.

  Action taken

  Edsel released greatest-hits compilations containing the licensed recordings.

  Aftermath

  “Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble” unexpectedly re-charted and reached number one in the United Kingdom.

  Source

• 1998

  Demon is combined with Crimson and WestsideM&A

  Background

  Crimson Productions acquired Demon as the label moved toward a broader catalogue and compilation operation.

  Action taken

  Crimson Productions acquired Demon and merged it with Westside Records.

  Aftermath

  The combined business developed into Demon Music Group and expanded its portfolio of specialist imprints and compilation brands.

  Source

• 1981

  Demon expands into catalogue reissues through EdselStrategy

  Background

  The label broadened its original singles-focused model by creating an imprint dedicated mainly to reissuing albums from the 1960s and 1970s.

  Action taken

  Demon launched Edsel Records as a separate reissue identity.

  Aftermath

  Edsel became a central part of the wider group’s catalogue and archival business.

  Source

1. 1Demon Music Groupen.wikipedia.org