Planetone
Planetone was a London-based recording studio and independent label associated with early British ska and regarded as England's first Black-owned record label.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Planetone was a pioneering London recording studio and independent record label established by Jamaican-born musician and producer Sonny Roberts in the early 1960s. Operating from a basement at 108 Cambridge Road in Kilburn, the studio provided a rare recording and release platform for Black Caribbean musicians in Britain at a time when the country's music industry offered limited access to artists from immigrant communities. Its principal activity lasted from 1961 until 1965, and the label is widely credited as the first Black-owned record label in England. The studio's work was closely connected to the development of ska and the broader circulation of Jamaican popular music in Britain. Early releases included recordings by Rico's Combo, led by Jamaican trombonist Rico Rodriguez, as well as work involving musicians such as Mike Elliott, Jackie Foster, Tito 'Sugar' Simone and Dandy Livingstone. Other artists associated with the Planetone circle included Jackie Edwards, Millie Small and the Marvels. These sessions helped connect Caribbean performers, British-based musicians and independent production practices, creating a small but influential infrastructure outside the major record companies. Planetone's importance extends beyond the number of records it issued. The studio offered practical experience in recording, arranging and distribution during the formative years of Jamaican-influenced music in the United Kingdom. Its activities have been described as a catalyst for later British labels, particularly Trojan Records and Island Records, which played much larger roles in commercialising ska, reggae and related Caribbean sounds. Planetone therefore occupies an important position in the prehistory of Britain's independent reggae and ska economy. In 1965, Chris Blackwell's Island Records took over the Kilburn premises after Roberts returned to carpentry, his original profession. The Planetone studio operation consequently ended, although Roberts continued working as a producer and music entrepreneur. In 1970 he opened the Orbitone record shop in Harlesden, stocking reggae, ska, calypso, Afrobeat, merengue and jazz. Through Orbitone and later freelance production, Roberts maintained a role in the exchange between British, Caribbean and African music scenes. Roberts produced the 1973 album Destruction by Nigerian group Nkengas, an early UK-linked Afrobeat production, and licensed Arrow's 1984 calypso hit Hot Hot Hot. His production of Judy Boucher's Can't Be with You Tonight reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in 1987. He also supported artists including Machel Montano, Reuben Richards and guitarist Ciyo Brown. Roberts returned to Jamaica in 1997 and died in 2021. A plaque commemorating the former Kilburn studio site was unveiled in 2017, preserving Planetone's place in British Black music history even though the original building had been demolished.
History
Planetone emerged in London during the early 1960s, when postwar migration from the Caribbean was reshaping British popular culture and creating demand for music businesses that could serve Caribbean artists and audiences. Sonny Roberts, a Jamaican-born musician who also worked as a carpenter, established a basement recording studio and independent label at 108 Cambridge Road in Kilburn. The operation began in 1961 and was active until 1965. The studio was small in physical scale but significant in cultural and industrial terms. It gave Black performers access to recording facilities and a route to independent release at a time when major British companies did not consistently serve Caribbean communities. Planetone's repertoire was especially connected with ska and Jamaican popular music. Recordings by Rico's Combo, led by trombonist Rico Rodriguez, formed part of the label's early output. The wider Planetone network included Mike Elliott, Jackie Foster, Tito 'Sugar' Simone and Dandy Livingstone, with Jackie Edwards, Millie Small and the Marvels also associated with the studio or its musical circle. Planetone's influence is commonly described in relation to the later growth of Trojan Records and Island Records. It did not become a large commercial label, but it demonstrated that an independent, Black-owned recording and release operation could function in Britain. The studio also helped develop contacts among musicians, producers and audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. This made it an important precursor to the more commercially successful British ska and reggae infrastructure that followed. The Kilburn studio period ended in 1965. Chris Blackwell's Island Records took over the premises after Roberts left the music business temporarily to return to carpentry. Roberts nevertheless continued contributing to music production and distribution. In 1970 he opened Orbitone, a record shop in Harlesden that stocked reggae, ska, calypso, Afrobeat, merengue and jazz. Orbitone extended the specialist retail and community role associated with Planetone while connecting London listeners with a broad range of African, Caribbean and Black Atlantic music. Roberts also produced and licensed recordings after the Planetone studio closed. His credits included production of the 1973 album Destruction by Nigerian group Nkengas, an early example of a UK-linked Afrobeat production, and licensing Arrow's calypso song Hot Hot Hot in 1984. His production of Judy Boucher's Can't Be with You Tonight reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in 1987. Later artists connected with his activities included Machel Montano, soul singer Reuben Richards and guitarist Ciyo Brown. Roberts moved back to Jamaica in 1997 and died in 2021. The original Cambridge Road building was demolished, but the site's historical importance was publicly marked by a plaque unveiled in 2017. Planetone's legacy rests less on an extensive surviving corporate structure than on its pioneering role in Black-owned British music production, its support for early ska and Caribbean artists, and its contribution to the independent labels and networks that developed afterward.
- 2021
Sonny Roberts dies
[1]Planetone founder Sonny Roberts died in 2021.
- 2017
Former studio site receives a commemorative plaque
[1]A plaque was unveiled at the former Kilburn studio location, commemorating Planetone's contribution to British music history.
- 1973
Roberts produces Nkengas album
[1]Roberts produced Destruction by Nigerian group Nkengas, an early UK-linked Afrobeat production.
- 1970
Roberts opens Orbitone
[1]Sonny Roberts opened the Orbitone record shop in Harlesden, extending his involvement in reggae, ska, calypso, Afrobeat and related music.
- 1965
Island Records takes over the studio premises
[1]The Planetone studio period ended when Chris Blackwell's Island Records took over the Kilburn space and Roberts returned to carpentry.
- 1961
Planetone studio and label begin operating
[1]Sonny Roberts established the Planetone recording studio and independent label in a basement at 108 Cambridge Road, Kilburn, London.
- 1961
Early ska recordings are produced
[1]Planetone began issuing ska-related recordings, including work by Rico's Combo and other Caribbean and British-based musicians.
Products and positioning
A pioneering, community-oriented independent recording platform for Black British, Jamaican and Caribbean musicians, positioned outside the established major-label system.
Music recordings · 1961
Planetone ska recordings
Planetone's principal releases were early-1960s ska and Caribbean recordings made in its Kilburn basement studio. The catalogue is associated with Rico's Combo and with a wider group of Jamaican, Caribbean and British-based performers. These releases were important as independent recordings made through a Black-owned British music operation, even though the label did not develop into a large-scale commercial catalogue.
Recording services · 1961
Planetone recording studio
The basement studio at 108 Cambridge Road in Kilburn was Planetone's core physical and creative product. It provided recording facilities for ska and Caribbean musicians and supported the production of records for independent release. The studio operated from 1961 until 1965, when Island Records took over the premises.
Brand decisions
1965
End the Kilburn studio operationStrategyBackground
Planetone's studio was operating on a small independent scale, while Sonny Roberts returned to his original profession of carpentry.
Action taken
Roberts relinquished the Cambridge Road premises, which were taken over by Chris Blackwell's Island Records.
Aftermath
The Planetone studio ceased operating, while Roberts continued working in music through later production and the Orbitone record shop.
Recent events
PlanetOne joins Edify Channel Partner Program[4]
Reported:
Edify Labs announced that PlanetOne joined the Edify Channel Partner Program as a National Master Agent.
Sources4 sources
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