4AD

The influential 4AD label was launched in 1980 by music lovers Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent with financial support from Beggars Banquet, whose record store chain both were employed by.

Initially named Axis, they issued a series of four 7" singles before discovering another label already using the Axis name. In need of a quick new name, the partners spotted the following typography that their graphic designer included on a flyer announcing the Axis releases:

1980 FORWARD

1980 FWD

1984 AD

4AD

Kent left 4AD after a year to start another Beggars-affiliated label, Situation Two.

Guided by Ivo Watts-Russell and influenced by other UK indie labels such as Beggars Banquet, Postcard Records, and Factory, 4AD quickly developed a distinct identity thanks to the cover designs of Vaughan Oliver/v23 and the label's unique numbering system.

In 1992, 4AD initiated a high-profile distribution deal in the US with Warner Bros. Records, establishing offices in New York led by Robin Hurley. Watts-Russell moved to Los Angeles in the mid-90s, leading to the label being primarily managed from California for much of the decade. Ivo sold 4AD in the late '90s, though his influence was observed for years afterward. In November 1999, following Hurley's departure as label chief, Beggars Group's chairman Martin Mills took the chance to move its HQ to London and appointed a new label head, former Beggars head of press Chris Sharp. Sharp joined forces with Ed Horrox, a former A&R man at Mantra Recordings.

Sharp was removed from his position as MD by the Beggars Group management in April 2008. Simon Halliday, ex-Warp Records US, assumed the MD role. His first action was to "retire" fellow Beggars Group labels Too Pure and Beggars Banquet, transferring key artists from the defunct imprints to the expanded 4AD.

Decoding the unique numbering system…

The alphabetic part signifies the format:

4AD - Mail-order-only releases

AXIS - The Axis 7" singles

AD - 7" single

BAD - 12"/CD single and EP (typically up to four songs, though some have more)

CAD - LP

DAD - Double LP

EAD - MP3 download

FAD - Poster edition

GAD - Initially used for a series of re-issues in 1998 under the promotional title "The Perfect Antidote," now used for subsequent reissues, mid-priced reissues, & remastered editions

HAD - Applied once, for the UK reissue of Matt Johnson/The The's "Burning Blue Soul"

JAD - Used for three mini-album releases

MAD - Mini-album (generally more than four songs)

PAD - Postcard Set

TAD - Temporary releases (i.e., only one pressing)

VAD - Video

WAD - Postcard Set

XAD - Poster Set or Calendar

The letters CD added indicate a compact disc, and the letter C appears between the prefix and the catalog number on a cassette (e.g., CAD C 809 for the cassette version of CAD 809). An appended D indicates a double or special limited release, and an R indicates a remix single/EP.

For promo releases and a few other exceptions, the alphabetic part is often an abbreviation of the band's name, and the numbers are sequential across promos by that band.

Regarding the numeric part:

* In 1980, releases were consecutively numbered. The AXIS numbers ranged from 1 through 4 (with AXIS3 rereleased as AD3), and 4AD numbering started with 5.

* From 1981 to 1989, the numbers were three digits, with the first digit representing the year and the next two being a sequential year-specific number. For instance, the first release in 1981 is numbered "101," the twelfth release in 1984 is "412," etc.

* From 1990 to 1999, the numbers became four digits, with the first digit again denoting the year. Thus, the first release in 1990 was "0001," the sixth in 1997 was "7006," etc.

* In 2000, the number's first two digits became "2K," with the other two as the typical sequential number.

* Starting in 2001, the first digit has been "2," the second has denoted the year, and the last two have been sequential. So the first release in 2002 was "2201," the 11th in 2003 was "2311," etc.

* As of 2010, the first digit has been "3," the second has represented the year, and the final two have been in sequential order. Thus, "3101" was the first release of 2011, and so forth.

Label code: LC 5807 / LC 05807

Also known as:

- 4•A•D

- 4.A.D.

See 4AD Ltd. for legal entity.

Licensed, marketed, and distributed by Rough Trade Records GmbH in Germany (1993).