Atlantic Records

Atlantic Recording Corporation is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Based in New York, it first built its identity through jazz, R&B, and soul, beginning with its earliest recordings released in January 1948. During its first two decades, Atlantic became closely associated with a run of influential American popular music, and it earned a reputation as one of the most important labels of its era.

The label’s early catalog is strongly tied to mid-century R&B and soul. Atlantic released landmark work by artists including Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, Ruth Brown, and Otis Redding, reflecting a focus on vocal-driven rhythm and blues and the emerging soul sound. This period established Atlantic as a home for Black American music at a time when independent labels played an outsized role in shaping the national market.

Atlantic’s standing in the 1960s was strengthened through a distribution deal with Stax, a relationship that improved its commercial position and broadened its reach. In 1967, the company entered a new corporate phase when it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, which is now part of Warner Music Group. Under this umbrella, Atlantic expanded beyond its early specialties and developed a major presence in rock and pop, releasing recordings by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Led Zeppelin, and Yes.

Across its history, Atlantic has been identified with both artist development and genre breadth, moving from jazz and R&B into a wider mainstream repertoire as the popular music industry shifted. In more recent decades, the label’s roster has included contemporary pop, hip-hop, and electronic artists such as Charli XCX, Cardi B, Tiësto, Ty Dolla $ign, and Alex Warren, illustrating its continued role within modern commercial music alongside its legacy in classic soul and rock.