Matador

U.S. independent label located in NYC; regarding company roles and copyrights, consider Matador Records Inc for the USA, Matador Records Ltd. for the UK division, and the generic company profile for either Matador Records entity.

Note that although some Matador releases are exclusive to North America or Europe, they utilize a unified numbering system for all releases, so it's unnecessary to categorize them under separate labels.

The Matador label was founded in 1989 when Chris Lombardi brought the Austrian duo H.P. Zinker to Wharton Tiers’ Fun City studio to record OLE-001, ...and there was light. Initially based out of Chris’ New York apartment, Lombardi added artists like the Dustdevils, Railroad Jerk, and Superchunk to the roster. Gerard Cosloy, a former manager at Homestead Records, joined in 1990, marking Matador's first brush with substantial media attention and major sales through the North American release of Teenage Fanclub’s debut album, A Catholic Education. Over time, the label has expanded from small offices to larger facilities, with staff growing from 2 to 24 and the roster expanding significantly. Besides being the North American base for Pavement, Liz Phair, and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Matador has aided artists such as Yo La Tengo, Cat Power, Cornelius, Solex, Pizzicato Five, Helium, and the Arsonists in gaining global recognition.

Matador has also acted as the North American licensee for various standout international acts like Belle & Sebastian, Mogwai, Boards of Canada, Red Snapper, Arab Strap, and others. Since 1996, Matador has maintained offices and staff in London. Apart from overseeing promotion, sales, and marketing of Matador titles across Europe, Matador Europe has licensed recordings from notable new North American artists, including M. Ward, Sleater-Kinney, Modest Mouse, and Superchunk.

Although often labeled (not by the company itself) as an underground or "indie" rock label, Matador's musical scope has evolved, incorporating hip hop, electronic, and experimental acts that are as integral to the label’s future and sound as singer/songwriters and rock bands. Sometimes, these genres converge.

During the 1990s, Matador formed partnerships with Atlantic and Capitol Records. In 1999, Lombardi & Cosloy repurchased Capitol's 49% stake in the label, and in 2002, Beggars Group Ltd. acquired 50% of the entities behind the Matador label/imprint Matador Records Inc and Matador Records Ltd, assuming control over Matador's global marketing.