Dog Ear Records

Dog Ear Records is a Japanese music production company and record label established by composer Nobuo Uematsu in November 2006. Based in Tokyo's Meguro area, the company operates at the intersection of recorded music, video-game soundtracks, composer-led projects, live performance, and online fan communication. Its catalogue includes soundtrack releases associated with games such as Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Lord of Vermilion, Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Fantasy Life, as well as albums by projects and performers connected with Uematsu's wider musical activities. The label's identity is closely linked to Uematsu, whose work on the Final Fantasy series made him one of the best-known composers in video-game music. Dog Ear Records was not presented simply as a conventional album imprint: its activities also included music production, digital distribution, event organization, and community programming. The company launched the DERBLOG weblog in February 2007 to report on releases and live events. Later that year, in October, it began the online program Inu Mimi Radio, hosted by Uematsu. The program provided a platform for conversations with guests associated with Uematsu's musical network, including participants in The Black Mages concert series. Dog Ear Records also developed an international profile through performances and digital distribution. Its first reported international event involved the October 20, 2007 presentation in Stockholm of Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy, featuring Uematsu's Final Fantasy compositions performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. In Japan, the company organized the November 19, 2007 concert Orchestral Pieces from LOST ODYSSEY & BLUE DRAGON at Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo. These activities connected the label's recorded catalogue with orchestral and live interpretations of game music. In 2008, Dog Ear Records announced The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight and supported a related live concert at Yokohama Blitz. During the same month, it began international digital releases through the iTunes Store, extending access to its music beyond Japan. The company subsequently published or distributed releases involving artists and projects such as pianist Keita Egusa, Earthbound Papas, and other soundtrack-related productions. Its first Dog Ear Records live showcase took place on November 24, 2008, and featured Egusa, whose album KALAYCILAR was published by the label. Dog Ear Records is therefore best understood as a specialist Japanese label and production platform centered on game music and composer-driven work. Publicly documented information provides a clear picture of its early catalogue, online activities, concerts, and international expansion, but does not establish its current ownership, present operating status, financial scale, or current executive structure. Those details remain unconfirmed.

Dog Ear Records was founded in Tokyo in November 2006 by composer Nobuo Uematsu. The company combined the functions of a music production organization and record label, with an emphasis on video-game soundtracks, original albums, and projects associated with Uematsu's musical collaborators. Its base was reported to be in the Meguro area of Tokyo. The company began building a public-facing community presence soon after its formation. In February 2007 it launched DERBLOG, a weblog covering releases and live events. In October of that year it added Inu Mimi Radio, an online program hosted by Uematsu. The show included guests connected with The Black Mages concert series, among them Kenichiro Fukui, Michio Okamiya, and Arata Hanyuda. These initiatives gave the label communication channels beyond physical recordings and helped connect releases with performances and composer-related news. Dog Ear Records' early catalogue included music connected with games such as Blue Dragon, Anata wo Yurusanai, and Lost Odyssey. Its activities also extended to public concerts. On October 20, 2007, the company participated in the first international event associated with its documented history: Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy in Stockholm, Sweden. The event featured Uematsu's Final Fantasy compositions performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. On November 19, 2007, Dog Ear Records organized Orchestral Pieces from LOST ODYSSEY & BLUE DRAGON at Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo, linking the label to orchestral presentations of game music. In March 2008, the company announced The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight. A related live concert was held at Yokohama Blitz in August. That same month, Dog Ear Records began international digital releases through the iTunes Store, an important distribution development because it made selected music available outside the company's domestic physical-release market. The label's documented 2008 activity also included the publication of KALAYCILAR by pianist Keita Egusa and the release of saru monkey breaks. On November 24, 2008, Dog Ear Records held its first live showcase, featuring Egusa. Later catalogue entries included releases associated with Lord of Vermilion, Sakura Note: Ima ni Tsunagaru Mirai, Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, Earthbound Papas, Fantasy Life, and Earthbound Papas: Dancing Dad. The available reference material establishes Dog Ear Records as a specialist label built around game music, original recording, online communication, and live performance. It does not provide reliable current information about ownership, continuing operations, financial performance, or a complete modern staff list. Consequently, the company's present status should be treated as unconfirmed.

• 2008

  The Black Mages III announced

  [1]Dog Ear Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label announces The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight in March.

• 2008

  International iTunes distribution begins

  [1]Dog Ear Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The company begins international digital releases through the iTunes Store.

• 2008

  First Dog Ear Records live showcase

  [1]Dog Ear Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label presents its first live showcase on November 24, featuring pianist Keita Egusa.

• 2007

  DERBLOG launches

  [1]Dog Ear Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The company launches a weblog reporting on releases and live events.

• 2007

  Inu Mimi Radio begins

  [1]Dog Ear Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Dog Ear Records starts an online radio program hosted by Uematsu.

• 2007

  First documented international event

  [1]Dog Ear Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Dog Ear Records participates in the Stockholm presentation of Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy on October 20.

• 2006

  Company founded

  [1]Dog Ear Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Nobuo Uematsu establishes Dog Ear Records in November as a music production company and record label.

A specialist Japanese music label and production company focused on video-game music, composer-led albums, digital distribution, live performance, and fan-oriented media.

• Soundtracks · 2006

  Video-game soundtrack catalogue

  Dog Ear Records publishes and distributes music connected with video games. The documented catalogue includes releases associated with Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Lord of Vermilion, Sakura Note: Ima ni Tsunagaru Mirai, Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Fantasy Life. These releases place the label within the specialist game-music recording market.

• Arrangement album · 2008

  The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight

  Announced by Dog Ear Records in March 2008, this album belongs to The Black Mages project associated with rock-oriented performances of video-game music. The label also supported a related live concert at Yokohama Blitz in August 2008.

• Original album · 2008

  KALAYCILAR

  KALAYCILAR is an album by pianist Keita Egusa published by Dog Ear Records. Egusa also appeared at the label's first documented live showcase, held in November 2008.

• Original music albums · 2011

  Earthbound Papas releases

  The documented catalogue includes Earthbound Papas: Octave Theory from 2011 and Earthbound Papas: Dancing Dad from 2013. These releases represent the label's role in publishing original albums connected with Uematsu's broader musical activities.

• 2007Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy

  Sweden · International

  Dog Ear Records participated in the October 20 Stockholm event featuring Uematsu's Final Fantasy compositions performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

  Outcome. The event marked the company's first documented international event.

  Source
• 2007Orchestral Pieces from LOST ODYSSEY & BLUE DRAGON

  Japan

  Dog Ear Records organized a Tokyo orchestral event at Bunkamura Orchard Hall on November 19, presenting music from Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon.

  Outcome. The event extended the company's soundtrack activities into live orchestral presentation.

  Source

• 2008

  Announcement of The Black Mages IIIProduct launch

  Background

  Dog Ear Records was developing releases and live projects centered on video-game music and Uematsu's collaborator network.

  Action taken

  The company announced The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight in March 2008 and supported a subsequent live concert.

  Aftermath

  A concert connected with the release took place at Yokohama Blitz in August 2008.

  Source

• 2008

  Move into international digital distributionStrategy

  Background

  The label had established a catalogue of game-related and original music and had begun participating in international live events.

  Action taken

  In August 2008, Dog Ear Records began international digital releases through the iTunes Store.

  Aftermath

  The move expanded the documented distribution model beyond Japan's physical and local release channels.

  Source

1. 1Dog Ear Recordsen.wikipedia.org