Narada Productions

Narada Productions is an American record label founded in Milwaukee in 1983 by John Morey. Its origins lay in a mail-order business Morey began in 1979 to sell new-age music. The venture developed into an independent label at a time when new-age recordings were establishing a distinct market in the United States. Narada initially built its identity around atmospheric, instrumental, and spiritually inflected music, but its catalog gradually expanded into adjacent genres and audiences. The label’s roster over time included artists such as David Arkenstone, Jesse Cook, Michael Gettel, Michael Jones, David Lanz, Oscar Lopez, and Billy McLaughlin. These artists represented a broad interpretation of the label’s adult-oriented instrumental positioning, encompassing piano, acoustic guitar, smooth jazz, new flamenco, world music, and other melodic or contemporary styles. Narada also issued compilation albums designed to introduce listeners to its artists and to organize its catalog around themes such as piano, flamenco, wilderness, film and television music, and smooth jazz. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Narada created several imprints to separate musical formats and market segments. These included Sona Gaia, Antiquity Records, Rising Sun Records, Narada World, Narada Equinox, Narada Jazz, Narada Lotus, and Narada Mystique. Shakti Records was later established in 2000 for electronic music. The imprint structure allowed Narada to operate across new-age, world, jazz, electronic, and related categories, although most of these labels were eventually retired and their releases were consolidated under the Narada name. Narada’s distribution and ownership history connected it to increasingly larger music companies. The label was initially distributed by MCA. In 1997, Virgin Records acquired Narada along with Higher Octave and Back Porch. Under Virgin and later EMI ownership, Narada became part of a larger portfolio of adult-oriented labels and also served as the principal United States licensee for Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records until 2008. Higher Octave and Back Porch were absorbed into Narada as sub-labels in 2004, without retaining their original staff, reducing the separate identities and rosters of those businesses. In 2006, EMI moved Narada from Glendale, Wisconsin, to EMI’s headquarters in New York City. The move accompanied a wider consolidation of labels within an expanded Blue Note-centered group serving adult music audiences. Narada’s emphasis on new-age music was reduced during this period, while its focus shifted increasingly toward contemporary jazz; new-age activity was directed more toward the sister label Higher Octave. Billboard ranked Narada fourth among contemporary jazz labels in its 2005 year-end assessment. Since 2013, Narada has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Its releases have been distributed through Capitol Music Group’s Blue Note Records organization. Although the label’s historical identity remains strongly associated with new-age and instrumental music, its catalog and corporate role now reflect a wider adult contemporary portfolio. Narada’s continuing significance lies in its long-running catalog, its role in developing and packaging instrumental and global music, and its integration into the distribution infrastructure of a major international record company.

Narada Productions grew out of a mail-order music business founded by John Morey in 1979. Morey initially sold new-age recordings by mail, but the business’s development led to the establishment of an independent record label in Milwaukee in 1983. Narada’s early catalog centered on new-age and instrumental music, genres that were gaining visibility among listeners seeking atmospheric, contemplative, and nontraditional recorded music outside the mainstream pop market. The label developed a roster that included David Arkenstone, Jesse Cook, Michael Gettel, Michael Jones, David Lanz, Oscar Lopez, and Billy McLaughlin. Their work helped Narada extend beyond a narrow new-age definition into piano, acoustic guitar, contemporary jazz, new flamenco, world music, and other instrumental formats. Narada also used compilations to present its catalog thematically, issuing collections associated with piano, flamenco, wilderness, smooth jazz, film and television music, and artist discovery. As its catalog expanded, Narada created a network of imprints during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Sona Gaia, Antiquity Records, Rising Sun Records, Narada World, Narada Equinox, Narada Jazz, Narada Lotus, and Narada Mystique were used to distinguish different styles or market segments. This structure reflected the label’s movement into world music, Celtic music, jazz, electronica, new flamenco, acoustic guitar, and piano. Narada also became the principal United States licensee for Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records after its acquisition by Virgin, a relationship that continued until 2008. Virgin Records acquired Narada in 1997 along with Higher Octave and Back Porch. The transaction placed Narada within a larger corporate group while preserving its label identity. In 2000, Narada created Shakti Records for electronic music. That imprint ended its release activity in 2004, when Narada increasingly concentrated on contemporary jazz. Higher Octave and Back Porch were also absorbed into Narada as sub-labels in 2004, but their original staffs were not retained, and their separate rosters were reduced. Narada’s industry profile grew alongside its contemporary jazz catalog. Billboard’s 2005 year-end rankings placed it fourth among contemporary jazz labels. In 2006, EMI moved Narada from Glendale, Wisconsin, to New York City. The relocation formed part of a wider consolidation involving labels such as Blue Note, Capitol Jazz, Roulette Jazz, Pacific Jazz, Manhattan, Angel, Metro Blue, and Mosaic. Narada continued to operate under its own imprint, but its role was increasingly aligned with Blue Note’s broader adult-music strategy. As the corporate structure changed, Narada’s new-age activities were reduced and Higher Octave became the more natural destination for that repertoire. In 2013, following the transfer of EMI’s recorded-music business to Universal Music Group, Narada became a fully owned UMG subsidiary. Its releases were placed within Capitol Music Group’s distribution structure and associated with Blue Note Records. The label therefore moved from independent Milwaukee origins, through Virgin and EMI ownership, into a major-label system while retaining a catalog identity built on instrumental, contemporary jazz, world, new-age, and crossover music. The available reference material does not establish a separate current headquarters, executive roster, or recent release chronology.

• 2013

  Narada becomes a Universal Music Group subsidiary

  [1]Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Narada became wholly owned by Universal Music Group and was distributed through Capitol Music Group’s Blue Note Records.

• 2006

  Operations move from Wisconsin to New York

  [1]Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  EMI relocated Narada from Glendale, Wisconsin, to New York City as part of a broader label consolidation.

• 2005

  Narada ranks fourth among contemporary jazz labels

  [1]Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Billboard’s year-end assessment placed Narada fourth among contemporary jazz labels.

• 2004

  Shakti’s release activity ends and related labels are absorbed

  [1]Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Shakti’s last release appeared in 2004, while Higher Octave and Back Porch were absorbed as Narada sub-labels.

• 2000

  Shakti Records is launched

  [1]Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Narada created Shakti Records to release electronic music.

• 1997

  Virgin Records acquires Narada

  [1]Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Narada joined Virgin Records’ portfolio alongside Higher Octave and Back Porch.

• 1983

  Narada Productions is founded in Milwaukee

  [1]Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  John Morey established Narada as an independent record label focused initially on new-age music.

• 1979

  John Morey begins a mail-order new-age music business

  [1]Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  The business that later developed into Narada began as a mail-order operation selling new-age music.

An adult-oriented record label centered on melodic, instrumental, contemporary jazz, new-age, world, and crossover music. Narada historically positioned itself as a specialist curator and developer of atmospheric and accessible music, later broadening its catalog while retaining an emphasis on instrumental performance and sophisticated listening.

• Recorded music · 1983

  Narada artist albums

  The label’s principal product is a catalog of studio and other recorded-music albums by artists working in new-age, instrumental, contemporary jazz, world music, piano, acoustic guitar, Celtic, and crossover styles. Representative artists associated with the catalog include David Arkenstone, Jesse Cook, Michael Gettel, Michael Jones, David Lanz, Oscar Lopez, and Billy McLaughlin.

• Compilation albums

  Narada compilation albums

  Narada used thematic and sampler compilations to organize its catalog and introduce listeners to its artists. Documented examples include piano collections, artist samplers, smooth-jazz compilations, flamenco collections, a wilderness-themed set, and a film and television music sampler.

• Contemporary jazz

  Narada contemporary jazz catalog

  During the EMI period, Narada increasingly emphasized contemporary jazz and related adult-oriented instrumental music. This shift narrowed the label’s earlier new-age emphasis while maintaining its preference for accessible, melodic, and often predominantly instrumental recordings.

• World and crossover music

  Narada world and crossover catalog

  Narada broadened its original identity through releases involving world music, Celtic music, new flamenco, acoustic guitar, electronica, and piano. Several former imprints were created to distinguish these areas before their catalogs were consolidated under the main Narada name.

• 2013

  Transition into Universal Music Group ownershipM&A

  Background

  Universal Music Group acquired EMI’s recorded-music assets, including the Narada label business.

  Action taken

  Narada became a wholly owned UMG subsidiary and was distributed through Capitol Music Group’s Blue Note Records.

  Aftermath

  The label retained its name and catalog identity while operating within UMG’s major-label distribution network.

  Source

• 2006

  Consolidation within EMI’s Blue Note-centered adult-music groupStrategy

  Background

  EMI reorganized a number of adult-oriented and jazz labels, including Narada, as part of a broader group structure based around an expanded Blue Note operation.

  Action taken

  Narada was moved from Glendale, Wisconsin, to New York City, while its imprint identity was retained and its new-age emphasis was reduced.

  Aftermath

  Narada focused more heavily on contemporary jazz, while new-age activity was directed toward the sister label Higher Octave.

  Source

• 2019.09.30

  Reported2019.09.30

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1. 1Narada Productionsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2南都电源与EDF Renewables China签署电池储能合作协议prnasia.com