Record Makers

Record Makers is an independent French record label and music publisher based in Paris, founded in 2000 by the electropop group Air together with their managers Marc Teissier du Cros and Stéphane Elfassi. The label was created specifically to release the soundtrack that Air had composed for Sofia Coppola's 1999 film The Virgin Suicides. That album became a critical and commercial success, winning Best Original Soundtrack at the 2001 Victoires de la musique and earning a BRIT Award nomination, and it was certified gold in France and the United Kingdom. It is widely regarded, including by publications such as NME and Pitchfork, as one of the greatest film soundtracks of all time. Record Makers is closely associated with the second generation of the French Touch movement. Its first signing was Sébastien Tellier, whose debut album L'Incroyable vérité appeared in 2001; his song "Fantino" was later featured in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation, and his track "La Ritournelle" became a modern standard. The label went on to sign a diverse roster spanning electronic, electro-rap, hip-hop and pop, including Arpanet (Gerald Donald), DSL, Klub des Loosers, Turzi, Hypnolove and Sex in Dallas. In 2006 it signed Kavinsky, whose single "Nightcall" — produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk — became a global hit after opening the 2011 film Drive, reaching No. 10 in France and earning diamond certification there. Beyond artist releases, Record Makers has issued numerous film soundtracks, including several by Sébastien Tellier, the first official edition of John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 score in 2003, French distribution of the Drive soundtrack, and a vinyl release of the Fire of Love documentary score by Nicolas Godin. Since 2017 the label has been led by Marc Teissier du Cros, and its activities extend to music publishing and artist management, with Air, Nicolas Godin and Sofie Royer among those managed. From the second half of the 2010s the label increasingly signed international artists such as Dita Von Teese, Cola Boyy, Blasé, nit, Lauritz Kaasa and Alexander Dexter Jones, broadening its catalogue beyond its originally French-focused base.

Record Makers was founded in 2000 by the French electropop group Air and their managers Marc Teissier du Cros and Stéphane Elfassi. The label's immediate purpose was to release the soundtrack Air had composed for Sofia Coppola's film The Virgin Suicides, released in 1999. The album was both a critical and commercial success: it won Best Original Soundtrack at the 2001 Victoires de la musique, received a BRIT Award nomination for Best Soundtrack/Distribution Recording in 2001, and was certified gold in France and the United Kingdom. It has been cited by publications including NME and Pitchfork as one of the best film soundtracks of all time. The track "Playground Love" was performed by the group at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris with Gordon Tracks (Thomas Mars of Phoenix). Air ceased their activities with the label in 2004. The label's first signing was Sébastien Tellier, whose debut album L'Incroyable vérité was released in 2001. Tellier supported Air on their 2001 tour to promote the album. His song "Fantino" appeared on the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003). "La Ritournelle," from his second album Politics — also released on Record Makers — became a landmark track and was performed by Tellier at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Paralympics. The album features percussion by Tony Allen, known for his work with Fela Kuti, and was mixed by Philippe Zdar of Cassius. The second signing was Detroit techno producer and artist Arpanet (alias Gerald Donald), known for his collaborations with Drexciya and Dopplereffekt. He was followed by acts such as electro-rap group DSL, hip-hop group Klub des Loosers, electronic music group Turzi, and electropop groups Hypnolove and Sex in Dallas, among others. In 2006 Record Makers signed electronic artist Kavinsky, who released two EPs, Teddy Boy and 1986, in 2006 and 2007 respectively, as well as the single "Nightcall." Produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk — whose 2007 tour Kavinsky had opened — the track initially attracted limited interest until it was used in the opening credits of the 2011 film Drive. "Nightcall" then became a hit, charting at No. 10 in France. It has since been certified diamond in France, gold in Denmark, Germany and New Zealand, and silver in the United Kingdom. The song was performed at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris with Angèle and Phoenix. A studio version of that cover was released in September 2024 on Record Makers, reaching No. 3 on the French charts. Kavinsky has released two albums on Record Makers since "Nightcall": OutRun in 2013 and Reborn in 2022. Thanks to the international success of its French artists, Record Makers gained wider recognition and began attracting artists from outside France. While its early catalogue was almost exclusively French, from the second half of the 2010s the label signed more international acts, including American burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, Californian disco-funk artist Cola Boyy, electropop singer Blasé and electronic musician nit. Other recent signings include Norwegian drummer and composer Lauritz Kaasa and Anglo-American singer-songwriter Alexander Dexter Jones. Record Makers has released several film soundtracks since The Virgin Suicides, including four compositions by Sébastien Tellier. In 2003 the label issued the first official edition of John Carpenter's soundtrack for the 1976 film Assault on Precinct 13, which had until then been highly influential but available only as a bootleg. Record Makers handled French distribution of the soundtrack for the 2011 film Drive, whose opening track is Kavinsky's "Nightcall," and also released the vinyl edition of the soundtrack for the documentary Fire of Love, composed by Nicolas Godin of Air and released in 2022. Since 2017 Record Makers has been led by Marc Teissier du Cros. The label's work extends beyond music production to include music publishing and management services. American-Austrian singer Sofie Royer, Nicolas Godin and Air are managed by the label.

• 2024

  Nightcall performed at the Paris Olympics closing ceremony; studio version released in September, reaching No. 3 in France.

• 2022

  Kavinsky releases Reborn; label issues the vinyl edition of the Fire of Love soundtrack by Nicolas Godin.

• 2017

  Marc Teissier du Cros takes over leadership of the label.

• 2013

  Kavinsky releases the album OutRun on Record Makers.

• 2011

  Nightcall features in the opening credits of Drive and becomes a hit, charting at No. 10 in France.

• 2007

  Kavinsky releases the 1986 EP and the single Nightcall.

• 2006

  Kavinsky signs to Record Makers and releases the Teddy Boy EP.

• 2004

  Air cease their activities with the label.

• 2003

  Label releases the first official edition of John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 soundtrack.

• 2001

  The Virgin Suicides soundtrack wins Best Original Soundtrack at the Victoires de la musique and is nominated at the BRIT Awards; Sébastien Tellier's debut L'Incroyable vérité released.

• 2000

  Record Makers founded by Air, Marc Teissier du Cros and Stéphane Elfassi to release The Virgin Suicides soundtrack.

Independent Parisian label and publisher known for French Touch electronic and pop, film soundtracks, and a curated international roster.

• 2000

  The Virgin Suicides (soundtrack)

• 2001

  L'Incroyable vérité

• 2004

  Politics

• 2006

  Teddy Boy

• 2007

  1986

• 2010

  Nightcall

• 2013

  OutRun

• 2022

  Reborn

• 2003

  Assault on Precinct 13 (soundtrack)

• 2022

  Fire of Love (soundtrack)

1. 1Record Makers official websiterecordmakers.com
2. 2Record Makers – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Record Makers – Wikipédia (fr)fr.wikipedia.org