The Eight Note

The Eight Note (Hebrew: התו השמיני, HaTav HaShmini) is an Israeli record label, music distributor and record retailer founded in 1993 in a small shop on Shammai Street in Jerusalem. It is managed by Yuval Nissenbaum and is headquartered in Jerusalem. The company operates across production, distribution, new media and retail, and describes itself as working differently from the large Israeli labels: artists who work with the company are said to be involved at every step, with rights in the creation and a share of the profits. The label represents, produces and distributes a broad roster of Israeli artists, including Yehuda Poliker, Beit HaBubot, Dana Berger, Hadag Nahash, Shem Tov Levi, Mosh Ben Ari, Arik Einstein, David Broza, Eti Ankri, Ariel Zilber, Yossi Banai, Amir Lev, Shlomi Shaban and Gabriel Balhassan, among many others. It also represents international brands in Israel such as Ninja Tune, ECM, Putumayo, Harmonia Mundi, Naxos and Nettwerk. In video, it ran a DVD distribution operation with rights to Israeli films and distributed films from around the world in coordination with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Home Video. At its peak the company physically distributed to more than 500 stores, including traditional music and book shops and video libraries as well as non-traditional outlets such as gas stations, supermarkets, pharmacy chains, convenience stores and cultural institutions. Its digital catalogue is distributed to more than 120 online platforms worldwide through mobile operators and internet services including iTunes, Shazam, Amazon and Spotify. In retail, The Eight Note became a well-known Israeli record-shop chain. At its height it had five branches selling music and DVDs: two in Jerusalem (Shammai Street and Malha Mall), two at Ben Gurion Airport (Terminal 3 and the Shahak Hall) and one at the Tel Aviv Culture Hall. It also had branches in Haifa and another in Tel Aviv, but these closed in 2015. In 2020 the Shammai Street store in Jerusalem closed after about 27 years of activity; at its peak it had run an online music and film buying service under the brand "Disc Club". Today the main branch is at 12 Shammai Street in Jerusalem ("Tzad Acher") with an additional branch at the Tel Aviv Culture Hall. The company's current website presents it as Israel's leading vinyl record shop, offering rock, pop and other vinyl records, turntables and amplifiers, with nationwide delivery. Its history includes a bankruptcy in 1999, when the chain closed its branches, and a relaunch in 2000 as "The New Eight Note 2000". The company also faced a competitive war from larger Israeli labels; Hed Arzi notably refused for about a year to distribute the label's albums through its Tower Records music-store chain, prompting The Eight Note to cooperate with Steimatzky and Tzomet Sfarim for distribution.

The Eight Note was founded in 1993 in a small shop on Shammai Street in Jerusalem. It grew into an Israeli record label and retail chain active in production, distribution, new media and music and film sales. In 1999 the chain reached bankruptcy and closed its branches. In 2000 the company reopened under the name "The New Eight Note 2000" and at its peak operated a sales website under the brand "Disc Club" and five branches across the country. As the company succeeded and artists moved to its roster, the large Israeli record companies opened a war against it. Hed Arzi went furthest, refusing for about a year to distribute the label's albums through its Tower Records music-store chain. At the same time The Eight Note began cooperating with Steimatzky and Tzomet Sfarim to distribute its albums. At its peak the company had five branches across the country selling music and DVDs: two in Jerusalem, one at 16 Shammai Street (where the company offices were also located) and one in Malha Mall; two at Ben Gurion Airport (one in Terminal 3 and one in the Shahak Hall); and one in Tel Aviv at the Culture Hall. The chain also had a branch in Haifa and another in Tel Aviv, but these closed in 2015. In 2020 the chain's store on Shammai Street in Jerusalem closed, ending about 27 years of activity; at its peak it had operated online music and film buying under the name "Disc Club". Today the main branch is at 12 Shammai Street in Jerusalem ("Tzad Acher") with an additional branch at the Tel Aviv Culture Hall. The company's activities span production, distribution, new media and digital, and sales and retail. In production, it accompanies its artists through all stages of album production with experienced professionals in production, marketing and creative fields, and collaborates with cultural bodies such as film institutions, theaters, museums and festivals to expose and renew Israeli music for different audiences. In distribution, it holds distribution rights to tens of thousands of Israeli and international music and film contents for the Israeli and international markets, and represents international brands in Israel including Ninja Tune, ECM, Putumayo, Harmonia Mundi, Naxos and Nettwerk. In video, it ran a DVD distribution company with rights to Israeli films and distributed films from around the world in coordination with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Home Video. At its peak it physically distributed to more than 500 stores, including traditional music shops, book shops and video libraries and non-traditional outlets such as gas stations, supermarkets, pharmacy chains, convenience stores and cultural institutions. Its new-media department uses digital tools to sell and promote represented artists, and its digital catalogue is distributed to more than 120 online platforms worldwide through mobile operators and internet interfaces such as iTunes, Shazam, Amazon and Spotify. Today the company's website presents it as Israel's leading vinyl record shop, a mythical record store at 12 Shammai Street in Jerusalem, offering vinyl records, turntables and amplifiers with nationwide delivery.

• 2020

  The Shammai Street store in Jerusalem closes after about 27 years of activity.

• 2015

  The Haifa branch and an additional Tel Aviv branch close.

• 2000

  The company reopens under the name "The New Eight Note 2000".

• 1999

  The chain reaches bankruptcy and closes its branches.

• 1993

  The Eight Note is founded in a small shop on Shammai Street in Jerusalem.

Artist-friendly Israeli independent record label, distributor and specialist vinyl retailer, positioned as an alternative to the large Israeli labels.

• Vinyl records

  Rock, pop and other vinyl records sold through the shop and website.

• Turntables

  Analog and digital turntables from leading models, with home delivery and full warranty.

• Amplifiers

  High-quality sound amplifiers from leading brands for turntable or other audio sources.

• Music production and distribution

  Album production support and distribution rights for tens of thousands of Israeli and international music and film contents.

• Digital music distribution

  Digital catalogue distributed to more than 120 online platforms worldwide.

1. 1התו השמיני | חנות התקליטים הטובה בישראלtav8.co.il
2. 2תקליטים | התו השמיני - חנות תקליטים בירושליםtav8.co.il
3. 3פטיפונים | התו השמיני - חנות תקליטים בירושליםtav8.co.il
4. 4מגברים | התו השמיני - חנות תקליטים בירושליםtav8.co.il
5. 5The Eight Note - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6התו השמיני - Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org