# J Records

J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG's record labels in late 2008 at the end of their merger. It was distributed through the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 2000 by Clive Davis and was dissolved into RCA Records in 2011.

## Company history

J Records was founded in 2000 by industry veteran Clive Davis with $150 million in financing from BMG, after his ousting from Arista Records the same year, and initially operated as an independently managed company distributed through BMG. Olivia was the first artist to sign with J Records but was later dropped because of poor album sales. In 2001, the label found success with its multi-platinum record inaugural release, Songs in A Minor, the debut album of Alicia Keys, which sold over 12 million copies worldwide. The same year, Lyric signed to the label and became the first female group act under J Records. By late 2001, J Records attained another success with the platinum-selling debut album by O-Town. Later, established artists like D'Angelo, Luther Vandross, Jamie Foxx, and Monica would join the J roster, the latter three going on to find multi-platinum success with the label. That same year, Clive Davis and J negotiated a joint venture deal with rapper and record producer Swizz Beatz, which culminated in the founding of Swizz Beatz's label Full Surface Records. The roster included Mashonda and Cassidy.
In 2002, BMG bought a majority stake in the label. The same year, J Records began functioning under the RCA Music Group, where Davis had been appointed president and CEO, and signed American Idol winners Fantasia and Ruben Studdard. In August 2005, J Records' operations were merged with Arista Records, although both labels continued to release their own product.
In March 2004, Full Surface and J released Cassidy's debut studio album, Split Personality. The lead single from the album was Hotel, and the second single was Get No Better (featuring Mashonda). Hotel peaked in the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album peaked in the top 3 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold in America in one month.
In mid-2011, RCA Music Group underwent a restructuring which shuttered J along with sister labels Jive and Arista on October 7, 2011. RCA Records and began releasing all RCA Music Group releases under RCA Records.

## Artist roster

* 2 Way
* Ahmad Belvin
* Alfamega
* Alicia Keys
* Angie Locc
* Angie Stone
* Baby Bash
* BC Jean
* Boo Rossini
* Boxie
* Busta Rhymes
* Cassidy (J/Full Surface)
* Chapter 4
* CJ Hilton
* Clyph
* C-Ride
* D'Angelo
* Daniel Merriweather
* Deborah Cox
* Drew Sidora
* Emily King
* Fantasia
* The Fray
* Gavin DeGraw
* Hurricane Chris
* I Nine
* Inward Eye
* Jae Millz
* Jamie Foxx
* Jazmine Sullivan
* Jennifer Hudson
* Jimmy Cozier
* Krista Hidalgo
* Larsiny Family
* Leona Lewis
* Olivia Longott
* Lil Josh & Ernest
* Luke and Q
* Lyric
* Mario
* Marsha Ambrosius
* Mashonda (J/Full Surface)
* Mike Posner
* Monica
* Next
* Nicole Wray
* Nina Sky
* One Chance
* O-Town
* Pitbull
* Ray Lavender
* Rhymefest
* Rico Love
* R.L.
* Rock City
* Rod Stewart
* Sammie
* Say Anything
* Smitty
* Tyrese Gibson
* J. Valentine
* Wyclef Jean
* Yo Gotti
* Yung Joc
* Yung Wun
* Maroon 5 (was signed to Octone Records by way of a joint deal with J Records)
* Liza Minnelli
* Pearl Jam
* SOiL
* Splender
* Erick Sermon
* Udora
* Luther Vandross