Ultra Records

Ultra Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, which is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. The record label has helped in bringing emerging artists and music genres into the mainstream spotlight. Established in 1995 in New York City by Patrick Moxey, a former executive of PolyGram and Virgin Records, Ultra Records has served as a creative hub for numerous highly successful electronic music artists. Among them are names such as MK, Benny Benassi, Armin van Buuren, Steve Aoki, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Black Coffee, deadmau5, Carnage, Deorro, Kygo, Tiësto, Kaskade, Louis the Child, Sofi Tukker, and Anabel Englund.
Ultra Records has also cultivated an extensive collection of digital media assets including a YouTube channel with over 29 million subscribers, a Facebook page with 2.4 million Likes, an Instagram page with more than 525,000 followers, and a Twitter account with more than 588,000 followers.
In 2012, Ultra entered a global partnership with Sony Music.
In December 2021, Sony Music fully acquired Ultra Records from Patrick Moxey.
In January 2022, David Waxman, previously Head of A&R and General Manager, was appointed President of Ultra Records. While the acquisition brought about changes, Ultra Records’ mission to provide electronic music to a broad audience has remained.
Artists (as of February 2023)
Adventure Club
Anabel Englund
Austin Millz
Benny Benassi
Boris Way
GORDO
Cash Cash
Chet Porter
DVBBS
Era Istrefi
GATTÜSO
Good Times Ahead
Haux
Icona Pop
J. Worra
Klingande
Mahmut Orhan
MK
Party Favor
Solardo
Tommy Genesis
Tripolism
Awards
Ultra Music has received a Grammys for Benny Benassi's remix of Public Enemy's “Bring The Noise” (2008) and Skrillex’s remix of Benny Benassi's "Cinema" (2012), as well as being nominated in 2017 for Best Dance Recording with Sofi Tukker's “Drinkee,” Best Dance Electronic Album with Jean-Michel Jarre's “Electronic 1: The Time Machine”, and Best Music Film with Steve Aoki’s “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”. Ultra Music has also won the title of International Dance Music Awards' Best American Music Label 10 consecutive times.
Certifications
By 2017, Ultra Records (then Ultra Music) had received Diamond, Platinum, and Gold records worldwide.
OMI's "Cheerleader" (Felix Jaehn Remix) has received 1× Diamond, 20× Platinum, and 7× Gold certifications globally.
Steve Aoki and Louis Tomlinson, a member of One Direction, released their collaboration “Just Hold On,” which went Gold and Silver in 6 countries in four months.
“Don’t Be So Shy (Filatov & Karas Remix)” by French singer and model Imany went 2× Platinum.
Producer and DJ Deorro’s Latin crossover ballad “Bailar”, featuring Grammy Award-winning Merengue singer Elvis Crespo went multi-Platinum and Gold.
Deorro's collaboration with Chris Brown “Five More Hours” earned 19× Platinum and 4× Gold certifications.
“Paradise,” a collaboration between Benny Benassi and Chris Brown went certified Gold in 2016.
Jesper Jenset's singles released on the label in partnership with Sony Music Norway "High" and "Painkiller" have become 2× Platinum and Gold in Norway, respectively.
Recent signings to the Ultra repertoire have acquired some charted titles:
Lost Frequencies’ “Are You With Me” with multi-Platinum and Gold certifications across 14 countries.
Pop singer Era Istrefi’s track “BonBon” went Gold in 4 countries.
SNBRN’s “Gangsta Walk” went 2× Platinum.
French producer Klingande went Platinum with his song “Somewhere New”.
Grammy-nominated duo Sofi Tukker went certified Gold with their record “Drinkee”.
Ultra's artist Kygo performed the Closing Ceremony of Rio's 2016 Olympics.
Synchs
Ultra Records releases are featured in films, television programs, video games, film trailers, and advertisements, including the following in 2016:
Far East Movement – Get Up (Rattle) – The Secret Life Of Pets trailer
Steve Aoki feat. Kid Ink – Delirious (Boneless) – War Dogs trailer
Ludacris – Get Back – Smurfs: The Lost Village Trailer
Kanye West – I Am A God – Assassin's Creed trailer
Deorro feat. Elvis Crespo – Bailar – Just Dance 2017
Dyro & Dannic – Raddical – Just Dance 2017
Era Istrefi – BonBon – Just Dance 2017
Flosstradamus, FKI 1st, & graves – Came Up feat. Post Malone & key! – Madden NFL ‘17
Steve Aoki & Laidback Luke feat. Lil Jon – Turbulence – Madden NFL ‘17
Steve Aoki – How Else feat. Rich the Kid and ILoveMakonnen – Madden NFL ‘17
Kygo feat. Kodaline – Raging – FIFA 2017
Neil Ormandy – Shoulders Of Giants – Lucifer Promo Campaign
Anderson .Paak feat. ScHoolboy Q – SONOS In-Store POS Campaign
Daktyl – Stay – Samsung Come Together Ad
Busy Signal – Watch Me Now – Smirnoff’s Diageo Ad
Deorro – Move On – T-Mobile Ad
Flosstradamus feat. Travis Porter – Drop Top (Party Favor & Meaux Green Remix) – T-Mobile Ad
Vic Mensa – U Mad – Apple Watch Ad
Busy Signal – Everybody Move – LG Ad
Deorro feat. Elvis Crespo – Bailar – Target Fall 2016 Ad
Deorro feat. Elvis Crespo – Bailar – Target Halloween 2016 Ad
Anderson .Paak feat. Schoolboy Q - Am I Wrong – Google Pixel “Low-Light Bikers” TV Ad
Partnerships
Ultra Records has produced a series of long concert movies, including Steve Aoki’s Grammy-nominated I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (2016) documentary, as well as Kygo and Deorro's forthcoming concert documentaries.
Ultra Music Festival and Ultra Records have partnered with one another to create a series of electronic music festivals worldwide.
Compilations
Dance music compilations that have been released via Ultra Records include the following:
Club Anthems
Club Anthems Vol. 1 – Denny Tsettos (September 7, 2004)
Club Anthems Vol. 2 – Bad Boy Joe (March 8, 2005)
Club Anthems Vol. 3 – The Riddler (March 7, 2006)
Ultra.Chilled
Ultra.Chilled 01 – (November 27, 2001)
Ultra.Chilled 02 – (April 30, 2002)
Ultra.Chilled 03 – (October 29, 2002)
Ultra.Chilled 04 – (July 29, 2003)
Ultra.Chilled 05 – David Waxman (March 22, 2005)
Ultra.Chilled 06 – (November 17, 2009)
Ultra Chilled 2016 – (May 27, 2016)
Ultra Electro
Ultra Electro – David Waxman (April 4, 2006)
Ultra Electro 2 – David Waxman (August 21, 2007)
Ultra Electro 3 – David Waxman (December 9, 2009)
Ultra.Summer 01-02
Ultra.Dance 01 – 18
Ultra.Dance 01 – Johnny Vicious (January 22, 2002)
Ultra.Dance 02 – DJ Encore (June 25, 2002)
Ultra.Dance 03 – Johnny Vicious (February 25, 2003)
Ultra.Dance 04 – Louie DeVito (August 26, 2003)
Ultra.Dance 05 – Vic Latino & David Waxman (April 20, 2004)
Ultra.Dance 06 – The Riddler & Vic Latino (January 25, 2005)
Ultra.Dance 07 – Bad Boy Joe & Johnny Budz (January 24, 2006)
Ultra.Dance 08 – The Riddler & Trevor Simpson (January 23, 2007)
Ultra.Dance 09 – David Waxman (January 22, 2008)
Ultra.Dance 10 – Jason Nevins (January 6, 2009)
Ultra.Dance 11 – DJ Enferno (January 26, 2010)
Ultra.Dance 12 – Vic Latino (January 25, 2011)
Ultra.Dance 13 (February 7, 2012)
Ultra.Dance 14 (February 12, 2013)
Ultra.Dance 15 – Jump Smokers (January 21, 2014)
Ultra.Dance 16 (February 24, 2015)
Ultra.Dance 17 (January 29, 2016)
Ultra.Dance 18 (January 27, 2017)
Ultra.Dance 19 (January 26, 2018)
Ultra.Dance 20 (February 15, 2019)
Ultra.Dance 21 (February 21, 2020)
Ultra.Dance 22 (February 19, 2021)
Ultra.Trance 1 – 10
Ultra.Trance:1 – David Waxman (October 2, 2002)
Ultra.Trance:2 – David Waxman (May 20, 2003)
Ultra.Trance:3 – Johnny Vicious (January 27, 2004)
Ultra.Trance:4 – (September 7, 2004)
Ultra.Trance:5 – The Riddler (September 20, 2005)
Ultra.Trance 06 – Johnny Budz & DJ Irene (September 26, 2006)
Ultra.Trance 07 – DJ 4 Strings (October 9, 2007)
Ultra.Trance 08 – (April 22, 2008)
Ultra.Trance 09 – (April 21, 2009)
Ultra.Trance 10 – (April 3, 2012)
Out.Anthems Vol. 1 – 8 (the first gay-themed musical compilation).
Out.Anthems – (May 30, 2006)
Out.Anthems 2 – DJ Ricardo! (May 22, 2007)
Out.Anthems 3 – DJ Ricardo! (May 20, 2008)
Out Anthems ] – DJ Ricardo! (July 28, 2009)
Out Anthems 5 – DJ Ricardo! (June 22, 2010)
Out Anthems 6 – DJ Ricardo! (June 28, 2011)
Out Anthems 7 – DJ Ricardo! (June 19, 2012)
Out Anthems 8 – DJ Ricardo! (June 11, 2013)
Ultra.80's vs Electro 1
Ultra.Club Classics: '90s 1
Ultra.Video (DVD) 1 – 2
Ultra.Weekend 1 – 9
Ultra.Rock Remixed
Ultra.2008
Ultra.2009
Ultra.2010
Ultra.2011
Ultra.2012
Ultra.2013
Ultra.2014
Ultra 2015
Ultra 2016
Ultra.10 1
Ultra Deep House 1
Ultra Dubstep 1
Ultra Trap 1
Ultra Hits 1 – 2
Ultra.Mix 1 – 8
Just Dance 1 – 3
Ultra.Latino 1
The Jersey Shore 1 – 3
Electric Daisy Carnival Vol. 1 – 3
Ultra Music Festival Compilation 2013 – 2017
See also
List of record labels
References
External links
Mitsui
Sony Music
American independent record labels
Electronic dance music record labels
Electronic music record labels
Record labels established in 1995
2022 mergers and acquisitions