Overview

Vice Records, often referred to as Vice Recordings, is the recorded-music imprint that developed alongside the Vice media group. Launched as part of Vice's expansion into cultural industries, the label has promoted and released records for a range of artists working in indie rock, punk, electronic, hip-hop and experimental pop. The imprint has operated in close association with the magazine and other Vice platforms, using editorial coverage and events to amplify its roster. For an official reference see Vice Recordings and the parent publication Vice magazine.

Roster and musical focus

The label is best known for signing and releasing records by artists who sit outside mainstream pop charts but command strong critical followings. Examples include hip-hop and rap acts such as Action Bronson, garage and psychedelic rock groups like The Black Lips and The Stills, and electronic or dance-oriented acts such as Justice and Chromeo. Other notable names associated with the imprint include Bloc Party (Bloc Party), The Streets (The Streets), The Raveonettes, 120 Days, Death From Above 1979 (Death From Above 1979), Fucked Up, and Charlotte Gainsbourg (Charlotte Gainsbourg).

History and operations

Vice's entry into recorded music grew out of the company's broader move into cultural production in the early 21st century. The label has released singles, EPs and albums in both physical and digital formats and has worked with a variety of distribution partners and independent promoters. While specific business arrangements have varied over time, the imprint consistently emphasized artistic identities that fit Vice's editorial sensibility: edgy, alternative and youth-oriented.

Releases, promotion and impact

Vice Records used the editorial reach of the magazine and Vice's event programming to promote new releases, often pairing media coverage with tours, videos and festival appearances. Its catalogue includes breakthrough records for underground acts as well as collaborations and special projects that crossed genres. By supporting artists who later achieved broader recognition, the label helped shape conversations in indie and alternative scenes during the 2000s and 2010s.

Notable distinctions and legacy

Unlike legacy major labels, Vice Records represented a media-owned independent imprint that blended journalism, brand-building and artist services. This model allowed synergies between coverage, music publishing and multimedia production, but also raised questions about the overlap of editorial and commercial interests. Today the imprint is remembered for championing a diverse set of alternative musicians and for demonstrating how a cultural publisher can extend into recorded music while maintaining a distinct curatorial voice.

Quick facts

  • Also known as: Vice Recordings.
  • Genres: indie rock, punk, electronic, hip-hop, experimental pop.
  • Notable acts: Action Bronson, Bloc Party, Justice, Chromeo, Charlotte Gainsbourg, among others.