TVT RECORDS TIMELINE ABOUT TVT RECORDS »
1985 • Steve Gottlieb launches Tee Vee Toons out of his New York apartment with the release of Television's Greatest Hits. The surprise hit rapidly becomes one of the most successful independent releases of the decade and the first volume of what will be an expansive series chronicling the history of the TV theme song. The album precedes a tidal wave of nostalgia for classic TV shows and new appreciation of TV music.
1987 • TVT Records is formed to usher in the newfound label expansion into the emerging genre of Alternative music. Flagship releases from Shona Laing, The Saints and The Connells reach the Top 5 on the Alternative charts.
1988 • The label's first motion picture soundtrack album Jean De Florette is released. Soundtrack releases will become an integral part of the company's catalogue under the TVT Soundtrax imprint.
• The international hit single "Doctorin' The Tardis" by The Timelords is released. The group would later reemerge as KLF, debuting with the dance hit "What Time Is Love" and become a major part of the ambient and electronica scenes.
1989 • TVT signs Nine Inch Nails, soon recognized as one of the most influential groups in rock history after the release of the seminal, genre-defying album Pretty Hate Machine. The album will have sold over 3 million copies by 2003.
1990 • Despite little radio or video outlet support at the time for the band, TVT is the first to use network television image advertisements to promote a non-mainstream artist with Nine Inch Nails. The campaign pushes Pretty Hate Machine over the 500,000 sales mark.
• The Timelords reform as KLF and return to TVT to release Chill Out, one of the initial works in the ambient house canon. KLF goes on to international stardom with the hit "What Time Is Love."
• Modern English signs to TVT and releases the album Pillow Lips, which features a remix of their 80's hit "I Melt With You." The new version becomes an even bigger hit than before.
1991 • TVT enters into a 50/50 joint venture with Interscope Records forming Trent Reznor's Nothing Records. The label becomes the home for Nine Inch Nails and unleashes the multi-platinum career of Marilyn Manson. TVT would sell out of the joint venture in 1997.
• Analogue Bubblebath is released. It is the first release from British electronic artist Richard D. James better known as Aphex Twin.
1992 • Wax Trax! Records, pioneers of industrial and electronic music with such acts as Front 242, Ministry, and KMFDM, is acquired by TVT. Under the imprint TVT forges a new relationship with groundbreaking electronica act Underworld.
1993 • The Blunt Recordings imprint is formed with the debut album from Mic Geronimo as its first release. Blunt would help put the rap scene's focus back on New York hip-hop with subsequent signings.
• Legendary jazz-poet and rap-godfather Gil Scott Heron signs to TVT. He releases his first album in more than a decade, Spirits.
1994 • TVT hires DJ Irv Gotti as Head of Urban A&R. He discovers and signs young hip-hop crew Cash Money Click, introducing the world to eventual rap superstar Ja Rule.
• Superstar Tom Jones covers the song "If I Only Knew." from TVT recording artist Rise Robots Rise. It becomes a smash hit and major comeback for Jones.
• TVT/Wax Trax! signs a licensing deal with UK-based electronic label Warp Records. The subsequent album releases - including Nightmares on Wax, Autechre, B-12 and the influential Artificial Intelligence series - serve as a catalyst for the "electronica" explosion three years later.
1995 • The Connells score BMI's #1 Single of the Year in Europe with their hit "'74-'75"
• The soundtrack to the hit film Mortal Kombat is released and becomes the label's first album to enter the Billboard Top 10, eventually selling over 1.5 million copies.
1996 • The TVT Soundtrax imprint is established which produces critically-acclaimed soundtracks for major motion picture companies, television shows, Broadway productions as well as indie films. Titles include Blade (gold plus), Traffic, Run Lola Run, Snatch, Buffy The Vampire Slayer (platinum intl), Big Night, Seven, 2Gether (MTV), and Fargo/Barton Fink.
1998 • Sevendust's Live & Loud concert special debuts, which reaches a mass audience via a revolutionary campaign of "infomercial" styled time-buys. This establishes the band as a major force in the "nu-metal" scene and on the path to three consecutive gold albums.
• TVT enters into a unique partnership with United Producers, an innovative label formed by some of the industry's most respected music producers and creative talents. It marks the first time a producer's collective has joined forces to sign, develop and produce new talent.
• BioBox is launched, introducing a patented packaging design for music and video media that is lightweight, non-counterfeitable and eco-friendly.
• TVT establishes a Broadway division with the releases of Stephen Sondheim's Follies, the Grammy-winning The Wizard Of Oz and 1776.
1999 • In a still unprecedented move, TVT makes its entire catalog of music and video available for free, timed-out digital download.
• Following on the heals of the revolutionary "Bowie Bonds" deal, TVT obtains $23 million in financing for growth backed by a portion of its catalog of masters and music publishing under TVT Catalog Enterprises.
• TVT signs seminal British rock group XTC and relaunches their career with the universally acclaimed Apple Venus Vol. 1.
2000 • Digital music leader EMusic partners with TVT in a deal to make albums from select EMusic-signed artists available through traditional retail outlets simultaneous to their release online for download purchase.
• Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz is released. The album becomes TVT's highest Billboard album chart debut (3) and sells over one million copies.
• The double-album Live at the Greek by Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes is released. It is certified gold even after a previous, successful internet-only release.
• Hitmaking writer/producer Scott Storch signs to TVT Music Publishing. His seemingly endless stream of hits under the deal includes cuts for Christina Aguilera, Jay-Z, Pink, Justin Timberlake, Eve and Dr. Dre.
2001 • TVT becomes the first record company to settle its claims against file-sharing giant Napster. The two companies immediately partner for the promotion of TVT artists and releases.
• Vagrant Records, home to Dashboard Confessional, The Get Up Kids and others, enters into a long-term distribution agreement with TVT. Under this deal Vagrant sales will increase tenfold by the end of 2002.
• April 3, Washington, DC; Alongside such luminaries as Alanis Morrisette and Don Henley, TVT's Founder and President Steve Gottlieb addresses the Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing on digital music legislation.
• Lil Jon & The EastSide Boyz leads the arrival of "crunk" as the new hot street movement in hip-hop with their album Put Yo Hood Up.
2002 • TVT Records is recognized by Billboard Magazine and Soundscan as the #1 independent record company, #1 independent rock label and #1 independent urban label.
• Universal-Island Records UK enters into a multi-year licensing agreement with TVT. The deal completes the label's global distribution reach.
• TVT ends the year at its most prominent level. Six gold and platinum records are certified, including the third consecutive gold for Sevendust, first for Lil Jon & The EastSide Boyz and first for Default's debut album (now platinum.) Default's breakthrough single "Wasting My Time" becomes one of the Top 20 most played songs of the year.
2003 • Billboard Magazine and Soundscan recognize TVT as the #1 independent record company across the board for a second straight year.
• The Ying Yang Twins, one of the best selling underground hip-hop acts, signs with TVT.
• TVT Records wins a landmark decision in a copyright infringement and breach-of-contract lawsuit against Island/Def Jam and Lyor Cohen. The result was a $132 million dollar judgement of punitive and compensatory damages.
2004 • Billboard Magazine and Soundscan recognize TVT as the #1 independent record company across the board for a third straight year.
• Coming in at #3 on the Billboard album chart, Crunk Juice by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz makes history with the biggest first week sales ever for an independent album.
• The American Association For Independent Music (A2IM) is created with TVT's Steve Gottlieb taking a leading position in its formation and initiatives.
• TVT ends 2004 with its biggest year to date, nailing 5 out of the Top 10 selling independent releases including all of the Top 3. Lil Jon & the EastSide Boyz held down the #1 and #2 releases with Crunk Juice and Kings Of Crunk respectively.
2005 • Billboard Magazine and Soundscan recognize TVT as the #1 independent record company across the board for the fourth straight year.
• Expanding its power internationally, TVT announces the launch of TVT Records UK, a stand alone company for the United Kingdom and Eire based out of London.
• TVT Music Publishing songwriter Scott Storch holds down the #1 slot on the Billboard Hot 100 for the entire first quarter of the year with the songs "Let Me Love You" by Mario and "Candy Shop" from 50 Cent. He hits #1 again with "Run It"
• Lil' Jon cleans up at the 2005 BMI Urban Awards. He, with R. Kelly were named Songwriters of the Year with four "most performed song" awards. The song "Yeah" (Usher featuring Lil Jon) is also named Song of the Year. Jon also wins the first Urban Ringtone Award for his work on Petey Pablo"s hit "Freek-A-Leek."
• Crunk Juice by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz is the #1 independent album of year.
2006 • Billboard Magazine and Soundscan recognize TVT as the #1 independent record company across the board for the fifth straight year.