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Universal launches another Mercury Records, this time as part of Republic
By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 12 April 2022
Universal Music in the US has had a good old rummage around its big bag of brands and pulled out the ‘Mercury’ card, prompting the launch of a new imprint of its Republic Records division to be known as Mercury Records. And why the hell not?
The new imprint will be headed up by Republic A&Rs Tyler Arnold and Ben Adelson, and will feature some of their big previous signings to the Republic label on its roster, in particular Post Malone and James Bay. The new Mercury chiefs will report into Republic co-founders Monte and Avery Lipman.
“We’re very grateful to Monte and Avery for entrusting us with such a legendary label and brand”, says Arnold. “I am so proud of our incredible roster and am excited to represent some of the most talented, influential and creative artists in music today. It is Mercury’s priority to lead as a creative company, putting our artists first and taking an energetic, entrepreneurial approach to A&R and marketing. We are building Mercury to become the modern music label”.
Meanwhile the Monte of the Lipmans adds: “Tyler and Ben’s accomplishments speak volumes as top A&R executives over the past few years, and the legacy of Mercury Records will be in perfect hands. Their competitive spirit, drive and determination will lead a new vanguard of creative artists into uncharted waters”.
The original Mercury Records was founded in Chicago in 1945, later being acquired by the old Polygram major record company, which then merged with Universal in the late 1990s.
Since then various labels and imprints within the Universal Music Group have used the Mercury brand, although the mainstream frontline Mercury labels in the US and the UK were ultimately merged into other divisions of the major.
However, in addition to the all new Mercury Records as part of Republic Records in the US, a number of other Universal units also still utilise the Mercury name, including the major’s Nashville division, plus the UK-based quirky classical label Mercury NX and media unit Mercury Studios.
