In a move that is surely the end of an era, RCA Records, parent company to Arista, Jive and J-Records has decided to permanently close these labels down. These were truly some powerhouse labels in their day and their closings highlight a recording industry that is in financial turmoil.
Arista topped the pop and adult R&B charts during the 70s and 80s with such greats as Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Phyllis Hyman, Angela Bofill, Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston.
In the 90’s Jive was the place to be with hot hip hop and pop artists like the Backstreet Boys, N’Sync, Syleena Johnson and the late, great Tupac Shakur. Jive also boasted such stars as R-Kelly, Anthony Hamilton and Chris Brown later on.
Then, after the start of the new millennium Clive Davis created the J Records imprint, boasting such stars as Missy Elliot, Alicia Keys and even veteran soul singer Luther Vandross.
RCA sighted a shrinking economy and music industry and the need to refocus on one star label(RCA itself) as the reasons for closing these iconic labels. The end of an era indeed. Here’s hoping the artists currently associated with the labels all land on their feet.
Picture compliments of Hip Hop Wired
List of Jive Recording Artists
List of Arista Recording Artists
List of J Records Recording Artists