Best Before Records

Best Before Records
Founded	2005
Founder	Anthony Shaw
Distributor(s)	The Orchard (formerly with- PIAS)
Genre	Alternative rock Punk rock Pop punk Post-hardcore Alt Rock Alternative Alternative Metal
Country of origin	UK
Location	London, United Kingdom
Official website	Best Before Records

Best Before Records is a boutique independent record label based in London, United Kingdom.^[1]

Best Before Records's artists are generally considered Alternative, Pop Punk, alternative rock, but some also include elements of various genres of metal. Some of their most well-known artists include or included ACODA, Mutiny On The Bounty, 22, The Chapman Family, Sharks, Dananananaykroyd, Johnny Foreigner, The Pistolas, The Heights^[2] and in 2014 signing both Death and the Penguin and American Fangs.

The label's functions include sourcing new artists, producing albums, marketing/promoting and securing international licensees in the North American, European, Australian and Asian markets. The company provides traditional record company services along with (for some) management, digital marketing/promotion, production and manufacturing services catered to each artists individual requirements.^[3]

History

Best Before Records was launched in 2004 as part of a subsidy under the Channelfly and Mama Group corporate. In December 2009 Mama Group was acquired by HMV^[4] who had shown no interest in this part of the corporation therefore the label Best Before Records was taken over by label manager Anthony Shaw and became a fully independent label distributed by PIAS Entertainment Group in the UK and Europe.^[5]

After separating from its parent company, it continued to develop a strong label identity and effectively launching several new artist careers including ‘Dananananaykroyd’, ‘Johnny Foreigner’, 'The Heights' and ‘The Morning After Girls’. Taking on further bands like Sharks, 22, Mutiny On The Bounty, ACODA and most recently Death and the Penguin and American Fangs.

Shortly after in August of that year, Best Before Records, along with many other PIAS distributed independents, lost a large portion of their stock in the fire stirred by the London Riots that subsequently put the label in jeopardy and brought them to the brink of bankruptcy.

Artists

Artists that have been signed, or are currently signed, to the label ^[6]

• 22
• American Fangs
• ACODA.^[7]
• Dananananaykroyd
• Death and the Penguin
• Johnny Foreigner (active with Alcopop! Records UK) ^[8]
• Mutiny On The Bounty
• Sharks
• The Chapman Family
• The Heights
• The Morning After Girls
• The Pistolas

Releases

^[9]

References

1. ↑ Best Before Records’s Label Page – Music at Last.fm
2. ↑ - More About Us
3. ↑ Selph. "Best Before Records". 
4. ↑ "HMV Acquire Mama Group". 
5. ↑ "PIAS Label List". 
6. ↑ Best Before Records. "Artist Roster". 
7. ↑ "ACODA sign to Best Before Records". Retrieved 16 September 2013. 
8. ↑ NME. "Johnny Foreigner". NME. 
9. ↑ Parsons, Katie (10 September 2011). "The 10 Best Unsigned Bands In Britain". Kerrang! Issue:1380 (London). p. 11.