19 Recordings

19 Recordings Inc. (registered in the United Kingdom as 19 Recordings Ltd.) is a New York–based record label owned by 19 Entertainment. Founded in London by British entrepreneur Simon Fuller in 1999 as the music division of 19 Entertainment, the label is one of the top record imprints as compiled by Billboard in 2012. 19 Recordings has the exclusive rights to sign contestants of the television series Idols. Since 2005, it shifted its main operations to the United States following CKX, Inc.'s (Industrial Media) acquisition of 19 Entertainment.

From 1999 to 2000, EMI has distributed its recordings. From 2001 to 2004, releases by most of the artists signed to 19 Recordings were distributed by Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG). Following BMG's merger with Sony Music Entertainment to form Sony BMG, RCA Music Group has distributed releases by 19 Recordings from 2005 to 2010. From 2011 to 2016, 19 Recordings partnered with Universal Music Group for distribution through Interscope Geffen A&M (… More