Relativity Records
Country: United States of America
Relativity, also known as Relativity Records, is a US label with many logos, often duel labelled with Violator.
Although it was reportedly established in 1985 by producer Barry Kobrin at the site of his Important Record Distributors, Inc. (IRD) in New York, there's evidence that the brand actually began around 1982 as an in-house IRD label.
Early on, as an indie label, Relativity released music in a variety of styles, including dance, jazz, punk, and progressive rock. As it grew, it became more known for its metal and hip-hop releases. In 1990, its sister labels In-Effect and Combat were merged into Relativity, and 50% of the company was acquired by Sony.
IRD became Relativity Entertainment Distribution in 1992, which then changed to RED Distribution in 1998. Thereafter, it became a division of Sony Music Entertainment in 2007 where it was rebranded as "RED" to reflect its focus on artist development rather than distribution.
