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| Company type | Joint stock |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music industry |
| Founded | As Jugoton in 1947, renamed in 1991, registered at the Commercial Court on January 30, 1996 [1] |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Želimir Babogredac |
| Products | Audio CD, DVD-Video, Audio Cassette, Gramophone record |
| Website | www |
Croatia Records is a record label in Croatia, based in Zagreb (Dubrava).
Croatia Records d.d. is a joint-stock company currently led by the chief executive officer Želimir Babogredac, a sound engineer. It releases mostly (but not necessarily) mainstream music, and it has signed many prominent Croatian musicians of various music genres such as Dražen Zečić, Arsen Dedić, Mišo Kovač, Josipa Lisac, Majke, Teška Industrija, Thompson, Maksim Mrvica, Crvena jabuka, Jelena Rozga, Novi fosili, Opća opasnost, Rade Šerbedžija, Jacques Houdek, Parni valjak, Leteći odred, Mladen Grdović, Dino Dvornik, Dino Merlin, Hari Rončević, Radojka Šverko, Giuliano, Mate Bulić, Disciplin A Kitschme, Srebrna krila, Divlje jagode, Indexi, Sinan Alimanović, Lu Jakelić, Mia Dimšić, Mia Negovetić, Nina Donelli and others.[ citation needed ] Today, Croatia Records claims to have 70% share of the Croatian music market and has 30 record shops.[ citation needed ] Being a continuation of Jugoton, from which it inherited a comprehensive audio and video collection, Croatia Records is also active in re-releasing numerous digitally remastered former Yugoslav pop and rock titles. Following the global retro trend, the company decided to re-introduce gramophone records as well. [2]
The company that is today Croatia Records was founded in 1947 in Zagreb, the capital of the then-People's Republic of Croatia under the name Jugoton, a publicly owned company which was the largest record label and chain record store in the former SFR Yugoslavia. During several decades of its successful existence, Jugoton signed many eminent ex-Yugoslav artists such as: Indexi, Bijelo Dugme, Električni Orgazam, Haustor, Idoli and Leb i Sol, and also numerous important foreign stars for the domestic market including: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2, David Bowie, Queen, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode etc. The company also owned a chain of record shops across Yugoslavia. Many Yugoslav entries in the Eurovision Song Contest were signed with Jugoton including the 1989 winners Riva.
After the transition from socialist state to parliamentary democracy in 1989, the question of Croatia's self-determination from Yugoslavia was raised. In 1991, shortly before the declaration of Croatian independence and the breakup of Yugoslavia, the company's name Jugoton, a portmanteau word of Jugoslavija (Yugoslavia) and tone, was changed to Croatia Records. The company was inherited by the now-independent Republic of Croatia and since the previous economic system was abandoned, it was privatized. Since the year of 2000, Croatia Records has been managed by professionals from the music industry who joined a partnership company called AUTOR d.o.o. [3] [4] [5] In 2001, the musician Miroslav Škoro became the leader of Croatia Records, until his resignation in 2006. [6]
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Croatia Records Music Publishing (CRMP d.o.o.), founded in 2008, is a company owned by Croatia Records d.d. that specializes in the regulation of conditions of use of copyright music and digital distribution. Their activities include regulating the conditions of using music in media, advertising campaigns, on film, in the mobile industry, legal protection and promotion of copyright work, cooperation with a discography, associations for the collective protection of copyright and related rights.
Often, the company was a target of public criticism on various issues.
Croatia Records has been the object of a controversy raised by singer Branimir Štulić over royalty rights. Štulić claims royalties of songs by former rock band Azra, whose lead singer and songwriter he was in the 1980s, and which was then managed by Croatia Record's predecessor Jugoton. Štulić has named a sum of 12 million Euros he believes the company owes him but has not opted to take legal action to claim it. [7] Želimir Babogredac replied that Croatia Records has all the legal rights to release titles by Štulić and Azra, as the company is a direct successor of Jugoton, whom these artists were signed for. He also said that the sum Štulić claims is exaggerated. However, he added that Croatia Records is proud to have the highly acclaimed Štulić in the list of its artists and that he may receive a payment from the sale of audio CDs only if he joins the Croatian Composers' Society (ZAMP). [8]
Slobodna Dalmacija is a Croatian daily newspaper published in Split.
Azra was a Croatian and Yugoslav rock band that was one of the most popular acts of the Yugoslav new wave music of the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. The other two members of the original line-up were Mišo Hrnjak (bass) and Boris Leiner (drums). The band is named after a verse from "Der Asra" by Heinrich Heine. They are considered to be one of the most influential bands from the Yugoslav new wave rock era and the Yugoslav rock scene in general.
Želimir "Željko" Bebek is a Bosnian-Herzegovian and Croatian vocalist and musician most notable for being the lead singer of the Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme from 1974 until 1984. He also maintains a folk-pop solo career.
Mate "Mišo" Kovač is a Croatian recording artist. He is the best selling artist from Croatia and former Yugoslavia, with well over 20 million records, cassettes and compact discs sold to date, and is often regarded as one of the most popular musical performers from Southeastern Europe.
Film was a Yugoslav rock group founded in 1978 in Zagreb. Film was one of the most popular rock groups of the former Yugoslav new wave in the late 1970s to early 1980s.
Branimir "Johnny" Štulić is a Yugoslav singer-songwriter, musician and author, best known for being the frontman of the popular Yugoslav rock group Azra. He is known for his charismatic stage performances and inspiring song lyrics that often combined rock poetry with a strong sense for social commentary, which is the cause for him becoming a cult figure.
Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, SR Croatia.
Veljko Despot is a Croatian music journalist and record business entrepreneur. He has been involved in all aspects of the music industry as manager-director, record label owner, reporter, chief editor, radio and TV program director. In 1998, Despot received recognition from the Croatian government as one of top private entrepreneurs in the country.
PGP-RTB was a major state-owned record label and chain record store in the former SFR Yugoslavia, based in Belgrade, Socialist Republic of Serbia. After the breakup of Yugoslavia, in 1993, the company changed its name to PGP-RTS.
Suzy Records is a record label based in Zagreb, Croatia.
Diskoton was a major record label in SFR Yugoslavia, based in Sarajevo, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The company ceased to exist in 1992, with the outbreak of the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The studio was destroyed along with all master recordings
Aerodrom is a Croatian rock band from Zagreb.
Massimo Moreno Savić, also known simply as Massimo, was a Croatian pop singer.
Azra is the debut album of the Yugoslav rock band Azra, released through Jugoton in 1980.
Sunčana strana ulice is the second studio album of the rock band Azra, released through Jugoton in 1981 on double vinyl.
Ravno do dna is a live album of the Yugoslavian rock band Azra, released through Jugoton in 1982 on triple vinyl. It was recorded in club Kulušić, Zagreb on October 21, 1981.
Filigranski pločnici is the third studio album of the Yugoslavian rock band Azra, released through Jugoton in 1982 on double vinyl.
Kad fazani lete is the fourth studio album of the rock band Azra, released through Jugoton in 1983. It was recorded in Germany without two original members Mišo Hrnjak and Boris Leiner, who went to serve compulsory military service. Leiner was replaced on drums by Srećko Antonioli, while Štulić played guitar and bass.
Metak was a Croatian rock band. It was founded in Split, then Yugoslavia, and disbanded in 1981. Their song, "Da Mi Je Biti Morski Pas", was a mega hit, later covered by another Split band, Osmi Putnik, and it also became a movie of the same name. They released two albums, U Tetrapaku and Ratatatatija.
Tajni grad is the fourth studio album by Yugoslav and Croatian group Haustor. The album was released in 1988 by Jugoton. The biggest hits from this album are "Skidaj se", "Samo na čas", "Ula ulala" and "Uzalud pitaš".
