| Partisan Records | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder |
|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Various, with a focus on indie rock and post-punk |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location |
|
| Official website | www |
Partisan Records is an American independent record label with offices in New York, London, Berlin and Los Angeles. The company was co-founded in 2007 by Tim Putnam and Ian Wheeler in Brooklyn, New York. [1] The label is known for its diverse roster and has released multiple award-winning and chart-topping albums. [2]
Partisan Records was founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 2007 by Tim Putnam and Ian Wheeler. At the time, Putnam was working at the independent label Knitting Factory Records and started Partisan as a "passion project" from his apartment. [3]
A pivotal early signing was the Providence-based rock band Deer Tick. The critical success of their albums helped establish the label's credibility. [4] In 2008, Partisan entered into a formal partnership with Knitting Factory Entertainment, which also involved managing the catalog of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. [5]
The label continued to build its roster, signing artists like The Dismemberment Plan for their reunion album Uncanney Valley in 2013. [6] A major turning point for Partisan's international profile came with the signing of Cigarettes After Sex. [7]
Building on this momentum, Partisan signed Dublin post-punk band Fontaines D.C. in 2018 and Bristol band Idles in 2019. [8] Both bands achieved major critical and commercial success under the label. Idles' albums Ultra Mono (2020) and Tangk (2024), along with Fontaines D.C.'s Skinty Fia (2022), all debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart. [9] [10] [11]
Partisan Records and its artists have been recognized with numerous awards and nominations from major industry bodies. The label itself has won Label of the Year at the Libera Awards (2019, 2023) and the Rolling Stone UK Awards (2023). [12]
In 2023, London-based jazz group Ezra Collective won the Mercury Prize for their album Where I'm Meant to Be . [13] Several artists have received multiple Grammy nominations, including Fontaines D.C. [14] and Idles. [15]
The label's artists have also been consistently recognized by UK-based awards. Idles have won multiple Ivor Novello Awards and NME Awards. [16] Ezra Collective won a Brit Award for Group of the Year. [17]
The following is an alphabetical list of some of the notable artists who have released music on Partisan Records:
| Year | Artist | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Sylvan Esso | Sylvan Esso | Certified Gold in the US. [18] |
| 2017 | Cigarettes After Sex | Cigarettes After Sex | Certified Platinum in the UK. [19] |
| 2018 | Idles | Joy as an Act of Resistance | Reached #5 on the UK Albums Chart and was shortlisted for the 2019 Mercury Prize. [20] |
| 2019 | Fontaines D.C. | Dogrel | Shortlisted for the 2019 Mercury Prize. [21] |
| 2020 | Laura Marling | Song for Our Daughter | Nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. [22] |
| 2020 | Idles | Ultra Mono | Reached #1 on the UK Albums Chart. [10] |
| 2022 | Fontaines D.C. | Skinty Fia | Reached #1 on the UK and Irish Albums Charts. [9] |
| 2022 | Ezra Collective | Where I'm Meant to Be | Won the 2023 Mercury Prize. [13] |
| 2023 | PJ Harvey | I Inside the Old Year Dying | Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. [23] |
| 2023 | WITCH | Zango | The band's first album in nearly 40 years, it received critical acclaim. [24] |
| 2024 | Idles | Tangk | Reached #1 on the UK Albums Chart. [11] |
| 2024 | Cameron Winter | Heavy Metal | The debut solo album from the Geese frontman. [25] |
