Kontor Records or Kontor New Media is a record label based in Hamburg, Germany. The label's artist roster includes ATB, Tiësto,

Armin van Buuren Armin Jozef Jacobus Daniël van Buuren ( , ; born 25 December 1976) is a Dutch DJ and record producer from Leiden, South Holland. Since 2001, he has hosted ''A State of Trance'' (ASOT), a weekly radio show, which is broadcast to nearly 40&nbs ...

and Scooter. Jens Thele is the head manager of Kontor and is also the manager of Scooter. Edel SE & Co. KGaA is the largest shareholder of the company and distributes its releases in German-speaking Europe. Outside Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Kontor Records have arranged multiple distribution deals with third-party labels.

History

Founded in 1996, the label originated as a club night that Jens Thele organised in Hamburg's central business district. Kontor was rapidly established as a successful musical project for local DJs and producers, and this was followed by interest from international artists. Thele has explained: "We place great importance on long-term artist relationships and development, always looking to create album projects". In 2000 the 51% of the company was acquired by the German larger company Edel AG, with Thele and other subscribers retaining operative roles in the company. As of 2004, the company's office overlooks the Hamburg dockland area. Edel is still the largest shareholder of Kontor Records and currently owns 66,79% of shares. The label launched the Kontor.TV YouTube channel in 2006 and music videos, playlists and preview-mixes of new releases are uploaded onto the channel. As of February 2017, 4.5 million users are subscribed to Kontor.TV. In early 2013, the label entered into a partnership with the Spotify online music streaming service and Kontor.FM was launched in March 2013. In June 2013, Kontor garnered attention for a novel promotional campaign for the new song from artist Boris Dlugosch. The recipient of the music unfolds a device entitled "The Office Turntable" that serves as a 2D Technics turntable on which Dlugosch's vinyl single can be heard. The vinyl is neon orange-colored and most types of smartphones are used to scan an activating QR code on the fold-out device. Label staff explained to the ''Contagious Magazines YouTube channel that they were motivated by creative directors who often ignore the music promotions they are sent.

Compilation brands

Kontor's compilation brands include "Kontor Top Of The Clubs" and "Kontor House of House".

Affiliate and partner labels

The Sheffield Tunes imprint is a Kontor affiliate label that released the music of Scooter. Scooter's members, H. P. Baxxter and Rick J. Jordan, are company directors of Kontor Records. As of October 2013, Kontor Records is one of the numerous partners listed on the CR2 Records website, a London, United Kingdom (UK) electronic music label founded by musician Mark Brown (also known by the

moniker A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

"MYNC"). In June 2020, Kontor acquired the German rock label Arising Empire.

Artists

* DJ Antoine * ATB *

* Aquagen * Cascada * Code Red * Blank & Jones * David Carson *

DJ Dean DJ Dean (born as Martin Schmidt October 25, 1976 in Hamburg, Germany) is a German Euro-trance/hard trance DJ, producer, and current longtime resident DJ of the Tunnel dance club in Hamburg. He is also the founder of the German trance label Tunne ...

* Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike * The Disco Boys * EDX *

Fedde Le Grand Fedde Le Grand (; born 7 September 1977) is a Dutch house DJ, record producer and remixer from Utrecht. Biography In 2006, his single "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit" reached the top five on the Dutch Top 40, number one in the UK Singles Chart a ...

* Hardwell * Mike Candys * ItaloBrothers * Klingande *

Klubbingman Tommy Schleh (born December 10, 1964 in Neckarbischofsheim), known under his stage name as DJ Klubbingman, is a Eurodance DJ and producer. He is a member of the group Masterboy. Masterboy In 1989, he and Enrico Zabler started working on dance m ...

* Alexander Marcus * Nightcrawlers *

R.I.O. R.I.O. is a German DJ-duo (formerly trio). The members are DJ Manian and Yann Peifer, who originally founded the band in 2007. Until 2012, Tony T. was part of the group. Their biggest hit was the song "Turn This Club Around", which charted in th ...

* DJ Sammy * Scooter * Giulia Siegel *

Special D. Special D. (born Dennis Horstmann, 16 September 1980) is a German DJ and dance music artist who was particularly popular in the Netherlands, where he won the 'Best Dance International' award at the 2004 TMF NL awards. He was also popular among ...

Spiller Cristiano Spiller (born 3 April 1975) is an Italian electronic music DJ and record producer. He is best known for his 2000 single " Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)", featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor. The song reached number-one in the UK, Australia, ...

Sunset Strippers Sunset Strippers were an electronic music group from the UK. They are known for their 2005 song " Falling Stars", which samples the 1988 hit song " Waiting for a Star to Fall" by Boy Meets Girl and was involved in a sampling battle with Cabi ...

* Alexandra Stan *

Lexy & K-Paul Lexy & K-Paul are DJs from Berlin consisting of Alexander Gerlach ("Lexy", born 14 January 1976 in Dresden) and Kai Michael Paul, formerly Kai Michael Fuchs ("K-Paul", born 5 November 1973 in Berlin). Lexy is also a member of the project Die Rake ...

* Martin Tungevaag *

Vinylshakerz Vinylshakerz (also known as Vanguard prior to 2005) were a German tech/electro house act, formed in 2004 by Rico Bernasconi and Mike Red, and best known for the 2005 remix of the Murray Head Murray Seafield St George Head (born 5 March 1946) ...

* Jan Wayne *

Rania Zeriri Rania Zeriri (born 6 January 1986 in Enschede, Netherlands) is a Dutch singer. Personal life Rania Zeriri grew up in the Netherlands as daughter of a Dutch mother and an Algerian father who left the family when she was still very young. After f ...

* Tiësto * W&W

References

External links

* * {{Authority control German record labels Companies based in Hamburg IFPI members Electronic dance music record labels