Music For Nations (MFN) is a British

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

focusing mainly on rock and

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typi ...

. It was a subsidiary of the larger label distributor

Zomba Records The Zomba Group of Companies (sometimes referred to as Zomba Music Group or just Zomba Group) was a music group and division owned by and operated under Sony Music Entertainment. The division was renamed to Jive Label Group in 2009 and was place ...

, which was a division of

BMG BMG may refer to: Organizations * Music publishing companies: ** Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008 *** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that wa ...

and later Sony Music Entertainment. Launched in 1983 by Martin Hooker, Music For Nations established itself as a European leader in the rock and

world, with early signings like Tank, Exciter,

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

(who had three gold albums while on MFN),

Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...

and

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...

paving the way. As MFN grew, the company expanded its operation to include not just licensed acts from the United States, but its own signings. It released albums by artists including

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The first version, published in 1667, consists of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse (poetry), verse. A second edition fo ...

Opeth Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal/rock band from Stockholm, formed in 1990 by lead vocalist David Isberg. The group has been through several personnel changes, including the replacement of every original member; notably Isberg in 1992. Mikael ...

Anathema Anathema, in common usage, is something or someone detested or shunned. In its other main usage, it is a formal excommunication. The latter meaning, its ecclesiastical sense, is based on New Testament usage. In the Old Testament, anathema was a ...

, Cradle of Filth,

Testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller nov ...

and countless other metal bands. As well as the traditional metal bands MFN went on to sign up and coming UK bands such as Tigertailz who had a top 40 album while signed to Music For Nations. In 2004, the label closed down. The company's catalogue — which had also previously included titles from artists as varied as Lost Horizon, Tigertailz and Frank Zappa — was transferred to parent company Zomba Records Group. In December 2011, The End Records signed a distribution deal for 50 of MFN's catalog albums. In February 2015, MFN relaunched through Sony's commercial department, with plans to reissue albums from their catalogue including

, Spiritual Beggars, Cradle of Filth and others. They also intend to, in the spirit of the label's original purpose, sign original heavy talent for singles, EPs and compilation albums. In October 2017, MFN signed two newcomers,

metalcore Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...

band Bury Tomorrow and ambient rock band Blanket. In June 2018, American metalcore band Killswitch Engage joined MFN's UK roster; the band's forthcoming album will be marketed by Metal Blade Records in the United States, and internationally through Columbia/Sony.

Roster

* Acid Drinkers (1990–1992) (Subsidiary label –

Under One Flag Under One Flag is a now-defunct British record label from London, which aimed at a heavy metal audience, particularly a thrash metal audience. They were best known for re-releasing classic heavy metal albums, from the likes of Venom and Dark A ...

) * Agent Steel *

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S ...

* Amplifier *

* Anthem * Anthrax * Apes, Pigs & Spacemen * Apocalypse * Astroid Boys (Subsidiary label –

) * Baby Tuckoo * Battleaxe * Bury Tomorrow * The Beyond * Candlemass * Chrome Molly * Cradle of Filth * Creation of Death (1991–1992) (Subsidiary label – Under One Flag) * Darkmoon *

Dispatched Dispatched were a Swedish melodic death metal band from Södertälje (originally from the Gnesta Municipality) formed in 1992. History Dispatched was formed just before New Year's Eve, 1991 by Daniel Lundberg and Krister Andersson. Jonas Ki ...

* Dead Potatoes (2003–2006) * Dearly Beheaded (1995–1998) * Dragon (1990–1991) (Subsidiary label – Under One Flag) * Drive She Said * Earthshaker * Entombed * Exciter *

Exodus Exodus or the Exodus may refer to: Religion * Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible * The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan Historical events * Exo ...

* The Exploited (Subsidiary label – Rough Justice) * Freak of Nature * Godflesh *

Hed PE Hed PE (also known as (hed) Planet Earth and stylized as (həd) p.e. or as (Hed)pe or (Hed)PE) or (həd) Planetary Evolution, is an American rock band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1994, the band is known for its eclectic genre-cr ...

* Hellion * Helstar * Hot Milk * InMe * Killswitch Engage *

Juster Juster may refer to: People named Juster *A. M. Juster (born 1956), American poet *Kenneth Juster (born 1954), American Under Secretary of Commerce at the Bureau of Industry and Security *Norton Juster (1929–2021), American architect and writer ...

Legs Diamond Jack "Legs" Diamond (possibly born John Thomas Diamond, though disputed; July 10, 1897 – December 18, 1931), also known as Gentleman Jack, was an Irish American gangster in Philadelphia and New York City during the Prohibition era. A boot ...

* Lost Horizon * Loudness * Lowfive *

Manowar Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well as ...

* Eric Martin * Meanstreak *

* Mercyful Fate *

* Mike Tramp *

Milk Teeth Deciduous teeth or primary teeth, also informally known as baby teeth, milk teeth, or temporary teeth,Illustrated Dental Embryology, Histology, and Anatomy, Bath-Balogh and Fehrenbach, Elsevier, 2011, page 255 are the first set of teeth in th ...

Mindfunk Mind Funk (spelled Mindfunk on later releases) was an American rock band, containing members of Chemical Waste and several other bands. The band was originally known as "Mind Fuck" but were forced by Epic Records to change their name. They sig ...

* Nightshade * Nuclear Assault * Onslaught *

* Simon Phillips * Porcupine Tree (2021-present) * Q5 * Ratt * Rio * The Rods * Rogue Male * Rox *

Sarcófago Sarcófago was a Brazilian extreme metal band formed in 1985. They were fronted by Sepultura's original singer, Wagner Lamounier, and Geraldo Minelli. The front cover of the band's debut album, ''I.N.R.I. (Sarcófago album), I.N.R.I.'', is reg ...

(1985–1986) * Savatage * Sirrah (1995–1999) * Spiritual Beggars * Jack Starr *

SugarComa Sugarcoma (commonly stylised in camel case as SugarComa) were a British alternative metal band from London, who were active between 1999 and 2004. They were founded by vocalist and lyricist Jessica Mayers, bassist Heidi Fisk, drummer James Cuthb ...

(2001–2003) * Sugarcreek * Suicide Squad * Surgin * Tank *

* Thrasher * Tigertailz (1990–2005) *

TKO TKO may refer to: Sports * Technical knockout, a professional fighting term * Total Knock Out, a professional wrestling move Music Artists * TKO (band), a rock band from Seattle, Washington * TKO, a pop group led by Katie White Albums * ''TKO ...

* Tyketto * Turbo (1990–1991) (Subsidiary label – Under One Flag) * Robin Trower * Twelfth Night * Tygers of Pan Tang * Venom (1989–1992) (Subsidiary label – Under One Flag) * Virgin Steele * W.A.S.P. * Wolf Spider (1990–1991) (Subsidiary label – Under One Flag) * Waysted *

Wendy O. Williams Wendy Orlean Williams (May 28, 1949 – April 6, 1998) was an American singer, best known as the lead singer of the punk rock band Plasmatics. She was noted for her onstage theatrics, which included partial nudity, exploding equipment, firing ...

* XisLoaded

References

External links

Official websiteMusic For Nations at Discogs.com
{{Authority control British record labels Record labels established in 1983 Record labels disestablished in 2004 Record labels established in 2015 Re-established companies Rock record labels Heavy metal record labels Zomba Group of Companies subsidiaries 1983 establishments in the United Kingdom

Roster

See also

References

External links