Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a US-based jazz record label founded in 1939, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Universal Music Group, releasing new jazz recordings and premium audiophile vinyl reissues through owned e-commerce, streaming platforms, and the UMG-led Everything Jazz platform for jazz enthusiasts, vinyl collectors, and global music consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1939
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Blue Note Records does
Blue Note Records is a privately held American jazz record label founded in 1939 and headquartered in New York. It operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Universal Music Group within UMG's Global Classics & Jazz division alongside sister labels Verve and Impulse!. The label releases new jazz recordings and operates two flagship vinyl reissue series: the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series (all-analog 180g pressings produced by Joe Harley and mastered by Kevin Gray from original master tapes at Optimal Media) and the more accessible Classic Vinyl Reissue Series curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman. Its roster spans established artists such as nine-time GRAMMY winner Norah Jones and Charles Lloyd alongside next-generation talent including Immanuel Wilkins, Nduduzo Makhathini, Gabrielle Cavassa, and DOMi & JD BECK (in partnership with Anderson .Paak's APESHIT label).
Blue Note's go-to-market is multi-channel and direct-to-consumer. Revenue streams include record sales (physical and digital), streaming royalties from Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, licensing and catalog synchronization, branded merchandise through store.bluenote.com (including the Blue Note FC soccer apparel collection), and the Tone Poet Society subscription for audiophile vinyl reissues. In April 2026, Blue Note co-developed UMG's Everything Jazz digital platform with Verve and Impulse!, creating a dedicated global storefront for jazz physical releases and exclusive cassette/vinyl editions. Marketing occurs through owned content (playlists, blog, video), email, social, earned media in jazz press (DownBeat, JazzTimes), and festival presence (Newport, Detroit, Montreal, Kennedy Center via Jason Moran).
The company presents 1-10 listed employees, indicative of core imprint staff with shared services provided through UMG's parent infrastructure. The label's competitive positioning rests on 85+ years of brand equity, an irreplaceable catalog of legacy recordings (Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins), a sustained track record of artist development and GRAMMY recognition (including the 2003 Norah Jones sweep and multi-artist nominations in 2025-2026), and audiophile-grade production discipline that supports a premium pricing tier.
Blue Note Records firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blue Note Records
- Legal name
- Blue Note Records
- Website
- https://bluenote.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1939
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Blue Note Records is a US-based jazz record label founded in 1939, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Universal Music Group, releasing new jazz recordings and premium audiophile vinyl reissues through owned e-commerce, streaming platforms, and the UMG-led Everything Jazz platform for jazz enthusiasts, vinyl collectors, and global music consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blue Note Records industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recorded Music / Jazz Label
- NAICS
- Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230), Record Production and Distribution (512250)
- SIC
- Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652), Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sync Royalty Administration & Reporting (Cue Sheets, Claims, Audits) (MPAIALAL)
Keywords
Where Blue Note Records is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Blue Note Records business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Record Sales: Revenue from selling recorded music including new releases, catalog albums, and vinyl reissues through physical and digital channels
- Streaming Royalties: Revenue from streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube where listeners stream Blue Note catalog and new releases
- Licensing and Catalog: Revenue from licensing catalog music for films, commercials, and other media uses, as well as synchronization rights
- Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including the Blue Note FC Collection (soccer apparel), home decor, and apparel through the Blue Note Store
- Subscription Services: Revenue from Tone Poet Society subscription service dedicated to the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Blue Note Records product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blue Note Records is a historic jazz record label that produces, releases, and distributes recorded jazz music through new artist albums, audiophile vinyl reissue series (Tone Poet, Classic Vinyl), and curated streaming. The label sells physical and digital music, merchandise, and branded goods directly to consumers via the Blue Note Store and through streaming platforms, and licenses its catalog to third parties worldwide.
Product overview
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label offering a portfolio of products centered on music releases and merchandise. The core offerings include the Tone Poet Vinyl Reissue Series (audiophile-quality 180g all-analog reissues) and Classic Vinyl Reissue Series (affordable standard reissues), which preserve the label's extensive catalog of jazz classics. Current operations encompass new album releases from artists including Norah Jones, Immanuel Wilkins, Nduduzo Makhathini, Gabrielle Cavassa, and Kandace Springs, distributed through the Blue Note Store, Everything Jazz digital platform, and major streaming services. Additional revenue streams include Blue Note Review (subscription box series), Blue Note FC Collection (soccer-themed merchandise), and general merchandise through the online store. The company also maintains curated playlists and video content across streaming platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tone Poet Vinyl Reissue Series: Audiophile vinyl reissue series produced by Joe Harley featuring definitive all-analog 180g vinyl reissues mastered from original master tapes
- Classic Vinyl Reissue Series
- Blue Note Review
- Blue Note FC Collection
- Blue Note Jazz Club
Products and services
- Tone Poet Series Audiophile-grade vinyl reissue series that reissues historically significant Blue Note catalog albums as premium-quality vinyl pressings for collectors and high-fidelity listeners.
- Classic Vinyl Series Vinyl reissue series reissuing classic Blue Note Records catalog albums on audiophile-quality vinyl for collectors and jazz enthusiasts.
- Blue Note Store Direct-to-consumer online retail storefront selling Blue Note Records vinyl, CDs, apparel, accessories, and other branded merchandise to fans and collectors.
- Everything Jazz Curated music streaming platform from Blue Note Records offering subscribers access to jazz music content, including Blue Note catalog and contemporary releases.
- New Artist Album Releases New studio album releases by artists signed to Blue Note Records, including Norah Jones, Jason Moran, Nduduzo Makhathini, Gabrielle Cavassa, and Immanuel Wilkins, distributed in physical and digital formats.
Quantifiable outcome
- 11 billion streams for Norah Jones catalog
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Blue Note Records
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Blue Note Records technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Blue Note Records partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Universal Music Group (Everything Jazz)coreBlue Note, along with Verve and Impulse!, partnered with UMG to develop the Everything Jazz digital platform and online store dedicated to jazz music. The platform offers physical releases, merchandise, reissues, and exclusive products including vinyl and cassette editions of classic albums.
- Joe Harley (Tone Poet Series)coreJoe Harley, known as the 'Tone Poet', co-produces the acclaimed Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series featuring all-analog 180g vinyl reissues mastered from original master tapes.
- Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio)coreKevin Gray of Cohearent Audio masters all Tone Poet and Classic Vinyl reissues directly from original master tapes, ensuring optimal audio quality.
- Anderson .Paak (APESHIT Label)flagshipBlue Note partnered with Anderson .Paak's APESHIT label to release DOMi & JD BECK's second studio album 'WHO ASKED?' in July 2026, representing a key GTM partnership for emerging jazz artists.
- Optimal MediacoreVinyl pressings for Blue Note's Classic Vinyl Reissue Series are manufactured at Optimal Media, ensuring quality physical production.
- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsminorJason Moran serves as Artistic Director for Jazz at the Kennedy Center, developing programming and curating artists for one of the largest jazz programs in the United States.
- Jason MorancoreBlue Note artist Jason Moran is Artistic Director for Jazz at the Kennedy Center, creating programming that supports jazz performance and education.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Blue Note Records competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sunnyside Records: Independent jazz-focused label producing new recordings and catalog-style releases. Comparable in artist-development approach and physical/digital distribution model.
- Mack Avenue Records: Independent jazz label with a GRAMMY-winning roster of contemporary jazz artists. Directly comparable as a current-roster jazz label pursuing similar touring, recording, and distribution economics to Blue Note.
- Verve Records: Verve is Blue Note's direct sister label within UMG's Global Classics & Jazz division, also focused on jazz heritage and current releases. Operates with similar catalog-administration, vinyl reissue, and artist-development model, making it the closest like-for-like comparable.
- Impulse! Records: Another UMG jazz sister label co-developing the Everything Jazz platform with Blue Note. Its heritage roster and reissue-driven model closely mirror Blue Note's catalog-and-new-release flywheel.
- ECM Records: Long-running independent jazz/improv label renowned for audiophile-quality productions and a deep back catalog. Highly comparable to Blue Note on premium vinyl quality, artist-development reputation, and global touring roster.
Others
- Domino Recording Company: Independent label group with adjacent premium-vinyl reissue infrastructure (e.g., subjective reissue work). Useful as a comparable for direct-to-consumer vinyl economics and reissue curation even though its core catalog is non-jazz.
Emerging players
- Ropeadope Records: Independent label with strong overlap in groove/jazz-fusion acts (Snarky Puppy family). Provides a useful comparison for how newer crossover-jazz labels scale artist catalogs and digital distribution outside the majors.
Broad incumbents
- Warner Records (Jazz Catalog): Major-label group with a significant jazz catalog (including historic Atlantic jazz titles). Competes with Blue Note in catalog licensing and reissue vinyl, though jazz is one of many genres under the Warner umbrella.
- Sony Music (Legacy/Masterworks Jazz): Major-label conglomerate whose Legacy and Masterworks Jazz divisions house rival historic jazz catalogs (Columbia, RCA Victor jazz). Comparable as a competitor in catalog reissues, sync, and global jazz distribution.
- Concord Records: Independent label group with multiple imprints including jazz (Concord Jazz, Rounder). Shares Blue Note's catalog-reissue and artist-development model at a portfolio level, competing for the same listener and sync dollars.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Blue Note Records social profiles
Digital presenceBlue Note Records financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blue Note Records leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Blue Note Records subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Blue Note Records funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blue Note Records M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blue Note Records
What does Blue Note Records do?
Blue Note Records is a historic jazz record label that produces, releases, and distributes recorded jazz music through new artist albums, audiophile vinyl reissue series (Tone Poet, Classic Vinyl), and curated streaming. The label sells physical and digital music, merchandise, and branded goods directly to consumers via the Blue Note Store and through streaming platforms, and licenses its catalog to third parties worldwide.
Is Blue Note Records a public or private company?
Blue Note Records is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Blue Note Records founded?
Blue Note Records was founded in 1939. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Blue Note Records based?
Blue Note Records is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Blue Note Records make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Record Sales are the primary driver. The others are streaming Royalties, licensing and Catalog, merchandise and subscription Services.
Who are Blue Note Records's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sunnyside Records, Mack Avenue Records, Verve Records, Impulse! Records and ECM Records. Domino Recording Company is listed as an others. Ropeadope Records is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Warner Records (Jazz Catalog), Sony Music (Legacy/Masterworks Jazz) and Concord Records.
Does Blue Note Records have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blue Note Records.
What industry is Blue Note Records in?
Blue Note Records's product category is Recorded Music / Jazz Label. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIABAB, Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing), with a secondary code of MPAIALAL, Sync Royalty Administration & Reporting (Cue Sheets, Claims, Audits). Its NAICS code is 51225 and its SIC code is 3652.