Cherry Red Records

What Cherry Red Records does

Cherry Red Records is an independent record label founded in 1978 by Iain McNay and headquartered in London, UK. The company operates a federation of more than 60 genre-focused sub-labels — including Cherry Pop, Esoteric, Captain Oi!, SoulMusic Records, RPM, Lemon, Strawberry, HNE Recordings, Anagram, Atomhenge, and Big Break Records — spanning genres from punk, progressive rock, indie and post-punk to soul, reggae, jazz, blues, folk, glam, hard rock, psychedelic, and 1960s pop/mod. Its commercial model is exclusively direct-to-consumer physical music sales through its e-commerce storefront at cherryred.co.uk, shipping CDs (£10.95–£14.99), vinyl (from £12.99), deluxe box sets (£22.99–£79.99), clamshell boxes, Blu-Rays, DVDs, cassettes, and music-related books worldwide. The company monetizes both new artist releases and catalog reissues, with heavy emphasis on deluxe expanded editions, remasters, bonus tracks, and detailed liner notes aimed at collectors.

The business has no proprietary technology platform beyond a standard e-commerce storefront and no disclosed AI/ML, API, or SDK offerings. Supporting assets include Cherry Red Radio, a 24/7 online radio station plus monthly YouTube programming hosted by founder Iain McNay, and a promotional engine using coupon codes (e.g., WC15, SALE30, VAR20) and a mailing list offering 10% off first orders. The label operates with 11–50 employees, is privately held with no disclosed external funding or parent company, and serves individual music collectors and genre-specific enthusiasts globally rather than enterprise clients. In May 2025 the group acquired Dome Records for an undisclosed amount, continuing a long-running strategy of absorbing niche catalog imprints to broaden catalog coverage.

Name

Cherry Red Records

Legal name

Cherry Red Records

Website

https://cherryred.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cherry Red Records is a London-based independent record label founded in 1978, operating 60+ sub-labels that sell physical music (CDs, vinyl, box sets, Blu-Ray, books) directly to collectors worldwide through its e-commerce storefront cherryred.co.uk.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recorded Music (Independent Record Label)

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (51223), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (45914)

SIC

Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735), Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Record Labels (Major & Independent) (MPAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reissues, Remastering & Archive Services (MPAIAAAG), Physical Recorded Music Manufacturing (Vinyl/CD/Cassette) (MPAIAAAE), Sheet Music & Music Books Retail (CRALAEAB)

Keywords

• Independent record label
• Music reissues
• Catalog releases
• Physical music products
• Deluxe box sets

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Physical Music Sales: Sales of physical music formats including CDs, vinyl records, box sets, clamshell boxes, Blu-Ray, DVDs, books, and cassettes. Products include both new releases and reissues of classic catalog titles from various genres.
2. Special Offers and Promotions: Time-limited promotional campaigns offering percentage discounts (15% off site-wide, 20% off various artist compilations, etc.) using coupon codes. These drive customer acquisition and order frequency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cherry Red Records is an independent record label group that produces, licenses, and sells physical music releases — CDs, vinyl (including limited-edition colored pressings), multi-disc box sets, clamshell boxes, Blu-Ray/DVD editions, and cassettes — through its own e-commerce store worldwide. The label operates over 60 sub-label imprints spanning genres from rock, prog, punk, indie, soul, reggae, jazz, folk, and blues to glam and metal, with a focus on catalog reissues, deluxe expanded editions, and comprehensive box sets. Supporting offerings include the Cherry Red Books publishing imprint and Cherry Red Radio, a 24/7 online streaming station.

Product overview

Cherry Red Records is an independent record label founded in 1978, operating as a multi-imprint label group with over 60 sub-labels including Cherry Red, Cherry Pop, Esoteric Recordings, Esoteric Antenna, Atomhenge, Captain Oi!, Big Break Records, Anagram, RPM, Lemon, Strawberry, HNE Recordings, and others. The company operates an e-commerce platform selling music in multiple formats (CDs, vinyl, box sets, clamshell boxes, Blu-rays, DVDs, cassettes) and publishes books through Cherry Red Books. The label specializes in reissues, deluxe expanded editions, and comprehensive box sets across diverse genres including rock, progressive rock, punk, indie, folk, jazz, blues, reggae, soul, metal, and 1960s pop/mod compilations. Supporting offerings include Cherry Red Radio (24/7 online radio) and various promotional programs. The company serves music collectors and fans globally with international shipping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cherry Red Records (main label) Primary imprint of Cherry Red Records, issuing reissues, deluxe expanded editions, and box sets across rock, punk, indie, folk, jazz, blues, reggae, and progressive rock.
• Cherry Pop Sub-label imprint focused on pop music releases, deluxe editions, and compilations.
• Cherry Red Books Publishing imprint releasing books related to music, artists, and music history.
• Esoteric Recordings Sub-label specializing in progressive rock reissues, expanded remasters, and deluxe editions of progressive rock catalog.
• Esoteric Antenna Progressive rock sub-label focused on contemporary (non-reissue) progressive rock releases.
• Atomhenge Records Sub-label focused on electronic, space rock, and krautrock releases.
• Captain Oi! Records Punk and Oi! music sub-label featuring punk rock reissues and releases.
• Big Break Records Soul and R&B focused reissue label.
• Anagram Records Sub-label for punk, mod, and alternative rock reissues.
• RPM Records Sub-label specializing in 1960s British pop, mod, beat, and freakbeat compilations and reissues.
• Lemon Records Sub-label for pop, rock, and glam metal releases.
• Strawberry Records Sub-label for folk, acoustic, and Americana releases.
• HNE Recordings Hard rock and heavy metal sub-label featuring reissues and deluxe editions.
• Cherry Red Online Store E-commerce platform at cherryred.co.uk for purchasing CDs, vinyl, box sets, clamshell boxes, Blu-rays, DVDs, cassettes, and books with international shipping and promotional offers.
• Cherry Red Radio 24/7 online radio station hosted by founder Iain McNay, featuring music from the Cherry Red catalog, available via the RadioKing pop-up player and YouTube.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Demon Music Group: UK-based independent record label group with a deep catalog reissue focus across rock, pop, and classical, operating multiple imprints under one roof — the closest direct analogue to Cherry Red's multi-imprint reissue model.
• Real Gone Music: US-based independent reissue label specializing in deluxe CD/vinyl editions of classic rock, soul, R&B, and country catalog — directly comparable genre breadth, packaging focus, and collector-tier pricing.
• Omnivore Recordings: US reissue label focused on deluxe physical editions of legacy rock, pop, and soul recordings with extensive liner notes and bonus content — closely parallels Cherry Red's value proposition for music collectors.
• Light in the Attic Records: US independent reissue label known for curated deluxe reissues and archival compilations across funk, soul, country, and psychedelia — similar premium physical-format strategy with collector-grade packaging.
• Yep Roc Records: Independent US label with a catalog-heavy release schedule spanning rock, roots, and legacy reissues, distributing physical formats directly to fans — comparable indie-label operating model with mixed reissue and contemporary releases.
• Edsel Records: UK reissue imprint within Demon Music Group focused on deluxe editions of pop, rock, and classic artist retrospectives — directly comparable to sub-labels such as Cherry Pop and Esoteric in both genre coverage and physical-format strategy.

Broad incumbents

• 4AD: Long-established UK independent label with deep catalog and brand identity in alternative and post-punk — comparable UK indie heritage and physical-format dedication but focused on original artist development rather than reissues.
• Rough Trade Records: Iconic UK independent label operating a global distribution and retail arm (Rough Trade Shops) — broader scope than Cherry Red but comparably rooted in independent UK music with strong D2C and collector DNA.
• BMG: Major independent music company with a sizable legacy catalog acquired from Sony and Universal, actively reissuing and licensing physical editions — represents the larger-scale corporate counterpart of the catalog-reissue thesis.

Others

• Cherry Pop Records: Pop-focused sub-label within the Cherry Red Group — included as an internal reference point showing the sub-label structure; not an independent comparable but illustrates Cherry Red's model of sub-brand specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cherryredgroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cherryredgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/CherryRedRecords
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/cherry-red-records
• Instagraminstagram.com/cherryredrecords/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@cherryredrecords

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cherry Red Records