Erased Tapes Records
Erased Tapes Records is a London-based independent record label founded in 2007 that releases experimental and contemporary classical music from artists like Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds, and Kiasmos through its own e-commerce store, indie record shop partnerships, sync licensing, and a physical Sound Gallery venue in East London.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Erased Tapes Records does
Erased Tapes Records Ltd. is a London-based independent record label founded in 2007 by Robert Raths (aka ghostworker), operating as a private limited company with 1-10 employees. The label curates and releases experimental, contemporary classical, and avant-garde music from a roster of internationally recognized artists including Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds, Kiasmos, Rival Consoles, Penguin Cafe, and Ólafur Arnalds, with a catalog exceeding 180 releases. Physical formats (vinyl LP, CD) are sold alongside digital downloads through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at erasedtapes.com, supplemented by merchandise, sheet music publications, and specialized sound equipment including the Klavins Una Corda piano.
The business generates revenue through five primary streams: record sales (physical and digital), merchandise, sheet music, sound equipment, and music licensing for film, TV, and advertising sync uses. Distribution combines the label's own global e-commerce platform with partnerships at curated independent record shops worldwide, often anchored by pre-release listening events. Go-to-market relies heavily on social media (Instagram, Bluesky, YouTube, SoundCloud), a monthly email newsletter, editorial content (Behind the Tapes, Rewinder, Side by Side series), earned media coverage from outlets like BBC 6 Music and Rolling Stone, and live performances at festivals and prestigious venues.
Beyond recorded music, Erased Tapes operates the Sound Gallery, a physical space in East London opened February 2017 for installations, workshops, and immersive listening experiences, serving as both a community hub and a brand asset. The label celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2022-2023 with sold-out festivals at Printworks London, Betonhalle Berlin, National Concert Hall Dublin, and Paris Philharmonic. It holds the AIM Best Small Label 2015 award and has been endorsed by Gilles Peterson, DJ Mag, and Rolling Stone. The operating geography spans Europe (UK, Germany, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal) and North America (USA, Canada), with touring activity reaching additional markets.
Erased Tapes Records firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Erased Tapes Records
- Legal name
- Erased Tapes Records Ltd.
- Website
- https://erasedtapes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Erased Tapes Records is a London-based independent record label founded in 2007 that releases experimental and contemporary classical music from artists like Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds, and Kiasmos through its own e-commerce store, indie record shop partnerships, sync licensing, and a physical Sound Gallery venue in East London.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Erased Tapes Records industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Record Label
- NAICS
- Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230), Record Production and Distribution (512250)
- SIC
- Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Record Labels (Major & Independent) (MPAIAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sync Royalty Administration & Reporting (Cue Sheets, Claims, Audits) (MPAIALAL), Brand Partnerships & Music Placement Services (Non-Exclusive Brand Deals) (MPAIALAM)
Keywords
Where Erased Tapes Records is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Erased Tapes Records business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Record Sales: Physical and digital music releases including LPs, CDs, and digital downloads sold through the label's own store and potentially through distribution partners.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, caps, canvas bags, laptop stickers, turntable mats, and candles.
- Sheet Music Sales: Sale of sheet music for compositions by label artists including sheet music collections for piano works.
- Sound Equipment Sales: Sale of specialized sound equipment including the Klavins Una Corda piano.
- Licensing: Music licensing requests handled through [email protected] for film, TV, and other sync uses.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Erased Tapes Records product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Erased Tapes Records is an independent record label that produces, releases, and distributes contemporary classical, ambient, and electronic music in vinyl LP, CD, and digital formats from a curated roster of artists. In addition to its core music catalog, the label sells branded merchandise, sheet music, and sound equipment, operates the Sound Gallery event space in East London, and provides sync licensing of its catalog for use in film, television, and advertising.
Product overview
Erased Tapes Records is an independent record label founded in 2007 by Robert Raths (ghostworker) offering a portfolio of products centered around contemporary classical and experimental music. The core product is Music Releases (LP, CD, Digital) spanning over 180 catalog items from artists like Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds, and Kiasmos. The label extends its offering through an e-commerce Store providing Merchandise (t-shirts, hoodies, accessories), Sheet Music publications enabling musicians to perform label compositions, and Sound Equipment including specialty items like the Klavins Una Corda piano. Additionally, the label operates an experiential Sound Gallery venue in East London for live performances, workshops, and sound installations. The portfolio represents a unified artistic vision spanning recorded music, physical goods, educational materials, and immersive experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Music catalog (vinyl LP, CD, digital releases) Core music releases from the label's roster issued in vinyl LP, CD, and digital download/streaming formats for purchase and listening by individual music fans and collectors.
- Branded merchandise
Quantifiable outcome
- Fastest selling ticket of BBC Proms 2015 season
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Erased Tapes Records
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Erased Tapes Records technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Erased Tapes Records partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Sea-Watch e.V.minorErased Tapes collaborated with French artist JR on the short film Ellis, starring Robert De Niro. All proceeds from the soundtrack release were donated to Sea-Watch e.V. for the protection and rescue of civilian refugees in the Mediterranean Sea.
- JR (Artist)coreCollaboration with French artist JR on the short film Ellis, memorialising those who came through Ellis Island. Directed by JR, starring Robert De Niro, with a score composed by Woodkid and performed/co-written by Nils Frahm.
- BBC Proms/Mary Anne HobbscoreBBC 6 Music radio presenter Mary Anne Hobbs staged an Erased Tapes evening featuring Nils Frahm and A Winged Victory For The Sullen at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the prestigious BBC Prom. It was the fastest selling ticket of the entire season.
- Friends of the EarthminorIn 2010, British post-rock band Codes In The Clouds released Paper Canyon Recycled, a remix album with proceeds going to Friends of the Earth, a network of environmental organisations.
- Independent Record Shops WorldwidecoreErased Tapes partners with selected independent record shops worldwide for physical releases and exclusive listening events, such as the II Reworked album release where fans could listen together the evening before physical release.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Erased Tapes Records competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ninja Tune: London-based independent electronic/experimental label founded 1990 with comparable scale, similar artist-development ethos across ambient/electronic/downtempo, and overlapping sync-licensing business. Most direct peer given shared geography, size, and curatorial philosophy.
- Warp Records: Sheffield/London independent label specializing in experimental electronic and ambient music since 1989. Highly comparable in releasing canonical experimental/art electronic acts and operating without major-label backing.
- !K7 Records: Berlin-based independent label (founded 1985) in electronic and experimental music with sublabel structure analogous to Erased Tapes' editorial/curatorial approach. Operates DJ-Kicks compilation series and artist-development programs in similar genres.
- Kompakt: Cologne-based German independent label specializing in electronic/ambient/minimal music; competes for similar European touring audiences and operates its own physical distribution and retail store in parallel with its label activity.
- Ghostly International: US-based independent electronic/experimental label with comparable size and roster philosophy (signing singular artist-led electronic projects, releasing on vinyl/digital). Active sync business and emphasis on artist development.
- Editions Mego: Vienna-based independent label specializing in experimental, avant-garde, and electronic music. Highly comparable at the niche-art end of the recorded-music spectrum with overlapping sync and physical-format distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Mute Records: Long-established UK independent label known for avant-garde/electronic artists (Depeche Mode, Nick Cave, Moby, Goldfrapp). Comparable experimental ethos with a much larger historical catalog and broader genre span.
- 4AD: London-based independent label with deep history in artistic/experimental curation (Cocteau Twins, Pixies, Grimes). Broader genre span and larger catalog than Erased Tapes but shares curatorial-first independent ethos and sync catalog relevance.
- Deutsche Grammophon: Universal-owned prestige classical/contemporary label with growing ambient-classical crossover catalog (e.g., Max Richter releases) that increasingly competes with Erased Tapes for both artist signings and sync placements in film/TV.
- Sub Pop Records: Seattle-based indie label with diverse but quality-curated roster, in-house retail, and direct-to-consumer mailing list practice that mirrors Erased Tapes' editorial/email/community tactics at a larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Erased Tapes Records social profiles
Digital presenceErased Tapes Records financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Erased Tapes Records leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Erased Tapes Records funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Erased Tapes 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 Erased Tapes Records
What does Erased Tapes Records do?
Erased Tapes Records is an independent record label that produces, releases, and distributes contemporary classical, ambient, and electronic music in vinyl LP, CD, and digital formats from a curated roster of artists. In addition to its core music catalog, the label sells branded merchandise, sheet music, and sound equipment, operates the Sound Gallery event space in East London, and provides sync licensing of its catalog for use in film, television, and advertising.
Is Erased Tapes Records a public or private company?
Erased Tapes Records is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Erased Tapes Records founded?
Erased Tapes Records was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Erased Tapes Records based?
Erased Tapes Records is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Erased Tapes Records make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Record Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, sheet Music Sales, sound Equipment Sales and licensing.
Who are Erased Tapes Records's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ninja Tune, Warp Records, !K7 Records, Kompakt, Ghostly International and Editions Mego. Broad incumbents are Mute Records, 4AD, Deutsche Grammophon and Sub Pop Records.
Does Erased Tapes Records have an API?
No public API is recorded for Erased Tapes Records.
What industry is Erased Tapes Records in?
Erased Tapes Records's product category is Independent Record Label. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAAAA, Record Labels (Major & Independent), with a secondary code of MPAIALAL, Sync Royalty Administration & Reporting (Cue Sheets, Claims, Audits). Its NAICS code is 51225 and its SIC code is 5735.