Ps Classics
PS Classics, an independent record label founded in 2000 by Tommy Krasker and Philip Chaffin, produces cast recordings, solo albums, and songbooks of musical theatre and American popular song for Broadway performers, producers, and collectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Ps Classics does
PS Classics is an independent record label founded in November 2000 by Tommy Krasker and Philip Chaffin that focuses exclusively on musical theatre recordings and the American popular song repertoire. The label produces cast recordings of Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, solo albums by individual performers, and songbook collections, with Krasker serving as primary producer and engineer on over 60 of the label's releases. The catalog spans nearly 100 discs, including 14 albums produced in collaboration with Stephen Sondheim between 2004 and 2013, and has received nine Grammy nominations.\n\nThe label's product strategy centers on long-form studio recordings featuring full orchestras and established Broadway talent. Releases include high-profile New Broadway Cast Recordings such as 'Follies' (2011) and 'Fun Home' (2015), both of which reached #1 on Billboard's Cast Albums chart, alongside solo recital albums by artists including Lea Salonga, Norm Lewis, and Maria Friedman. The company has extended its scope into concert recordings, including the 2007 Sondheim 80th birthday concert released as a DVD in March 2010, and more recent soundtracks for film and television such as the 2024 'Glitter & Doom' release. Reissue work has also extended the label's catalog, including a 2007 reissue of Dolly Parton's 1967 RCA album 'Hello, I'm Dolly.'\n\nThe label operates as a small private business with 1-10 employees, originally headquartered in New York City before relocating to Pompano Beach, Florida in 2016. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer sales through the company's own website — with international shipping to Europe, Australia, Japan, and Canada — alongside standard physical and digital retail channels. Pricing on standard CDs is approximately $14.95, with premium and expanded editions priced higher. Revenue is generated through unit sales, licensing of theatrical properties for recording, and producer/engineer fees, and the label has not disclosed external funding, suggesting a bootstrapped operating model.
Ps Classics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ps Classics
- Legal name
- PS Classics
- Website
- https://psclassics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- PS Classics, an independent record label founded in 2000 by Tommy Krasker and Philip Chaffin, produces cast recordings, solo albums, and songbooks of musical theatre and American popular song for Broadway performers, producers, and collectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ps Classics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Recordings
- NAICS
- Record Production and Distribution (51225)
- SIC
- Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Master Rights Ownership & Catalog Management (MPAIAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Reissues, Remastering & Archive Services (MPAIAAAG), Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB)
Keywords
Ps Classics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Physical CD Sales: Sale of physical CDs including cast recordings, solo albums, and studio cast recordings. Products are sold through the company website with direct shipping, and through Amazon and other retailers.
- Digital Album Sales: Digital downloads and streaming through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal. New releases noted with both physical and digital release dates.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Catalog sale items at reduced price |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ps Classics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PS Classics is an independent record label that produces, releases, and distributes cast recordings of Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals, solo albums by Broadway performers, studio cast recordings of vintage and contemporary American popular song repertoire, and select film soundtracks. The label sells its catalog through its own e-commerce website and through major digital streaming and download platforms.
Product overview
PS Classics is a record label specializing in cast recordings, solo albums, and studio cast albums of musical theater productions. The company's portfolio includes Original Broadway Cast Recordings (such as Fun Home, Follies, and Merrily We Roll Along), Solo Albums by Broadway performers (including Steven Pasquale, Judy Kuhn, and Jeff Harnar), Original Motion Picture Soundtracks (such as Glitter & Doom), and Songbook Collections. Founded in 2000, PS Classics has produced nearly 100 discs preserving the heritage of Broadway and American popular song.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fun Home - A New Broadway Musical Original Broadway Cast Recording of the Tony Award-winning musical based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel, featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and book/lyrics by Lisa Kron.
- Follies: New Broadway Cast Recording Two-disc New Broadway Cast Recording of Stephen Sondheim's landmark 1971 musical, preserving the Kennedy Center production starring Bernadette Peters.
- Merrily We Roll Along - 2012 Encores! Cast Recording Two-disc recording of the 2012 Encores! production of Stephen Sondheim's musical, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda and featuring a 23-piece orchestra.
- A New Brain - 2015 New York Cast Two-CD set preserving the 2015 New York City Center Encores! Off-Center production of William Finn and James Lapine's musical, starring Jonathan Groff.
- Glitter & Doom: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featuring reimagined Indigo Girls songs for the film musical starring Alex Diaz and Alan Cammish.
- Anthony Rapp: Without You - A One-Man Show Studio recording of Anthony Rapp's one-man show memoir combining his Rent experiences with personal stories about his mother, featuring Jonathan Larson songs.
- Steven Pasquale: Somethin' Like Love Debut solo album featuring interpretations of Great American Songbook standards with jazz musician John Pizzarelli.
- Judy Kuhn: Rodgers, Rodgers & Guettel Solo album celebrating three generations of the Rodgers family songwriters: Richard Rodgers, Mary Rodgers, and Adam Guettel.
- Jeff Harnar Sings Sammy Cahn: The Second Time Around Reimagined and expanded tribute to lyricist Sammy Cahn featuring guest appearances by Clint Holmes, MOIPEI, and Nicole Zuraitis.
- Ari Axelrod: A Place for Us - A Celebration of Jewish Broadway Debut studio album celebrating Jewish Broadway through songs by Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Stephen Sondheim, and other Jewish composers.
- All the Girls Collaborative album by Broadway stars Rebecca Luker and Sally Wilfert, celebrating womanhood with songs from Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and other theater luminaries.
- Parting Gift: The Songs of Gerald Ginsburg Album featuring 18 Broadway and opera stars performing songs by composer Gerald Ginsburg, with poetry settings by W.B. Yeats, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and others.
- December Songs for Voice and Orchestra Premier recording with full 37-piece orchestra of Maury Yeston's December Songs, performed by Victoria Clark.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9 Grammy nominations
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ps Classics
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ps Classics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ps Classics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Ps Classics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Jay Records: Long-running independent label focused on musical theatre cast and studio recordings, including the Sondheim discography before PS Classics. Closely comparable in catalog strategy and target audience.
- Original Cast Records: Boutique label focused on preserving vintage and obscure musical theatre recordings. Closely parallels PS Classics' restoration work on forgotten shows such as The Golden Apple.
- Harbinger Records: Independent label producing and releasing Broadway and cabaret recordings with high production values. Comparable target audience of musical-theater enthusiasts and collectors.
- Ghostlight Records: Independent label specializing in Broadway and Off-Broadway cast recordings (formerly Sh-K-Boom). Direct competitor in the same niche as PS Classics, serving similar composers, performers, and theatrical producers.
- DRG Records: Independent label releasing cast albums, cabaret recordings, and American Songbook material. Overlaps directly with PS Classics in solo-vocalist albums and vintage musical theatre preservation.
- Varese Sarabande: Independent label with deep cast-recording catalog and film soundtrack releases, including Broadway and West End productions. Comparable in physical-CD-driven, niche-catalog positioning.
Emerging players
- Broadway Records: Newer independent label releasing Broadway and Off-Broadway cast recordings. Partial overlap with PS Classics on contemporary productions but with a less developed restoration/vintage focus.
- Kritzerland Records: Boutique label issuing limited-run cast recordings and restorations of rare musicals. Similar preservation-driven ethos to PS Classics but smaller output and narrower catalog.
Broad incumbents
- Sony Masterworks: Major-label division responsible for high-profile Broadway cast recordings (Hamilton, MJ, Into the Woods). Competes with PS Classics for marquee projects but as part of a much broader portfolio.
- Atlantic Records: Major label that releases Broadway recordings (e.g., The Band's Visit) and competes in the same musical-theatre recordings category as PS Classics, with vastly greater resources and distribution.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ps Classics social profiles
Digital presencePs Classics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ps Classics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ps Classics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ps Classics 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 Ps Classics
What does Ps Classics do?
PS Classics is an independent record label that produces, releases, and distributes cast recordings of Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals, solo albums by Broadway performers, studio cast recordings of vintage and contemporary American popular song repertoire, and select film soundtracks. The label sells its catalog through its own e-commerce website and through major digital streaming and download platforms.
Is Ps Classics a public or private company?
Ps Classics is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ps Classics founded?
Ps Classics was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does Ps Classics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Physical CD Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Album Sales.
Who are Ps Classics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Jay Records, Original Cast Records, Harbinger Records, Ghostlight Records, DRG Records and Varese Sarabande. Emerging players are Broadway Records and Kritzerland Records. Broad incumbents are Sony Masterworks and Atlantic Records.
Does Ps Classics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ps Classics.
What industry is Ps Classics in?
Ps Classics's product category is Music Recordings. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAAAB, Master Rights Ownership & Catalog Management, with a secondary code of MPAIAAAG, Reissues, Remastering & Archive Services. Its NAICS code is 51225 and its SIC code is 3652.