XO (record label)
| XO | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parent company | Universal Music Group |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder |
|
| Distributor(s) | Republic Records |
| Genre | |
| Country of origin |
 |
XO (also known as XO Records)[1][2] is a Canadian record label founded by singer The Weeknd and his manager Amir "Cash" Esmailian[3] in 2012. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Republic Records. The label's current acts include The Weeknd, Belly, Nav, Derek Wise, 88 Camino, 88Glam,[4] and Black Atlass.
History
XO was created by Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd, as an unofficial imprint to release three mixtapes in 2011. The three releases, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence, helped grow the singer's profile, and began promoting the "XO" moniker through various on-stage performances and references within songs. The Weeknd also began conducting advertising deals via the label to multiple outlets, namely collaborating with PAX Labs to release a limited edition version of the PAX 2 vaporizer, an electronic cigarette that could be used in shows during The Madness Fall Tour.[5]
Upon securing a major recording contract with Republic Records in 2012, XO was also assumed as a subsidiary of Republic, and also acted as the distributors and manufacturers of any music created by XO. Belly was signed as the label's first artist in 2015, and Derek Wise was signed later that year. Nav was signed by the label in 2016. Upon entering classification as a subsidiary, the label has released seven projects by their artists (discluding The Weeknd).
On February 8, 2018, Montreal-born singer Black Atlass released a new song, "My Life", distributed by XO Records. Black Atlass had previously appeared alongside The Weeknd in his "Secrets" music video and in some ads involving the Puma x XO collections that dropped in 2017.[6]
Roster
Current acts
| Act | Year signed |
Releases under the label |
|---|---|---|
| The Weeknd | 2012 | 5 |
| Belly | 2015 | 4 |
| Nav | 2016 | 3 |
| Derek Wise | 2017 | 1 |
| 88 Camino | 2017 | 1 |
| 88Glam[4] | 2017 | 1 |
| Black Atlass[7] | 2018 | 1 |
Discography
The label has officially released five studio albums, one EP, and one compilation album. Unofficially, the label has released eight mixtapes.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2013 | The Weeknd – Kiss Land
|
| 2015 | The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
|
| 2016 | The Weeknd – Starboy
|
| 2018 | Nav – Reckless
|
Black Atlass – Pain and Pleasure
| |
Belly – Immigrant
|
EPs
| Year | EP details |
|---|---|
| 2018 | The Weeknd – My Dear Melancholy,
|
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2012 | The Weeknd – Trilogy
|
Mixtapes
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2011 | The Weeknd – House of Balloons
|
The Weeknd – Thursday
| |
The Weeknd – Echoes of Silence
| |
| 2015 | Belly – Up For Days
|
| 2016 | Belly – Another Day in Paradise
|
Belly – Inzombia
| |
| 2017 | Nav – Nav
|
Nav and Metro Boomin – Perfect Timing
| |
Belly – Mumble Rap
| |
| 2018 | 88Glam – 88Glam Reloaded
|
References
- ↑ "Who Is Signed To XO? Dissecting The Weeknd's Canadian Collective". Umusic. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ↑ "The Weeknd (@theweeknd)". Instagram. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ↑ Bliss, Karen. "Meet The Weeknd's Managers: Amir 'Cash' Esmailian and Tony Sal on Breaking Through, Top Influences and More". Billboard. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
- 1 2 3 Berry, Peter. "88GLAM SIGN TO XO RECORDS, DROP '88GLAM: RELOADED' PROJECT". XXL. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
- ↑ Keating, Lauren. "The Weeknd Launches A Vape That Plays His Hit Single 'The Hills' As You Smoke". Tech Times. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ↑ Marsh, Ryan. "The Weeknd signs Black Atlass to XO Records". Rap Wave. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ↑ Goddard, Kevin. "Did The Weeknd Sign R&B Singer Black Atlass To XO Records?". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- ↑ "Kiss Land by The Weeknd on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ↑ "Beauty Behind the Madness by The Weeknd on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ↑ Lynch, John (22 September 2016). "The Weeknd released a new single with Daft Punk and revealed a release date for his album". Business Insider. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ↑ "Pain & Pleasure by Black Atlass on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
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