XL Recordings est un label indépendant anglais, propriété de Richard Russell, filiale depuis 1989 de Beggars Banquet Records.

XL Recordings sort assez peu d’albums par an, mais collabore avec de grands nom dont Adele, The Prodigy, Beck, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire Weekend, The Horrors, Electric Six, The xx, Gil Scott-Heron, Jai Paul, Tyler, the Creator, Sigur Rós, Peaches, SBTRKT, Sampha et FKA twigs.

En 2005, le contrat qui liait Radiohead avec EMI a pris fin. Le groupe en a gardé une grande méfiance envers les labels, et semblait même tenter de s’en passer définitivement.

En juin 2006, Thom Yorke sort son premier album solo “The Eraser” et il choisit XL Recordings comme label. En 2007, Radiohead entame des négociations avec le label, et en octobre, leur septième album sort chez XL Recordings. C’est le début d’une belle collaboration.

[quote cite=’New York Times’]

The band is expected to market the album internationally through the British label XL Recordings, according to people briefed on the band’s plans.

The independent labels appear poised to win a bidding war for the band’s album that had included suitors like Warner Brothers Records, Columbia Records and, at one point, Starbucks, whose corporate label has signed artists including Paul McCartney.

Under the proposed deal, Radiohead would license the album, “In Rainbows,” for a specified period of time but retain ownership of the recording.

source : http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/business/media/23music.html?_r=0

[/quote]

[quote cite=’New York Times’]
Radiohead managers Chris Hufford and Bryce Edge were interviewed at BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today‘ this morning, confirming a record deal for Radiohead’s new album ‘In Rainbows‘ will be signed within the next 7 days.

Chris Hufford said that the band are close to signing a record deal: “Ultimately, the band feel that this record, which they are incredibly proud of, deserves to be brought into the mass marketplace. That’s why we need a record company who have that infrastructure to deliver the CD. We’ve got about seven days to get it organised.”

Does this current plan, with consumers setting the price make any financial sense?

Chris Hufford: “It’s just another way of doing things and hopefully it will initiate artists and record labels to think about things a lot more and not just accept the status quo.” 

source : http://www.ateaseweb.com/2007/10/04/radiohead-to-sign-record-deal-within-7-days/

[/quote]

Depuis 2007, XL Recordings a gardé la confiance de Radiohead.