AJRS Records: Everything You Need to Know About the Record Label
AJR's record label situation has evolved throughout their career. The band began as an independent act, self-releasing their music while performing on the streets of New York City. In 2013, they signed with Warner Music Group but later transitioned to work with S-Curve Records, a subsidiary of BMG Rights Management.
Currently, AJR releases their music through Mercury Records/Republic Records, which operates under the Universal Music Group umbrella. This partnership began with their album "OK Orchestra" in 2021 and continues to their latest releases.
What makes AJR's label situation unique is their maintained creative independence despite working with major labels. The band still writes, produces, and records their music in their living room studio, maintaining the DIY approach that defined their early career.
The brothers - Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met - have been vocal about their decision to work with labels while keeping creative control. They handle everything from songwriting to production internally, using the label primarily for distribution and marketing support.
Their relationship with Mercury/Republic Records has proven successful, with recent albums achieving significant commercial success while maintaining their distinctive sound. This partnership demonstrates how modern artists can balance major label support with creative autonomy.
For aspiring artists, AJR's label journey offers an important lesson: it's possible to partner with major labels while maintaining artistic independence. The band has shown that the right label relationship can amplify an artist's reach without compromising their creative vision.
To summarize, while AJR is currently signed to Mercury Records/Republic Records, their approach to the music industry combines major label resources with independent creative control, creating a model that works for their unique artistic vision.
