Partisan Records
American independent record label
title: "Partisan Records" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["american-independent-record-labels", "record-labels-established-in-2007", "record-labels-based-in-new-york-(state)"] description: "American independent record label" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partisan_Records" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American independent record label ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox record label"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Partisan Records |
| founded | |
| founder | |
| status | Active |
| genre | Various, with a focus on indie rock and post-punk |
| country | United States |
| location | |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = Partisan Records | founded = | founder = | status = Active | genre = Various, with a focus on indie rock and post-punk | country = United States | location = | website =
Partisan Records is an American independent record label with offices in New York, London, Berlin and Los Angeles. The company was co-founded in 2007 by Tim Putnam and Ian Wheeler in Brooklyn, New York.
History
Partisan Records was founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 2007 by Tim Putnam and Ian Wheeler. At the time, Putnam was working at the independent label Knitting Factory Records and started Partisan as a "passion project" from his apartment.
An early signing was the Providence-based rock band Deer Tick. The critical success of their albums helped establish the label's credibility. In 2008, Partisan entered into a formal partnership with Knitting Factory Entertainment, which also involved managing the catalog of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.
The label continued to build its roster, signing artists like The Dismemberment Plan for their reunion album Uncanney Valley in 2013. A turning point for Partisan's international profile came with the signing of Cigarettes After Sex.
Partisan signed Dublin post-punk band Fontaines D.C. in 2018 and Bristol band Idles in 2019. Both bands achieved critical and commercial success under the label. Idles' albums Ultra Mono (2020) and Tangk (2024), along with Fontaines D.C.'s Skinty Fia (2022), all debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart.
section 1
In 2021, Partisan launched a joint venture label, section 1, in partnership with Brontë Jane of Third Side Music, and Chris Robbins and Tom Wironen of Friendly Announcer management. As of 2025, bands released by section 1 include Blonde Redhead, King Princess, Hildegard, Fazerdaze, and Eterna.
Awards and accolades
Partisan Records has won Label of the Year at the Libera Awards (2019, 2023) and the Rolling Stone UK Awards (2023).
In 2023, London-based jazz group Ezra Collective won the Mercury Prize for their album Where I'm Meant to Be. Several artists have received multiple Grammy nominations, including Fontaines D.C. and Idles.
Idles have won multiple Ivor Novello Awards and NME Awards. Ezra Collective won a Brit Award for Group of the Year.
Artists
Current
- Angelica Garcia
- Aoife Nessa Frances
- Beth Orton
- Blondshell
- Bombino
- Cameron Winter
- Cigarettes After Sex
- Cymande
- DJ Rashad
- Ezra Collective
- Fela Kuti
- Femi Kuti
- Geese
- Grian Chatten
- Idles
- Just Mustard
- Laura Marling
- Maple Glider
- NoSo
- PJ Harvey
- Skinny Pelembe
- Sun's Signature
- TTSSFU
- Ultraísta
- Westerman
- WITCH
Alumni
- Aaron Freeman
- Ages and Ages
- The Amazing
- The Black Angels
- Bobby
- Chubby and the Gang
- Craig Finn
- Deer Tick
- Dilly Dally
- The Dismemberment Plan
- DMA's
- Dolorean
- Eagulls
- Emel Mathlouthi
- Emily Wells
- Femi Kuti
- Field Report
- Flock of Dimes
- Fontaines D.C.
- Heartless Bastards
- Holy Sons
- JBM
- John Grant
- Lumerians
- Lump
- Mádé Kuti
- Mercury Rev
- Middle Brother
- Mountain Man
- Paleo
- Phox
- Pottery
- Pure Bathing Culture
- The Standard
- Sylvan Esso
- Tender
- Torres
- Treetop Flyers
- TTSSFU
- Warm Ghost
- The Wytches
Notable releases
::data[format=table]
| Year | Artist | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Sylvan Esso | Sylvan Esso | Certified Gold in the US. |
| 2017 | Cigarettes After Sex | Cigarettes After Sex | Certified Platinum in the UK. |
| 2018 | Idles | Joy as an Act of Resistance | Reached #5 on the UK Albums Chart and was shortlisted for the 2019 Mercury Prize. |
| 2019 | Fontaines D.C. | Dogrel | Shortlisted for the 2019 Mercury Prize. |
| 2020 | Laura Marling | Song for Our Daughter | Nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. |
| 2020 | Idles | Ultra Mono | Reached #1 on the UK Albums Chart. |
| 2022 | Fontaines D.C. | Skinty Fia | Reached #1 on the UK and Irish Albums Charts. |
| 2022 | Ezra Collective | Where I'm Meant to Be | Won the 2023 Mercury Prize. |
| 2023 | PJ Harvey | I Inside the Old Year Dying | Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. |
| 2023 | WITCH | Zango | The band's first album in nearly 40 years, it received critical acclaim. |
| 2024 | Idles | Tangk | Reached #1 on the UK Albums Chart. |
| 2024 | Cameron Winter | Heavy Metal | The debut solo album from the Geese frontman. |
| 2025 | Geese | Getting Killed | |
| :: |
References
References
- Mulligan, Joe. (2018-10-25). "The Story of Partisan Records: "We're all about creating a culture that's artist-friendly"".
- Mulligan, Joe. (2018-10-25). "The Story of Partisan Records: "We're all about creating a culture that's artist-friendly"".
- Heaton, Dave. (2010-06-15). "Deer Tick: The Black Dirt Sessions".
- "About Fela Kuti".
- Gourlay, Dom. (2017-11-22). "It's the indie breakthrough of the year: Partisan Records MD on Cigarettes After Sex".
- Homewood, Ben. (2018-01-22). "'They are a necessary band for the times we live in': Partisan Records sign rising Bristol band Idles".
- Murray, Robin. (2022-04-29). "Fontaines D.C. Land First UK No. 1 Album With 'Skinty Fia'".
- (2020-10-02). "Idles land their first Number 1 album and fastest-selling vinyl release of the year with Ultra Mono".
- (2024-02-23). "Idles secure second Number 1 album with Tangk".
- Stassen, Murray. (2021-03-04). "Partisan Records launches new joint venture label section1".
- "section 1 (2) Discography".
- Richards, Will. (2023-11-23). "Partisan Records win the Record Label Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards".
- (2023-09-07). "Ezra Collective wins the 2023 Mercury Prize with FREENOW for 'Album of the Year'".
- King, Jack. (2023-02-06). "Fontaines D.C. on Losing a Grammy to The Rolling Stones: “It’s a Funny Little Thing”".
- "Artist: Idles".
- Aswad, Jem. (2019-05-23). "Mariah Carey, The 1975, Deep Purple Win Ivor Novello Awards".
- Flynn, Mike. (2025-03-03). "Ezra Collective seal BRIT Award win for Group of the Year 2025 with electrifying performance".
- "Gold & Platinum - RIAA: Sylvan Esso". [[Recording Industry Association of America]].
- "British certifications – Cigarettes After Sex". British Phonographic Industry.
- Copsey, Rob. (2018-09-07). "Paul McCartney's Egypt Station scores his first Number 1 solo album in 29 years".
- Monroe, Jazz. (2019-07-25). "Mercury Prize 2019 Shortlist: The 1975, slowthai, Black Midi, More".
- O'Connor, Roisin. (2020-07-23). "Mercury Prize 2020 nominations: Full list of shortlisted albums, from Dua Lipa to Laura Marling".
- "Artist: PJ Harvey".
- Brophy, Conor. (2023-06-01). "W.I.T.C.H.: Zango Album Review".
- "Cameron Winter: Heavy Metal Album Review".
- https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/geese-getting-killed/
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