# Poptones
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poptones
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{{Short description|British record label}}
{{For|the song by Public Image Ltd|Metal Box}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox record label
| name = Poptones Records
| image =
| image_bg =
| parent =
| founded = 1999
| defunct = 2007
| founder = [Alan McGee](/source/Alan_McGee)
| distributor = Vital
| genre = [Alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock)
[Indie rock](/source/Indie_rock)
[Noise pop](/source/Noise_pop)
[Shoegazing](/source/Shoegazing)
[Britpop](/source/Britpop)
| country = United Kingdom
| location = London, England
| url =
}}
'''Poptones''' was a [record label](/source/record_label) launched by [Alan McGee](/source/Alan_McGee) after the demise of [Creation Records](/source/Creation_Records) in 1999. Its roster included [The Hives](/source/The_Hives), January, [Oranger](/source/Oranger), [Arnold](/source/Arnold_(band)), [Cherrystones](/source/Cherrystones), [King Biscuit Time](/source/King_Biscuit_Time_(musician)), [The Mardous](/source/The_Mardous), [Thee Unstrung](/source/Thee_Unstrung), [The Boxer Rebellion](/source/The_Boxer_Rebellion_(band)), [Beachbuggy](/source/Beachbuggy), [Pure Reason Revolution](/source/Pure_Reason_Revolution) and [Nick Laird-Clowes](/source/Nick_Laird-Clowes) as Trashmonk. In May 2007, McGee wound down Poptones for financial reasons.[{{cite news |author= |title=Alan McGee: Why I'm giving up my label |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/alan-mcgee-why-im-giving-up-my-label-5333015.html |work=The Independent |date=11 May 2007 |access-date=11 March 2019}}]
==History==
Named after a [Public Image Limited](/source/Public_Image_Limited) song, Poptones was seen as something of a return to the staunchly independent roots of Creation, and also included a re-issue label called '''From The Vaults''' and a reggae label run by his wife (Frazier Chorus' Kate Holmes) called '''In Dub'''. Poptones' record sleeves were designed by Mike Alway of [él Records](/source/%C3%A9l_Records) and its first releases included licensed product by [The Montgolfier Brothers](/source/The_Montgolfier_Brothers), [Outrageous Cherry](/source/Outrageous_Cherry) and [El Vez](/source/El_Vez).[{{cite web|accessdate=2021-02-27|title=Barmy army|url=https://www.theguardian.com/friday_review/story/0,3605,365588,00.html|website=The Guardian}}] Most notably, the label arranged a licensing deal with Sweden's [Burning Heart Records](/source/Burning_Heart_Records) and launched the career of [The Hives](/source/The_Hives) in the UK.
Poptones' roster included acts such as the former Creation band [Arnold](/source/Arnold_(band)), psychedelic DJ [Cherrystones](/source/Cherrystones), ex-[Beta Band](/source/The_Beta_Band) member [Steve Mason](/source/Steve_Mason_(musician))'s [King Biscuit Time](/source/King_Biscuit_Time_(musician)), [Thee Unstrung](/source/Thee_Unstrung), January, The Mardous, [The Boxer Rebellion](/source/The_Boxer_Rebellion_(band)), [The Icarus Line](/source/The_Icarus_Line)'s sister project Souls She Said, Sailboats are White, Viking Moses, [Beachbuggy](/source/Beachbuggy), Special Needs and acey-folk acts The Singleman Affair and [Pure Reason Revolution](/source/Pure_Reason_Revolution) and Trashmonk, a project of [Nick Laird-Clowes](/source/Nick_Laird-Clowes).
Poptones reportedly was close to signing [Hole](/source/Hole_(band)) after they left [Universal Music Group](/source/Universal_Music_Group) and before their demise in 2002.[{{cite news |last=Mesure |first=Susie |date=5 October 2001 |title=McGee hopes Love will help turn struggling Poptones into profit |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/mcgee-hopes-love-will-help-turn-struggling-poptones-into-profit-138985.html |work=The Independent |access-date=11 March 2019}}]
In 2002, Poptones gained national success and media with The Hives' ''[Your New Favourite Band](/source/Your_New_Favourite_Band)'' album, Main Offender 7" (which featured "Lost And Found" originally performed by The Saints as a B-Side), and Supply And Demand/The Stomp 7". ''Your New Favourite Band'' album contained the international hits "Hate To Say I Told You So", "Main Offender", "Supply And Demand", "Die, Alright", and "Outsmarted" off ''[Veni Vidi Vicious](/source/Veni_Vidi_Vicious)'' (Epitaph/Sire/Reprise Records), as well the Independent success of "Here We Go Again", "A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T", "Automatic Schmuck", and "Hail Hail Spit N'Drool" off ''[Barely Legal](/source/Barely_Legal_(album))'' (Burning Heart/Epitaph/Gearhead Records).[{{cite web |url=http://www.grunnenrocks.nl/bands/h/hivesthe.htm |title=The Hives |publisher=Grunnenrocks.nl |accessdate=2013-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204053742/http://www.grunnenrocks.nl/bands/h/hivesthe.htm |archive-date=4 February 2018 |url-status=live }}]
In May 2007, McGee told ''[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)'' newspaper that he was winding down Poptones for financial reasons.