{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use British English|date=August 2015}} {{COI|date=October 2011}} {{Infobox company | name = State Records Ltd. | logo = State logo.jpg | logo_size = 200px | foundation = 1975 | location_city = London | location_country = England | genre = Various | industry = Music | products = }}
'''State Records''' is a British independent record label, established by Wayne Bickerton, Tony Waddington and John Fruin in 1975. The label released hits by many successful artists including the Rubettes, Mac & Katie Kissoon and Delegation.
In July 2012, State released their back catalogue digitally for the first time; the release included over 100 of the label's singles and over 30 albums and compilations, to coincide with the release State announced their first new single in almost thirty years. "Every Road I Take" by The Life was released on 2 July 2012.
==History== Bickerton and Waddington's relationship began in the 1950s: they began supporting ex-Beatles drummer Pete Best, making up the Pete Best Trio and touring around the world as a band,<ref>{{cite web|author=Stuart Murphy |url=http://www.petebest.com/1968.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003005851/http://www.petebest.com/1968.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-10-03 |title=Pete Best, Beatles. |date= |accessdate=2020-05-03}}</ref> concluding with Bickerton and Waddington living in New York.
Upon returning to Britain, Bickerton became a producer with Decca Records and Waddington joined Decca Records' publishing company - Burlington Music. Shortly afterwards the two were signed to Burlington Music as a songwriting duo. Their first gold disc came with the release of Tom Jones' "Can't Stop Loving You".
In 1973, Bickerton and Waddington penned the song "Sugar Baby Love" and recorded it with some session musicians, releasing the record under the name the Rubettes, it quickly became a number one hit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Sugar%20Baby%20Love |title=Official Charts Company - Rubettes - Sugar Baby Love |publisher=Official Charts Company |date=2013-02-28 |accessdate=2013-03-04}}</ref> Other Rubettes hits followed, plus chart success for Mac & Katie Kissoon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ |title=Official Charts Company - Mac And Katie Kissoon |publisher=Official Charts Company |date= |accessdate=2013-03-04}}</ref>
The label continued to enjoy success throughout the 1970s and early 1980s until 1983, when the label released their last single, "You Don't Care About I" by Elite. In total, State released over 100 singles<ref>[http://www.beautiful-records.com/discographies/STATE/stat.htm]{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref> and over 20 albums<ref>[http://www.beautiful-records.com/discographies/STATE/etat.htm]{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref> between 1975 and 1983.
State found success in the United States, most notably with the 1978 release "Oh Honey" by Delegation, which peaked at number 6 on the US ''Billboard'' R&B chart. The song has been sampled countless times by artists such as Mariah Carey ("Boy (I Need You)"), Dizzee Rascal ("Chillin' wiv da Mandem") and Snoop Dogg ("Wonder What It Do").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whosampled.com/sampled/Delegation/?sp=1 |title=Delegation Music Sampled by Others |publisher=WhoSampled |date=2010-04-07 |accessdate=2013-03-04}}</ref>
In December 2025, it was announced that the catalogue of State had been acquired by Cherry Red Records. The acquisition covered the label’s pop, soul and disco releases from the late 1970s and early 1980s, including recordings by artists such as Mac & Katie Kissoon, Gary Benson and Delegation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cherry Red acquires Gull Records, State Records and Uproar Entertainment catalogues |url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/cherry-red-acquires-gull-records-state-records-and-uproar-entertainment-catalogues/093260 |access-date=2025-12-15 |website=www.musicweek.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Notable artists== *The Rubettes<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | pages= 473/4| title-link= British Hit Singles & Albums }}</ref> *Mac & Katie Kissoon *Delegation *Gary Benson *Liverpool F.C. Squad 1977
==UK Top 40 singles== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Release date !! Artist !! Title !! Peak position |- | 13 January 1975 || Mac & Katie Kissoon || "Sugar Candy Kisses" || 3 |- | 2 March 1975 || The Rubettes || "I Can Do It" || 7<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> |- | 27 April 1975 || Mac & Katie Kissoon || "Don't Do It Baby" || 10 |- | 15 June 1975 || The Rubettes || "Foe-Dee-O-Dee" || 15<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> |- | 3 August 1975 || Gary Benson || "Don't Throw It All Away" || 20 |- | 24 August 1975 || Mac & Katie Kissoon || "Like A Butterfly" || 18 |- | 16 November 1975 || The Rubettes || "Little Darling" || 30<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> |- | 11 April 1976 || Laurie Lingo & The Dipsticks || "Convoy GB" || 4 |- | 24 May 1976 || The Rubettes || "You're The Reason Why" || 28<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> |- | 19 September 1976 || The Rubettes || "Under One Roof" || 40<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> |- | 6 February 1977 || The Rubettes || "Baby I Know" || 10<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> |- | 17 April 1977 || Delegation || "Where Is The Love (We Used To Know)" || 22 |- | 22 May 1977 || Liverpool Football Team || "We Can Do It" || 15 |- | 16 October 1977 || Rokotto || "Boogie On Up" || 40 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.popmusic4synch.com/index.php Popmusic4synch.com]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Record labels established in 1975 Category:British independent record labels