{{Short description|American independent record label company}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = MNRK Music Group | logo = class=skin-invert|250px | logo_size = 250px | type = Subsidiary | former_name = {{ubl|Koch Records|E1 Music|{{nowrap|Entertainment One (eOne) Music}}}} | owner = | parent = {{ubl|Koch Entertainment (1987–2005)|Entertainment One (2005–2021)|Blackstone Inc.<ref name="THR_sale">{{Cite web |last=Vlessing |first=Etan |date=June 29, 2021 |title=Hasbro Closes eOne Music Business Sale for $385M |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hasbro-closes-eone-music-business-sale-for-385-million-1234975471/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> (2021–present)}} | founded = {{start date and age|1987|1}} (as Koch Records) | founder = Michael Koch | hq_location_city = 40 Wall Street, 6th floor, New York City | hq_location_country = United States | key_people = Sean Stevenson (President and CEO)<ref name="SeanStevenson">{{cite web|title=Sean Stevenson to lead MNRK Music Group|url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/sean-stevenson-to-lead-mnrk-music-group/089889|website=Music Week|access-date=October 18, 2024|date=June 4, 2024}}</ref> | industry = {{ubl|Music|Music publishing|Music production|Music recording|Artist management|Live entertainment}} | products = {{hlist|Music albums|records|music videos}} | divisions = | subsidiaries = {{ubl||DRG Records|In the Paint Records|Light Records|Last Gang Records|Dualtone Records|La Commission|Prosthetic Records}} | revenue = | operating_income = | website = {{URL|www.mnrk.com}} }}
'''MNRK Music Group''' (pronounced "monarch"), formerly known as '''Koch Records''' and '''Entertainment One (eOne) Music''', is an American independent record label and music management company based in New York City. It was formed in 1987 as a music division of Koch Entertainment, which was acquired by and absorbed into Entertainment One (or eOne for short) in 2004. eOne was acquired by toy and multimedia company Hasbro in 2019, absorbed its family brands division in the process and announced the sale of this division to the Blackstone Group in April 2021, which then adopted this name. Hasbro then sold the remains of eOne to Lionsgate, who then rebranded it initially as '''eOne Canada''' and then Lionsgate Canada.
MNRK owns the libraries of Artemis Records, Dualtone Records, Last Gang Records and Prosthetic Records.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tencer |first=Daniel |date=2025-06-10 |title=MNRK Music Group acquires metal label Prosthetic Records |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/mnrk-music-group-acquires-metal-label-prosthetic-records/ |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}}</ref>
==History == ===Background === {{main|Lionsgate Canada|Koch Entertainment}} The label as a whole has its origins in the Canadian music distributor Records on Wheels, which was acquired by the Canadian retail chain CD Plus in 2001 to expand its wholesale business.<ref>{{Cite news|title=CD Plus links up with Records On Wheels|work=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/cd-plus-links-up-with-records-on-wheels/article25573728/|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref> Darren Throop joined the company after CD Plus acquired his record store chain Urban Sound Exchange. The combined company later became known as ROW Entertainment, with Throop as president and CEO.<ref>{{Cite news|title=From Barrington Street record dealer to international deal broker|url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/business/from-barrington-street-record-dealer-to-international-deal-broker-346234/}}</ref><ref name=":13"/>
In June 2005, ROW acquired the American independent music distributor and home entertainment publisher Koch Entertainment, including its label '''Koch Records'''.<ref>{{cite web|title=CIMA: ROW Entertainment Buys KOCH Entertainment|url=https://cimamusic.ca/Page.asp?PageID=122&ContentID=792&SiteNodeID=66|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323123029/http://www.cimamusic.ca/Page.asp?PageID=122&ContentID=792&SiteNodeID=66|archive-date=March 23, 2012|access-date=November 16, 2012|work=Canadian Independent Music Association}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite news|title=How the CEO of Canada's eOne built a global entertainment giant|work=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/how-the-head-of-eone-claimed-tinseltown-without-going-all-hollywood/article23136719/|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref>
From 1999 to 2005, Koch operated a Nashville, Tennessee, division dedicated to country music, originally known as Audium Records. The Nashville division's roster included Restless Heart, David Lee Murphy, Daryle Singletary, Cledus T. Judd, and the Tractors. This division was closed in October 2005.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/koch-records-nashville-folds-1404760/ | title=Koch Records Nashville Folds | publisher=October 17, 2005 | magazine=Billboard | accessdate=May 30, 2023}}</ref>
In 2008, Koch launched HipHopCanada Records, in partnership with the publication HipHopCanada.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watkins |first=Greg |date=July 2, 2008 |title=Canadian Invasion: Coming To America |url=https://allhiphop.com/uncategorized/canadian-invasion-coming-to-america/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=allhiphop.com}}</ref>
=== As eOne Music === Koch was renamed '''E1 Music''' in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 30, 2009|title=Koch Renamed E1|url=http://www.homemediamagazine.com/studios/koch-renamed-e1-14460|access-date=March 3, 2016|publisher=Home Media Magazine}}</ref> E1 acquired IndieBlu Music, parent of Artemis Records and V2 Records North America, in 2010.<ref name="billboard-1">{{cite web|author=Chris Walsh|date=April 29, 2010|title=E1 Acquires IndieBlu|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/news/e3i5a1636af3715b03b2c9b7accdbc8ad69|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929212204/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/news/e3i5a1636af3715b03b2c9b7accdbc8ad69|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2012|access-date=November 16, 2012|publisher=Billboard}}</ref>
In 2013, eOne acquired the library of defunct hip-hop label Death Row Records.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=June 15, 2017|title='We're very well-funded - and we're looking at everything out there'|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/were-very-well-funded-and-were-looking-at-everything-out-there/|access-date=April 26, 2021|website=Music Business Worldwide|language=en-US}}</ref> In January 2016, eOne acquired Dualtone Records.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jones |first=Rhian |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/entertainment-one-nashville-dualtone/ |title=Entertainment One acquires Nashville's Dualtone Music Group |publisher=Music Business Worldwide |date=January 21, 2016 |access-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> In March 2016, eOne acquired Canadian label Last Gang Records, and hired its founder, music industry lawyer Chris Taylor, as global president of eOne Music.<ref name="ChrisTaylor">{{cite web|title=Chris Taylor Joins Entertainment One to Lead Music Business as President, Entertainment One Music|url=https://www.entertainmentone.com/about-eone/news-events/chris-taylor-joins-entertainment-one-to-lead-music|website=Entertainment One|access-date=March 16, 2016|date=March 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316025234/http://entertainmentone.com/about-eone/news-events/chris-taylor-joins-entertainment-one-to-lead-music|archive-date=March 16, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
In 2016, eOne acquired the management firms Hardlivings and Nerve Artist Management.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/entertainment-one-music-adds-hardlivings-management-roster/ |title=ENTERTAINMENT ONE MUSIC ADDS HARDLIVINGS MANAGEMENT TO ROSTER |last=Jones |first=Rhian |date=September 8, 2016 |website=Music Business Worldwide |access-date=June 15, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/entertainment-one-attracts-nerve-artist-management-division/ |title=ENTERTAINMENT ONE ATTRACTS NERVE TO ITS ARTIST MANAGEMENT DIVISION |date=November 1, 2016 |website=Music Business Worldwide |access-date=June 15, 2020}}</ref> In November 2016, eOne Music hired Ted May, the former senior international marketing manager of Universal Music UK, as director for its UK division, operating from eOne's offices in London.<ref>{{Cite news|title=HITS Daily Double : Rumor Mill - TED MAY JOINS eONE ONE TO LEAD U.K. OPS|work=HITS Daily Double|url=https://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=303893|access-date=November 9, 2018}}</ref> In March 2018, eOne Music acquired the live event production company Round Room Entertainment.<ref name="roundroomdeal">{{cite magazine|last=Newman|first=Melinda|date=March 26, 2018|title=Entertainment One Acquires Round Room Entertainment: Exclusive|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8260897/entertainment-one-acquires-round-room-entertainment-exclusive|access-date=June 9, 2020|magazine=Billboard}}</ref>
In 2019, Amelia Artists partnered with eOne's management division.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2019/music/news/amelia-artists-management-e-one-1203289218/ |title=Amelia Artists, Management Home to Tegan and Sara, Links With eOne |date=August 2, 2019 |website=Variety |access-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref> Later in 2019, eOne partnered with the Latin management and marketing group Entotal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2019/music/news/entertainment-one-latin-music-management-company-entotal-1203431333/ |title=Entertainment One Teams With Latin Music Management Company Entotal |date=December 10, 2019 |website=Variety |access-date=July 7, 2020}}</ref> In November 2020, it signed AMPED Distribution as its new physical distributor in North America.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 3, 2020|title=AMPED inks North American physical distribution deal with Entertainment One|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/amped-inks-deal-with-entertainment-one-for-north-american-physical-distribution/|access-date=April 26, 2021|website=Music Business Worldwide|language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Sale and rebrand as MNRK === In April 2021, following the acquisition of its parent company by toy and entertainment company Hasbro,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Leight|first=Elias|date=August 23, 2019|title=A Toy Company Now Owns Death Row Records|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hasbro-death-row-records-entertainment-one-875805/|access-date=November 7, 2019|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref> eOne announced that it would divest its music business to the private equity firm The Blackstone Group for $385 million, in order to focus more on its film and television entertainment businesses.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Turner|first1=Nick|last2=Shaw|first2=Lucas|date=April 26, 2021|title=Hasbro to Sell EOne Music Unit to Blackstone for $385 Million|url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/hasbro-to-sell-eone-music-unit-to-blackstone-for-385-million-1.1595526|access-date=April 26, 2021|website=BNN Bloomberg}}</ref>
The sale was completed in June, and the unit continued to use the eOne branding until September 2021;<ref name="THR_sale" /> when the company was subsequently renamed '''MNRK Music Group'''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=DiGiacomo|first=Frank|date=September 27, 2021|title=eOne Music Is Now MNRK Music Group; Chris Taylor Remains President/CEO|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/eone-music-is-now-mnrk-music-group/|access-date=January 10, 2022|magazine=Billboard|language=en-US}}</ref>
On February 9, 2022, MNRK sold the rights to the Death Row Records brand and catalogue to hip-hop rapper Snoop Dogg.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tapp|first=Tom|date=2022-02-09|title=Snoop Dogg Buys Death Row Records Brand Just Days Before Super Bowl Halftime Showcase|url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/snoop-dogg-buys-death-row-records-1234930094/|access-date=2022-02-10|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}</ref> * List of MNRK Music Group artists (list includes artists signed to or distributed by Koch) * MNRK Music Group discography * Entertainment One
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|www.mnrk.com}}
{{Blackstone Companies}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:MNRK Music Group Category:Blackstone Inc. companies Category:American independent record labels Category:Smooth jazz record labels Category:Hip-hop record labels Category:American jazz record labels Category:Record labels established in 1987 Category:2021 mergers and acquisitions