ECR Music Group is an American independent music company based in Manhattan. It was founded by recording artist and producer Blake Morgan in 2002 as record label Engine Company Records. Re-branded as ECR Music Group in late 2012, it now includes a roster of both imprints and artists, as well as an artist-services division, Meridian, and a publishing division, ECR Music Publishing. The label differs from its counterparts in its artist-friendly philosophy and partnership wherein all ECR artists and labels own 100% of their master recordings.[1]
ECR Music Group was founded as Engine Company Records in 2002 by singer-songwriter, producer, and activist Blake Morgan. In 1996 Morgan had signed a seven-record deal with Phil Ramone's N2K Sony/Red label. However, he quickly became frustrated being on a corporate label. After his first tour he found a loophole in the contract.[3] Despite being the label's most successful artist at the time, he told Ramone he wanted out of the deal.[4] Morgan then began going to bands and artists he was recording at the time, and pitched an independent label where they would have control over their own material and output.[5] He officially launched Engine Company Records in Manhattan, New York City[3] in 2002, and remains CEO and owner.[5]
ECR Music Group announced the official launch date of its rebranding as October 4, 2012. According to the company's website, the company now consists of an "interconnected set of businesses singularly focused on helping its artists, songwriters, and imprints." Uniquely, ECR Music Group achieves these goals while operating under an elemental principle, unprecedented in the music world: all of its artists and labels own 100% of their master recordings.[6]
