Label Name
Photo Finish Records
Record Label
Label Description
Photo Finish Records is an American independent record label founded in 2006 in New York City by Matt Galle, listed as one of Billboard’s “40 Under 40” in 2013 and 2015 as well as named a 2020 Billboard Indie Power Player and cited twice on Billboard’s Power List. The label was first distributed by Atlantic Records, then Universal Music Group. Virgin Music Label & Artist Services is its current distributor.
History
Atlantic Records (2006–12)
In 2006, Photo Finish and Matt Galle signed a joint venture deal with Atlantic Records. Their first release was the debut self-titled five-song EP from the New-York-based post-hardcore band Envy on the Coast, followed by the debut EP and studio album from Washington-based rock band Danger Radio.
The label garnered major success with the debut album from the Colorado-based duo 3OH!3, WANT, which peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, while their song "Don't Trust Me" went to #1 on the Top 40 Charts, eventually selling over 3 million digital copies.
In August 2008, Photo Finish released the debut album by Anthony Green, Avalon, which debuted at number 44 on the Billboard charts, the label's most successful first-week performance for a release. In 2010, the Virginia-based band The Downtown Fiction’s song I Just Wanna Run played on the season premiere of The Jersey Shore; the track ultimately went Gold.
Universal Music Group (2012–15)
In 2012, Galle brought the label to Island Def Jam and Republic Records, distributed by Universal Music Group.
In October of that year, Photo Finish released the EP Love’s Not Dead by The Mowgli's. The accompanying single “San Francisco” became iTunes’ Single of the Week, peaking at #12 on the Alternative Music Chart and #3 on the AAA Radio Chart. Subsequent releases included their debut album Waiting for the Dawn in 2013 and the follow up Kids in Love in 2014.
2014 also saw the release of Reflections, the debut EP of the New-York-City based band MisterWives, the title song of which became iTunes’ Single of the Week in January and peaked at #13 on the Billboard rock chart, ultimately going Gold in the U.S. and selling 2 million (equivalents), followed by the band’s debut album Our Own House in 2015. That year, MisterWives was chosen as an MTV “Artist to Watch.”
After being chosen for an Apple AirPods commercial, the song “Down” by Marian Hill went Platinum and sold nearly six million track equivalents worldwide, reaching #10 on the Top 40, #13 at Rhythmic, #15 at Alternative, and #17 on Hot AC Radio, while at the same time becoming the most-Shazam’d song in the U.S., according to Rolling Stone magazine.
Caroline Distribution/Virgin Music Label & Artist Services (2016–)
In 2016, Photo Finish made a distribution deal with Caroline Distribution, establishing the label as an independent entity to work with artists including SHAED, ROZES, guardin, Joan, Handsome Ghost, and Lakeview.
In September 2016, Photo Finish released Just Wanna See, the debut EP by SHAED, whose single "Name On It" was the featured track for a Victoria's Secret commercial. SHAED’s single "Trampoline", from their follow-up EP Melt, was featured in a MacBook Air commercial in October, 2018, and was the #1 song on Alternative Radio for the entire year of 2019, garnering over 3 billion in US radio audience and over 7 million worldwide sales (equivalents). The song reached number one on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart and went double platinum in the United States, Canada, and India.
In 2017, Photo Finish released the debut EP by ROZES. ROZES’s song "Halfway There" was the official anthem to the 2019 Women's March on NYC via The Women's March Alliance.
Associated Artists
Photo Finish Records is an American independent record label founded in 2006 in New York City by Matt Galle, listed as one of Billboard’s “40 Under 40” in 2013 and 2015 as well as named a 2020 Billboard Indie Power Player and cited twice on Billboard’s Power List. The label was first distributed by Atlantic Records, then Universal Music Group. Virgin Music Label & Artist Services is its current distributor.
History
Atlantic Records (2006–12)
In 2006, Photo Finish and Matt Galle signed a joint venture deal with Atlantic Records. Their first release was the debut self-titled five-song EP from the New-York-based post-hardcore band Envy on the Coast, followed by the debut EP and studio album from Washington-based rock band Danger Radio.
The label garnered major success with the debut album from the Colorado-based duo 3OH!3, WANT, which peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, while their song "Don't Trust Me" went to #1 on the Top 40 Charts, eventually selling over 3 million digital copies.
In August 2008, Photo Finish released the debut album by Anthony Green, Avalon, which debuted at number 44 on the Billboard charts, the label's most successful first-week performance for a release. In 2010, the Virginia-based band The Downtown Fiction’s song I Just Wanna Run played on the season premiere of The Jersey Shore; the track ultimately went Gold.
Universal Music Group (2012–15)
In 2012, Galle brought the label to Island Def Jam and Republic Records, distributed by Universal Music Group.
In October of that year, Photo Finish released the EP Love’s Not Dead by The Mowgli's. The accompanying single “San Francisco” became iTunes’ Single of the Week, peaking at #12 on the Alternative Music Chart and #3 on the AAA Radio Chart. Subsequent releases included their debut album Waiting for the Dawn in 2013 and the follow up Kids in Love in 2014.
2014 also saw the release of Reflections, the debut EP of the New-York-City based band MisterWives, the title song of which became iTunes’ Single of the Week in January and peaked at #13 on the Billboard rock chart, ultimately going Gold in the U.S. and selling 2 million (equivalents), followed by the band’s debut album Our Own House in 2015. That year, MisterWives was chosen as an MTV “Artist to Watch.”
After being chosen for an Apple AirPods commercial, the song “Down” by Marian Hill went Platinum and sold nearly six million track equivalents worldwide, reaching #10 on the Top 40, #13 at Rhythmic, #15 at Alternative, and #17 on Hot AC Radio, while at the same time becoming the most-Shazam’d song in the U.S., according to Rolling Stone magazine.
Caroline Distribution/Virgin Music Label & Artist Services (2016–)
In 2016, Photo Finish made a distribution deal with Caroline Distribution, establishing the label as an independent entity to work with artists including SHAED, ROZES, guardin, Joan, Handsome Ghost, and Lakeview.
In September 2016, Photo Finish released Just Wanna See, the debut EP by SHAED, whose single "Name On It" was the featured track for a Victoria's Secret commercial. SHAED’s single "Trampoline", from their follow-up EP Melt, was featured in a MacBook Air commercial in October, 2018, and was the #1 song on Alternative Radio for the entire year of 2019, garnering over 3 billion in US radio audience and over 7 million worldwide sales (equivalents). The song reached number one on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart and went double platinum in the United States, Canada, and India.
In 2017, Photo Finish released the debut EP by ROZES. ROZES’s song "Halfway There" was the official anthem to the 2019 Women's March on NYC via The Women's March Alliance.
Associated Artists
Country
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Formed
2006
Disbanded
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Status
unlockedData Complete
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