Media Records
Italian label founded by Gianfranco Bortolotti in 1986 as Media Record. This started releasing Italo-Disco (Risen From The Rank, Rose, Argentina, Superbowl, Albert One, etc.) until the end of 1987. Then changed to Media Records, becoming a House label with a new image logo and the tag “The Sound of the Future” was also added. In that period were born the first tracks from the hugely successful projects: Cappella, Club House and 49ers were released and Media Records soon became internationally successful as an independent record label.
Business partners were created in the UK, Spain, Germany, Benelux, and Denmark and by the early 90’s there was a growing list of successful Italian sublabels. Together with Whole Records, Underground, G.F.B. and Inside, Media Records released an endless list of Italodance anthems, with contributions from artists such as Pierre Feroldi, Mimmo Mix, DJ Professor, Walter Cremonini and Francesco Zappalà. Vocalist’s Ann-Marie Smith and Carl Fanini were on board and with projects like East Side Beat, Antico, R.A.F. and Sharada House Gang Media Records was a force to be reckoned within the international dance music market.
Mid 90’s and new labels BXR and Noise Maker were born. With Gigi D'Agostino, Mario Più and Mauro Picotto on board and with the creation of UK based label Nukleuz, these labels became hugely successful and influential in the international Hard House and Trance markets.
The new millennium and Media Records buy the publishing rights to restart the famous Italian House label UMM, International artists Justin Timberlake, Groove Armada, DJ Tiësto and Joy Kitikonti are signed as the label carries itself towards new boundaries. Already successful in Japan, in 2003 the label went to New York; its mission is to manage its disco graphic repertoire in the most important (richest) market in the world: the USA market. Back in Italy Media Records founded an mp3 promotional system, sending mp3 tracks streaming to radio, press, TV and the internet.
Music production is not Gianfranco Bortolotti’s only passion, important architecture magazines wrote article’s on the original design of Media Records offices and recording studio’s, all designed by Gianfranco himself. In 2005 he created his own design company “World of Media” and retired from music production to concentrate on his love for architecture and design.
Within 20 years Media Records won more than 100 gold and platinum awards and it’s fair to say that Gianfranco Bortolotti and the Media Records empire played a massive part in dance music today both influentially and creatively.
In 2006 the label was stopped along with most of the Italian divisions, then in 2010 German company ZYX Music purchased the rights to Media S.r.l. to distribute the back catalogue digitally.
In 2015 Gianfranco Bortolotti re-started Media Records (and some labels related as BXR, Underground (2), UMM and Heartbeat) and created new labels as EDMedia and Italo.
International partner labels:
Media Records Benelux
Media Records Spain
Media Records Nordic
Media Records Germany
Media Records France
Media Records Ltd. (UK)
Italian divisions:
Aries Records
Audio Esperanto
Baia Degli Angeli
BXR
BXR Club
BXR Gold
W/BXR
Choice (5)
Cube
Delta City
East Side Records (3)
Enterprise Records
Free Records Independent
GFB Records
Heartbeat
Hex Sound Technology Research
Inside Label
Magnetik
Marton & Media
Media Italiana
Noise From West Records
Noisemaker
Nukleuz Italy
Pirate Records
Reactor
Sacrifice
Shibuya Records
Signal
Starlight Records (2)
Team Records (3)
Tiffany
Tuscania Movement
UMM
Underground (2)
Whole Records
International divisions:
BXR UK
BXR Benelux
BXR
Reactor Benelux
UMM (UK)
Studio:
Media Studio
Label Code: LC 11556