Unidisc Music


Unidisc Music is one of Canada's largest independent record labels. The label is known for releasing rare music that was made between the mid-1960s and late 1980s in the genres of rock, electronic, funk, soul, hip hop, jazz, reggae, Latin, disco, and a cappella. Unidisc owns the 1982–1993 Sutra Records catalog and the catalogs of other independent New York labels that the latter distributed.

History

Founder George Cucuzzella began his career as a nightclub DJ in Montreal in the 1970s. He formed a Canadian Record Pool, supplying his mixes to other DJ's across Quebec and producing remixes such as Lady Bump by Penny MacLean, Don't Stop the Music by the Bay City Rollers, and Love to Love by Tina Charles. Through Downstairs Records, he became a
dance music importer and exporter and indie-store supplier. He started Unidisc Music, which began in 1977.
Unidisc acquired the recording and publishing rights of Prelude Records in New York, which included Musique's 1978 dance floor hit In the Bush and tracks by Saturday Night Band, Inner life, D Train, and Unlimited Touch.
Unidisc purchased rights to Ahed Music, De-Lite Records, Emergency Records, Megatone Records, Midland International Records, Network Records, Pickwick Records, Quality Records, and SOLAR Records, as well as the Canadian labels Daffodil, MWC, and Attic Records.
The label began collaborating with Kanye West, Missy Elliott, Snoop Dogg, Limp Bizkit, LL Cool J, Notorious B.I.G., Coolio, Dr. Dre, Faith Evans, Lil' Jon, and Chris Brown. In 2008, Unidisc bought Aquarius and Tacca Musique. In 2010, the label merged with DEP Records and Universal Music Canada. Unidisc began Kookoo Records for house and electronic music.

Function

Unidisc's main acquisition of revenue has been by selling synch rights to the songs it owns. When the rights are purchased from its catalogue, the songs are incorporated into mainstream entertainment through movies, TV, animation, commercials, and video games. These include Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Sex and the City, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, , Dancing with the Stars, Flashdance, Fame, Studio 54, Summer of Sam, Bad Santa, Joe Dirt, Rio, Open Season, G Force, Dreyers Ice Cream, Gap, Diet Pepsi, Miller Coors, and Grand Theft Auto.
Unidisc's publishing functions operate under Unitunes, Lovetown Music, Socan-affiliated Blue Image, Keep on Music, Star Quality Music, and Prime Quality Music.
Unidisc markets through YouTube, iTunes, Facebook, My Space, and Twitter. In the 1980s Unidisc worked with Lime, Erotic Drum Band, Gino Soccio, Nightlife Unlimited, Trans X, Freddie James, and Geraldine Hunt. In the 1990s, the label acquired publishing rights to Celine Dion, David Bowie, April Wine, Patrick Norman, Robert Charlebois, Babyface, T.L.C., Boyz II Men, Toni Braxton, Usher, and Corey Hart.

Select roster

* The back catalogs of these labels were sold to Unidisc.