Craft Recordings is an American catalog and reissue label owned by Concord, specializing in reissues, deluxe editions, and catalog management across jazz, folk, rock, soul, and classical. It manages catalogs including Verve, Impulse!, Fantasy, Stax, Specialty, Riverside, Prestige, and Milestone. Craft is the catalog and reissue arm of the Concord group. Founded in 2017, Craft handles deluxe editions, vinyl reissues, and digital catalog management for Concord's owned catalogs.
Craft Recordings manages some of the most important catalogs in American music. The Fantasy catalog includes Creedence Clearwater Revival, Vince Guaraldi, and the catalog of Specialty Records (Sam Cooke, Little Richard). The Stax catalog includes Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. and the M.G.'s. The jazz catalogs (Prestige, Riverside, Milestone, Impulse!) include Miles Davis (Prestige), Thelonious Monk (Riverside), John Coltrane (Impulse!), and many other foundational jazz recordings. Craft's reissues are known for their careful remastering, packaging, and liner notes.
How Craft Operates
Craft Recordings operates as the catalog and reissue arm of the Concord group. It does not sign new artists. Instead, its team manages, reissues, and licenses existing catalog material from Concord's owned catalogs. Craft handles deluxe editions (often with previously unreleased material), vinyl reissues (often with original packaging reproduced), and digital catalog management. The label's strength is its careful approach to catalog preservation and reissue packaging.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
Craft Recordings is not a signing target for new artists. Its relevance is for artists with existing catalog material (especially jazz, soul, rock, or folk) who want a carefully managed reissue. If you have archival recordings or an overlooked catalog, Craft (via Concord) is one of the most respected reissue labels in the US.
Drawbacks and Things to Consider
- Not for new artists: Craft licenses and reissues existing catalog material. It does not sign new artists for new recordings.
- No unsolicited demos: Craft does not accept cold submissions for new recordings.
- Catalog focus: The label's expertise is in reissue packaging, remastering, and catalog management.
- Concord ownership: Craft is part of the Concord group, which means any catalog licensing involves Concord's infrastructure.
Notable Artists and Releases
| Artist | Release | Year | Chart Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits (compilation) | 1976 | RIAA 12x Platinum (Diamond), 750+ weeks on Billboard 200 |
| John Coltrane | A Love Supreme (album) | 1965 | RIAA Platinum (first jazz album from 1960s to go Platinum), Grammy Hall of Fame 1999 |
| Otis Redding | "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (single) | 1968 | Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 (first posthumous No. 1 single in US) |
| Otis Redding | Live At The Whisky A Go Go (reissue) | 2022 | Grammy nominated, Grammy Award winner for Best Album Notes |
| Vince Guaraldi Trio | A Charlie Brown Christmas (album) | 1965 | RIAA 5x Platinum, Grammy Hall of Fame 2007, Library of Congress National Recording Registry |
| Sam Cooke | "A Change Is Gonna Come" (single) | 1964 | Grammy Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | At the Royal Albert Hall (live album) | 2022 | Mixed by Grammy winner Giles Martin, Super Deluxe Edition limited to 5,000 copies |
Video Highlights
Deal Structures
Craft Recordings does not sign new artists. The label operates as the catalog and reissue arm of the Concord group. Its business model involves licensing, managing, and reissuing existing catalog material from Concord's owned catalogs (Fantasy, Stax, Specialty, Riverside, Prestige, Impulse!, Milestone, Verve). Craft handles deluxe editions with previously unreleased material, vinyl reissues with original packaging reproduced, and digital catalog management. The label works with estate representatives, rights holders, and Concord's internal catalog team to prepare reissues. Craft does not offer recording deals, 360 deals, or distribution agreements for new artists. Any catalog licensing involves Concord's corporate infrastructure.
How Artists Get Signed
Craft Recordings does not sign new artists. The label manages existing catalogs. However, for artists with archival recordings or overlooked catalogs seeking a reissue partnership, the process works as follows:
- Verify catalog ownership. Craft only reissues material from catalogs owned by Concord (Fantasy, Stax, Specialty, Riverside, Prestige, Impulse!, Milestone, Verve).
- Work through estate representatives or rights holders. Craft coordinates with estate managers, surviving band members, and legal representatives to prepare reissues.
- Submit catalog material through Concord's internal channels. Craft does not accept unsolicited submissions from outside the Concord ecosystem.
- Collaborate on reissue packaging. Craft's team handles remastering, liner notes, and packaging design in coordination with rights holders.
- Leverage Concord's distribution network. Reissues reach physical and digital markets through Universal Music Group distribution via Concord.
Similar Labels
- Concord - Craft's parent company and broader music group
- Numero Group - Archival and reissue label for soul, funk, and folk
- Nonesuch Records - Label with catalog, jazz, and folk releases
- Rounder Records - Folk and roots catalog label, also Concord-owned
- ECM Records - Independent jazz label with catalog management
Related Resources
- Record Label Contracts Explained - How catalog licensing differs from a label deal
- Selling Your Music Catalog Rights - Catalog licensing and sales
- Independent Labels vs Major Labels - The catalog label model
- Concord - Craft's parent company
- Craft Recordings Official Site - Catalog and reissues
