Elektra Records

Elektra Records is a Warner Music Group imprint founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman in Los Angeles, now based in New York. It built the careers of The Doors, The Stooges, and Metallica, and remains a rock, alternative, and metal specialist. Its modern roster includes Twenty One Pilots, Brandi Carlile, and Slipknot.

Elektra's catalog is foundational to American rock and alternative. The Doors' entire catalog sits here, as does Metallica's early work. The modern label has been repositioned as a rock and alternative specialist within WMG, with Fueled by Ramen and Roadrunner Records operating under its umbrella.

Twenty One Pilots, signed through Fueled by Ramen under the Elektra umbrella, released their 2025 album Breach and performed for a sold-out crowd of 65,000 at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City on their 2024-2025 world tour. The performance was filmed for an IMAX concert documentary, Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined, which opened in theaters worldwide on February 26, 2025. The duo is scheduled to headline Ohio Stadium in Columbus on October 17, 2026, their biggest US headline show to date with 62,000 fans.

Notable Artists and Releases

Elektra Records' catalog spans over seven decades of rock, alternative, and metal. The label's most significant artists and releases include:

• Twenty One Pilots (active, via Fueled by Ramen): The Columbus, Ohio duo of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun released Breach in 2025. "The Line" (2024), from the Arcane Season 2 soundtrack, has 8.9 million views on YouTube. "City Walls" (2025) has 20.7 million views. Their IMAX concert film More Than We Ever Imagined documented a sold-out 65,000-person show in Mexico City. The band's 2015 album Blurryface has been certified multi-platinum, and "Stressed Out" and "Heathens" each surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify.
• Brandi Carlile (active, via Low Country Sound/Elektra): Six-time Grammy Award winner. By the Way, I Forgive You (2018) won three Grammy Awards. In These Silent Days (October 2021) was released on Low Country Sound/Elektra and includes the lead single "Right On Time," whose music video was directed by actress Courteney Cox. Carlile performed "Right On Time" at the 64th Grammy Awards ceremony. Her autobiography Broken Horses topped the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list in 2021.
• Slipknot (active, via Roadrunner Records): The Iowa metal band's We Are Not Your Kind (2019) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. "Unsainted," the lead single, has over 171 million views on YouTube and was directed by band member Shawn "Clown" Crahan. The video introduced the band's new masks and marked the first single without former percussionist Chris Fehn.
• The Doors (catalog): Signed to Elektra in 1966. Their entire studio catalog sits on Elektra, including their 1967 self-titled debut and L.A. Woman (1971). The Doors were one of Elektra's first major signings and helped establish the label's reputation in the late 1960s.
• Metallica (catalog): Early albums including Ride the Lightning (1984) and Master of Puppets (1986) were released on Elektra in the US. The band later moved to their own Blackened Recordings label.
• The Stooges (catalog): Signed by Jac Holzman in the late 1960s. Their albums The Stooges (1969) and Fun House (1970) are considered foundational to punk rock.
• Fall Out Boy (active, via Fueled by Ramen/Elektra): Part of the Fueled by Ramen roster under Elektra's umbrella.
• Gojira (active): French metal band on the Elektra roster, nominated for Grammy Awards.
• Turnstile (active): Baltimore hardcore band, Grammy-nominated for their album Glow On.

How Elektra Operates

Elektra runs dedicated A&R for rock, alternative, and metal with WMG's global distribution behind it. Its strength is genre focus. Where Atlantic and Warner Records chase pop and hip-hop, Elektra concentrates on guitar-driven music, which means its A&R and marketing teams specialize in rock radio, rock streaming playlists, and the touring ecosystem.

Deal Structures and Royalties

Elektra operates on standard major-label terms within Warner Music Group. Typical deal structures include:

• Traditional recording deal: Elektra funds recording, marketing, and distribution through WMG's global network. Artists receive an advance against royalties. Major-label royalty rates typically range from 12% to 18% of suggested retail price. Standard deductions apply for packaging, free goods, and video costs.
• Master ownership: Elektra (via WMG) owns master recordings for the deal term. WMG's contracts typically do not include master reversion clauses, meaning artists do not regain ownership of their masters after the deal term.
• Sub-label deals: Elektra operates through sub-labels including Fueled by Ramen (Twenty One Pilots, Fall Out Boy) and Roadrunner Records (Slipknot, Gojira). Artists signed to these sub-labels receive Elektra's genre expertise while benefiting from the sub-label's specialized brand identity and A&R team.
• Imprint deals: Low Country Sound, Brandi Carlile's imprint within Elektra, represents a model where established artists can develop their own signing capabilities within the label's infrastructure.
• 360 provisions: Modern Elektra deals typically include 360 provisions, taking a percentage of touring, merchandising, and publishing revenue. For rock and metal artists, touring revenue is often the largest income stream, making these provisions particularly impactful. Percentages commonly range from 10% to 30% of non-recording income.
• Advance sizes in rock: Rock generates less streaming volume than pop or hip-hop, which affects advance sizes. Elektra's advances are typically smaller than what pop-focused imprints like Atlantic or Republic offer, but the label's genre expertise means better marketing fit for rock and metal artists.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you make rock, alternative, or metal, Elektra is the most genre-aligned major imprint within WMG. Its specialist focus means its team understands rock marketing (rock radio, festival circuits, vinyl) better than a pop-focused imprint would.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Master ownership: Elektra (via WMG) owns your masters under a standard deal.
• Smaller frontline footprint: Elektra signs fewer acts than Atlantic or Warner Records.
• No unsolicited demos: You need representation or an A&R relationship.
• Rock market is smaller: Rock generates less streaming volume than pop or hip-hop, which affects advance sizes.

Related Resources

• Record Label Contracts Explained - What an Elektra deal contains
• How to Get a Record Deal in 2026 - Building traction in rock
• Tour Revenue Calculator - Touring income matters for rock artists
• Warner Music Group - Elektra's parent company
• Elektra Records Official Site - Roster and news
• Warner Music Group - Elektra's parent company
• Atlantic Records - Sister WMG imprint focused on pop and hip-hop
• Warner Records - Sister WMG imprint with broader genre range
• Fueled by Ramen - Elektra sub-label home to Twenty One Pilots and Fall Out Boy
• Epitaph Records - Comparable independent punk and alternative label
• Rise Records - Comparable metalcore and post-hardcore label
• Metal Blade Records - Comparable independent metal label
• Spinefarm Records - Comparable major-owned metal label within Universal Music Group
• Record Label Contracts Explained - What an Elektra deal contains
• How to Get a Record Deal in 2026 - Building traction in rock
• Tour Revenue Calculator - Touring income matters for rock artists
• Record Labels Directory - Browse all record labels in our directory