Sound of LA records, also known as SOLAR, was one of the most influential record labels in the world of R&B and funk music during the 1980s. Founded by Dick Griffey and Don Cornelius in 1977, SOLAR was responsible for launching the careers of some of the biggest names in the music industry.

The label’s first major success came with the group Shalamar, which was formed by Griffey and Cornelius in 1979. Shalamar’s debut album, “Uptown Festival,” was released in 1977, and featured the hit single “The Second Time Around.” The group went on to produce a string of hits throughout the 1980s, including “A Night to Remember,” “Dead Giveaway,” and “Dancing in the Sheets.”

SOLAR’s success continued with the signing of other major acts, including The Whispers, Lakeside, and Midnight Star. The Whispers, which had been around since the late 1960s, found new life on SOLAR, producing some of their biggest hits, including “And the Beat Goes On,” “Rock Steady,” and “It’s a Love Thing.”

Lakeside, formed in 1969, also found success on SOLAR, with their hit single “Fantastic Voyage” becoming a staple of the R&B and funk scene. The group went on to produce several more hit singles, including “Raid,” “Outrageous,” and “Your Love is on the One.”

Midnight Star, formed in 1976, was another successful group on SOLAR. Their hit single “Freak-A-Zoid” was a major success, and the group went on to produce several more hit singles, including “No Parking on the Dance Floor,” “Operator,” and “Midas Touch.”

SOLAR was also responsible for launching the solo careers of several major R&B and funk artists, including The Deele (featuring future superstars Babyface and LA Reid), Klymaxx, and The S.O.S. Band. The S.O.S. Band’s hit single “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” became a major success, and the group went on to produce several more hit singles throughout the 1980s.

Sadly, SOLAR’s success was short-lived, and the label struggled to compete in the changing music industry of the 1990s. The label was eventually sold to MCA Records in the early 1990s, and its legacy lives on through the music of the many artists it produced.

Despite its relatively short lifespan, Sound of LA records remains a major force in the world of R&B and funk music, and its impact can still be felt today. From Shalamar to The Whispers, Lakeside to Midnight Star, SOLAR was responsible for some of the biggest hits of the 1980s, and its influence on the music industry will never be forgotten.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOLAR_Records

https://stmdailynews.com/category/entertainment/

VerseOne Distribution Distributes Irish Band’s New Single

DELAWARE CITY, Del. (Newswire.com) – Arctic Lights, an indie/rock group from Cork, Ireland, has released “Holy Joe”, their first single of 2023, as the follow-up to their 2022 critically acclaimed single, “Belong”. Band members Liam O’Callaghan and Edward Butt wanted to take a new creative direction towards a darker and heavier sound with the new release. 

“Holy Joe may sound a bit different from some of our other songs but we like to surprise people with each new release as we get bored quickly and don’t just want to repeat the same tricks each time. This keeps us engaged and interested as we find exploring new sounds gets us excited, being an independent act allows us to do what we like and we will keep doing that while hoping people will enjoy what we do, but, overall we make music for ourselves.” – Edward Butt

“I find writing music can be cathartic and songs have personalities of their own. I had a melody in mind for Holy Joe but no lyrics. The minute we pressed record to put the melody down, the lyrics just started pouring out. I think you can feel a crackling and bristling in society at the moment like there is a fire about to ignite. For me, the emotion of the vocals captures this feeling perfectly. Hopefully, we can extinguish the fire.” – Liam O’Callaghan

Distributed exclusively by VerseOne Distribution, “Holy Joe” is available now on all major music platforms. Listen to “Holy Joe” here. 

About Arctic Lights

Arctic Lights was formed in 2021 by Liam O’Callaghan and Edward Butt from Cork, Ireland. The duo has been making their mark in the music scene since debuting their single, “King of America” in January 2021. The band has been active since then, rapidly expanding its fanbase and following on social media and streaming platforms. Arctic Lights’ music has been featured across radio stations worldwide in America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. 

Follow Arctic Lights for releases and updates.

Source: VerseOne Distribution

NEW YORK (Newswire.com) – Too Lost, the rapidly growing music and technology company, has announced the opening of a new office within the iconic Taft Building in Hollywood, California. This expansion is part of the company’s strategic plan to broaden its reach and better serve its expanding client base on the West Coast. 

To drive this expansion, Too Lost has made several key executive hires, including Aldo Davalos, who will serve as the new head of business development. With over 20 years of experience in the music industry, Davalos was formerly the head of A&R at Dim Mak Records and Publishing, while previously holding positions at Ultra Records and Warner Music Group. Most recently, Davalos was on the management team behind the platinum-selling recording artist Migos. 

Dan Mody, formerly the head of A&R at Create Music Group (where he managed the Create and Universal Music Group relationship), has been appointed as the new head of A&R at Too Lost. Courtney Young, who previously worked at Create Music Group and Dim Mak Records, has been named the new head of label services at Too Lost. 

These new executives will be responsible for overseeing the growth of the company’s new LA office, bringing their industry expertise to Too Lost’s expanding client base on the West Coast. 

In addition to these key hires, Too Lost has also welcomed Conner Davis to its leadership team, who will work out of the company’s headquarters in New York City. Davis brings with him significant industry experience having previously worked at beatBread and Universal Music Group. 

These hires come as Too Lost announces new funding, enabling the company to continue its rapid growth trajectory. With over 185,000 artists and labels currently serviced, Too Lost is quickly becoming a leader in the music distribution and publishing industry. 

“We are thrilled to be expanding our operations to the West Coast and to have such a talented group of executives joining our team,” said Gregory Hirschhorn, CEO of Too Lost. “Their expertise and industry knowledge will be instrumental in our continued growth and success as we strive to better serve our clients and provide the best possible service.” 

About Too Lost: 

Too Lost is a music and technology company, providing SaaS solutions for independent music creators. Our distribution and publishing services deliver, monetize and protect songs across the globe for 100,000+ independent artists and labels. Too Lost is a proud member of The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) and MERLIN. They are headquartered in New York City – with offices in Los Angeles, Barcelona and Reykjavík.

For more information about Too Lost and its services, visit www.toolost.com. 

Source: Too Lost