Koch Records
MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch"), formerly known as Koch Records, then E1 Music, and later stylized as eOne Music, is an American independent record label and music management company based in New York City. It was formed in 1987 as a music division of Koch Entertainment, which was acquired by and absorbed into Entertainment One (or eOne for short) in 2004. EOne was acquired by toy and multimedia company Hasbro in 2019, absorbed its family brands division in the process and announced the sale of this division to the Blackstone Group in April 2021, which then adopted this name.
Also recorded as Koch
Koch Records
- Name
- MNRK Music Group
- Founded
- 1987
- Headquarters
- United States
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch"), formerly known as Koch Records, then E1 Music, and later stylized as eOne Music, is an American independent record label and music management company based in New York City. It was formed in 1987 as a music division of Koch Entertainment, which was acquired by and absorbed into Entertainment One (or eOne for short) in 2004. EOne was acquired by toy and multimedia company Hasbro in 2019, absorbed its family brands division in the process and announced the sale of this division to the Blackstone Group in April 2021, which then adopted this name.
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wikidata · Q60852420 · wikipedia · Koch Records
In this article
Overview
Overview
Hasbro then sold the remains of eOne to Lionsgate, who then rebranded it initially as eOne Canada and then Lionsgate Canada. MNRK owns the libraries of Artemis Records, Dualtone Records, Last Gang Records and Prosthetic Records.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — MNRK Music Group • Type — Subsidiary • Former Name — * Koch Records • E1 Music • eOne Music • Parent — * Koch Entertainment (1987–2005) • Entertainment One (2005–2021) • Blackstone Inc. (2021–) • Founded — (as Koch Records) • Founder — Michael Koch • Hq Location City — 40 Wall Street, 6th floor, New York City • Hq Location Country — United States • Key People — Sean Stevenson (President and CEO) • Industry — * Music • Music publishing • Music production • Music recording • Artist management • Live entertainment • Products — * Music albums • records • music videos • Subsidiaries — * DRG Records • In the Paint Records • Light Records • Last Gang Records • Dualtone Records • La Commission • Prosthetic Records • Website — www.mnrk.com
Background
Background
The label as a whole has its origins in the Canadian music distributor Records on Wheels, which was acquired by the Canadian retail chain CD Plus in 2001 to expand its wholesale business. Darren Throop joined the company after CD Plus acquired his record store chain Urban Sound Exchange. The combined company later became known as ROW Entertainment, with Throop as president and CEO. In June 2005, ROW acquired the American independent music distributor and home entertainment publisher Koch Entertainment, including its label Koch Records. From 1999 to 2005, Koch operated a Nashville, Tennessee, division dedicated to country music, originally known as Audium Records. The Nashville division's roster included Restless Heart, David Lee Murphy, Daryle Singletary, Cledus T. Judd, and the Tractors. This division was closed in October 2005. In 2008, Koch launched HipHopCanada Records, in partnership with the publication HipHopCanada.
As eOne Music
As eOne Music
Koch was renamed E1 Music in 2009. E1 acquired IndieBlu Music, parent of Artemis Records and V2 Records North America, in 2010. In 2013, eOne acquired the library of defunct hip-hop label Death Row Records. In January 2016, eOne acquired Dualtone Records. In March 2016, eOne acquired Canadian label Last Gang Records, and hired its founder, music industry lawyer Chris Taylor, as global president of eOne Music. In 2016, eOne acquired the management firms Hardlivings and Nerve Artist Management. In November 2016, eOne Music hired Ted May, the former senior international marketing manager of Universal Music UK, as director for its UK division, operating from eOne's offices in London. In March 2018, eOne Music acquired the live event production company Round Room Entertainment. In 2019, Amelia Artists partnered with eOne's management division. Later in 2019, eOne partnered with the Latin management and marketing group Entotal. In November 2020, it signed AMPED Distribution as its new physical distributor in North America.
Sale and rebrand as MNRK
Sale and rebrand as MNRK
In April 2021, following the acquisition of its parent company by toy and entertainment company Hasbro, eOne announced that it would divest its music business to the private equity firm The Blackstone Group for $385 million, in order to focus more on its film and television entertainment businesses. The sale was completed in June, and the unit continued to use the eOne branding until September 2021; when the company was subsequently renamed MNRK Music Group. On February 9, 2022, MNRK sold the rights to the Death Row Records brand and catalogue to hip-hop rapper Snoop Dogg. • List of MNRK Music Group artists (list includes artists signed to or distributed by Koch) • MNRK Music Group discography • Entertainment One
Institutional history
Dated record
Institutional history
The full dated record · 2 entries
1987
Koch Records established.
1987
Koch Records is recorded from 1987.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- United States
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Vlessing, Etan. Hasbro Closes eOne Music Business Sale for $385M. The Hollywood Reporter. June 29, 2021.
- 2.Sean Stevenson to lead MNRK Music Group. Music Week. June 4, 2024.
- 3.Tencer, Daniel. MNRK Music Group acquires metal label Prosthetic Records. Music Business Worldwide. 2025-06-10.
- 4.CD Plus links up with Records On Wheels. The Globe and Mail.
- 5.From Barrington Street record dealer to international deal broker.
- 6.CIMA: ROW Entertainment Buys KOCH Entertainment. Canadian Independent Music Association.
- 7.How the CEO of Canada's eOne built a global entertainment giant. The Globe and Mail.
- 8.October 17, 2005. Koch Records Nashville Folds. Billboard.
- 9.Watkins, Greg. Canadian Invasion: Coming To America. allhiphop.com. July 2, 2008.
- 10.Home Media Magazine. Koch Renamed E1. January 30, 2009.
- 11.Chris Walsh. E1 Acquires IndieBlu. Billboard. April 29, 2010.
- 12.'We're very well-funded - and we're looking at everything out there'. Music Business Worldwide. June 15, 2017.
- 13.Jones, Rhian. Entertainment One acquires Nashville's Dualtone Music Group. Music Business Worldwide. January 21, 2016.
- 14.Chris Taylor Joins Entertainment One to Lead Music Business as President, Entertainment One Music. Entertainment One. March 8, 2016.
- 15.Jones, Rhian. ENTERTAINMENT ONE MUSIC ADDS HARDLIVINGS MANAGEMENT TO ROSTER. Music Business Worldwide. September 8, 2016.
- 16.ENTERTAINMENT ONE ATTRACTS NERVE TO ITS ARTIST MANAGEMENT DIVISION. Music Business Worldwide. November 1, 2016.
- 17.HITS Daily Double : Rumor Mill - TED MAY JOINS eONE ONE TO LEAD U.K. OPS. HITS Daily Double.
- 18.Newman, Melinda. Entertainment One Acquires Round Room Entertainment: Exclusive. Billboard. March 26, 2018.
- 19.Amelia Artists, Management Home to Tegan and Sara, Links With eOne. Variety. August 2, 2019.
- 20.Entertainment One Teams With Latin Music Management Company Entotal. Variety. December 10, 2019.
- 21.AMPED inks North American physical distribution deal with Entertainment One. Music Business Worldwide. November 3, 2020.
- 22.Leight, Elias. A Toy Company Now Owns Death Row Records. Rolling Stone. August 23, 2019.
- 23.Turner, Nick. Hasbro to Sell EOne Music Unit to Blackstone for $385 Million. BNN Bloomberg. April 26, 2021.
- 24.DiGiacomo, Frank. eOne Music Is Now MNRK Music Group; Chris Taylor Remains President/CEO. Billboard. September 27, 2021.
- 25.Tapp, Tom. Snoop Dogg Buys Death Row Records Brand Just Days Before Super Bowl Halftime Showcase. Deadline. 2022-02-09.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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