Naïve Records
Naïve Records is a French independent record label based in Paris, specializing in electronic music, pop music, jazz and classical music.
Also recorded as Disques Naïve · Naïve
Naïve Records
- Name
- Naïve Records
- Founded
- 1997
- Headquarters
- Paris
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Naïve Records. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q2337027 · wikipedia · Naïve Records
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Naïve Records • Founded — 1997 • Founder — Patrick Zelnik Gilles Paires Éric Tong Cuong • Genre — Pop, jazz, classical, chanson • Country — France • Location — Paris • Website — https: www.naiverecords.com
Founding and expansion
Founding and expansion
It was founded in 1998 by Patrick Zelnik, former CEO of Virgin France, Gilles Paires and Eric Tong Cuong. Following finance house Édouard Stern taking a 10% stake in Naïve, Naïve acquired various other record labels, including among classical labels Auvidis (which included early music label Michel Bernstein's Astrée and modernist label Montaigne), Yolanta Skura's Opus 111 (founded 1990, named after Beethoven's Piano Sonata, Op. 111) and Nicolas Bartholomée's Ambroisie.
Acquisition by Believe
Acquisition by Believe
The label got into difficulties after 2010 and, after having operations suspended, was acquired by Denis Ladegaillerie's digital download platform Believe Digital in August 2016. After a long hiatus the label began issuing CDs again with new releases in the Naive Vivaldi Edition.
Artists
Artists
• Aṣa • Asian Dub Foundation • Benjamin Biolay • Perry Blake • Carla Bruni-Sarkozy • Yilian Cañizares • John & Jehn • Jude • Julien Lourau • Souad Massi • M83 • Mirwais • Moriarty • Meshell Ndegeocello • Nervous Cabaret • Pink Martini • Serafin • Tanita Tikaram
Classical and jazz
Classical and jazz
• Avishai Cohen • Tigran Hamasyan • Alison Chesley • Franco Fagioli • Sergey Khachatryan • Garth Knox • Marie-Nicole Lemieux • Nikolai Lugansky • Anne Sofie von Otter • Johann Sebastian Bach • Lise de la Salle • Federico Maria Sardelli, Vivaldi Edition • Fazıl Say • Hopkinson Smith • Anthony Strong
Institutional history
Dated record
Institutional history
Explore 1997
The full dated record · 3 entries
1997
Naïve Records established.
1997
Naïve Records is recorded from 1997.
1997
Naïve Records was established or created on 1 January 1997.
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.
- France
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Naïve Records, revision 1376217885 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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.Billboard, 6 June 1998, p. 69, vol. 110, nr. 23: "Naïve was founded at the end of 1997 by former Virgin France chairman Zelnik and advertising agency Euro RSCG joint president Eric Tong Cuong ... in the electronic music area," explains Rebet, who also serves as GM of Naïve Records and Naïve's music publishing unit."
- 2.Billboard, 13 September 2003, p. 36, vol. 115, nr. 37: "Ryko has also sealed a non-exclusive pact with French label Naïve, founded by former Virgin France CEO Patrick Zelnik and ex-Poly-Gram France CEO Gilles Paire"
- 3.Billboard, 6 June 1998, p. 69: "Patrick Zelnik's Naïve music group is about to embark on a series of acquisitions and developments financed by a new partner in the company. Finance house Édouard Stern has taken a 10% stake in Naïve
- 4.Access, "Quels publics pour la musique classique?" p. 284, Pascale Seys, Festival de Wallonie 2003: "Hervé Boissière est, depuis avril 1999, Directeur artistique des labels classiques de Naïve regroupant Astrée, Opus 111, Montaigne et Travelling"
- 5.Billboard, 19 July 2003, p. 15, vol. 115, no. 29: "Under the guidance of artistic director Herve Boissiere, Naïve was hailed worldwide for its smartly designed reissues from Auvidis' Astree and Montaigne catalogs, as well as both old and new material from another acquisition, the early music label Opus 111."
- 6.Les Jours: "C'est donc Believe, géant méconnu de la musique française et européenne, qui vient de sauver Naïve, la maison de disques de Jeanne Added, l'une des artistes suivis par Les Jours dans l'obsession Chant/contrechamp. Sauver est un grand mot : Believe doit garder 26 salariés sur 52. Une autre proposition de reprise, déposée par Sony Music, prévoyait de n'en conserver que 10. C'est un fleuron à bout de souffle qui s'est retrouvé au tribunal de commerce. Believe n'achète pas une maison de disques bondissante ni un catalogue conquérant; c'est pour son image et son histoire que Naïve est acquise. Spécialisé avant tout dans la distribution numérique de la musique, Believe rêve depuis plusieurs années d'exister en tant que label mais peine à se faire un nom dans ce métier bien différent. La marque Naïve lui apportera la crédibilité médiatique qui lui manque et des professionnels expérimentés, mais tout reste à faire aujourd'hui dans ce mariage."
- 7.News.
- 8.https://www.pianistmagazine.com/News-and-Features/22/Russian_pianist_Nikolai_Lugansky_signs_exclusive_recording_contract
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
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 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
44,023 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Nailah BlackmanPerson
- Naim EdgeOrganisation
- Naima SamihPerson
- Naima WifstrandPerson
- Najat AatabouPerson
- NajeePerson
- Naji HakimPerson
- Najoua BelyzelPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with Naïve Records?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.