Mute Records is a London label started by Daniel Miller in 1978. During their first years, the label mainly released material by synth-pop and industrial music artists like D.A.F, Fad Gadget and Depeche Mode (to this day, all of Martin L. Gore's band's releases have been via the label). Their first successes came with the releases by Yazoo, singles “Only You” and “Don’t Go”. In the mid-eighties, they signed Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, one of their most emblematic bands, and at the end of the eighties, Nitzer Ebb were added to the roster.

The nineties weren't especially fruitful as far as signings are concerned. The only standout name was Moby, though in 2000, Goldfrapp signed with the label. In 2002, EMI bought Mute for 23 million British pounds, which meant the roster was drastically reduced and many jobs were lost. However, in 2010, Daniel Miller struck a deal with the major that allowed him to direct the label as an independent again. Apart from the London offices, Mute has divisions in Germany (Mute Tonträger) and North America (Mute Corporation). Some of their recent signings are Liars, A Place To Bury Strangers and S.C.U.M.

Selected discography

D.A.F.: “Die Kleinen Und Die Bösen” (1980)

Depeche Mode: “Black Celebration” (1986)

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: “Tender Prey” (1988)

Moby: “Play” (1999)

Goldfrapp: “Black Cherry” (2003)

Liars: “Liars” (2007)

A Place To Bury Strangers: “Exploding Head” (2009)

Roster

A Place To Bury Strangers

D.A.F.

Depeche Mode

Erasure

Fad Gadget

Goldfrapp

Liars

M83

Moby

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Richard Hawley

S.C.U.M

Yann Tiersen

Yazoo