Greensleeves (276 releases)

One of the key, longest-running and most diverse UK reggae labels. Founded by Chris Cracknell and Chris Sedgwick in 1977.

It has been owned by VP Records UK Ltd since 2008, a subsidiary of VP Music Group, Inc.

from Greensleeves Website :

1977. Shepherd's Bush, London. A record shop at 44 Uxbridge Road, selling Jamaican music, decides it's time to release its own tracks. The mission is clear - to arm every DJ and Reggae fan in the U.K. with the hottest sounds from downtown Kingston, Jamaica.

And so, into a golden era of Reggae, Greensleeves Records was born - a label that soon became synonymous with all the latest Dancehall & Reggae hits from Jamaica alongside Caribbean-influenced black British music. Greensleeves created a distinct reputation as a pioneer in Dancehall music and the Rub-A-Dub style. Just like Motown or Blue Note it defined a genre.

Many artists and prominent producers released on the label including Dr Alimantado, Augustus Pablo, Wailing Souls, Barrington Levy, Yellowman, Eek-A-Mouse, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor, Sister Nancy, Shabba Ranks, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Mr Vegas, Red Rat, Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel, JC Lodge, Deborahe Glasgow, Henry 'Junjo' Lawes, Linval Thompson, King Jammy and Gussie Clarke.

Forward to 2024, and the rebel label that never courted the mainstream, has today taken its place as the most revered British Reggae label with a catalogue of over 20,000 tracks that ensures Greensleeves's reputation as a major player in the ascension of Reggae as a global genre . It has a loyal, ever expanding global following - many who grew up with the label in the UK communities, others who discovered it as the music swept the world and now other younger fans who embrace it as a heritage label through their passion for Reggae & Dancehall.