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{{Short description|Defunct British record label}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox record label 
| name = First Avenue Records, First Avenue Management
| image = 
| image_size = 
| image_alt = 
| caption = 
| parent = 
| founded = 
| founder = {{flatlist|
* Oliver Smallman
}}
| defunct = 
| status = Defunct
| distributor = [[Select-O-Hits]]
| genre = 
| country = Britain
| location = 
| website = 
}}

'''First Avenue Records''' (also known as '''1st Avenue''' and '''First Avenue Management''') was a British [[record label]], [[music publisher (popular music)|publishing company]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Rhythm, Rap and The Blues |date=11 August 2001 |publisher=Billboard |page=33 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRIEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22First+Avenue+Records%22&pg=PA33 |language=en}}</ref> and [[music management]] company.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Denis Ingoldsby |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/305787-Denis-Ingoldsby |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=Discogs |language=en}}</ref> The publishing side of the company was acquired by [[BMG Music Publishing]] in 2002. After [[Universal Music Publishing]]'s acquisition of BMG Music Publishing in 2004, First Avenue Music then belonged to Universal Music Publishing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Smallman and Harrison Evolve with new partnership {{!}} News {{!}} Music Week |url=https://www.musicweek.com/news/read/smallman-and-harrison-evolve-with-new-partnership/025130 |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=www.musicweek.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Arista U.K. Venture Aims Brit Soul Acts At America |date=9 April 1994 |publisher=Billboard |page=37 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QQgEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22First+Avenue+Records%22&pg=PA37 |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
The brain behind First Avenue Records was Oliver Smallman. They handled [[artist management]], signed and developed acts, pretty much acting as A&R for record labels. Licensed acts included Quartz, record producers/DJs/remixers Dave Rawlings and Ronnie Herel - [[PolyGram]], [[Dina Carroll]] - [[A&M Records|A&M]], [[Michelle Gayle]] - [[RCA Records|RCA]], [[Eternal (group)|Eternal]], [[Louise Redknapp|Louise]] and [[Dana Dawson]] - [[EMI Records|EMI]], [[MN8]] - [[Columbia Records|Columbia]], the [[Honeyz]] - [[Mercury Records|Mercury]], and [[Kele Le Roc]] - [[Polydor Records|Polydor]]/Wildcard Records, Kes Ingoldsby.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peoples |first=Glenn |date=2024-10-30 |title=Reservoir Media Revenue Up 6% on Digital, Sync Gains |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/reservoir-media-q2-earnings-revenue-digital-sync-gains/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>

The label launched in 1991 with a dance cover of [[Carole King]]'s "[[It's Too Late (Carole King song)|It's Too Late]]" by Quartz featuring [[Dina Carroll]] which was a hit, reaching No. 8 in the [[UK Singles Chart]]<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= [[British Hit Singles & Albums]]
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 444}}</ref> and introducing Carroll who later released ''[[So Close (Dina Carroll album)|So Close]]''. These were followed by another million seller, Eternal's ''[[Always & Forever (Eternal album)|Always & Forever]]''. Success continued until the late 1990s with most of their acts being dropped from their labels.

== Artists ==

* [[Dana Dawson]]
* [[Dina Carroll]]
* [[Eternal (group)|Eternal]]
* [[Honeyz]]
* [[Kéllé Bryan]]
* [[Kele Le Roc]]
* [[Louise Redknapp|Louise]]
* [[Mary Kiani|Märy Kiani]]
* [[Michelle Gayle]]
* [[MN8]]
* [[Thunderbugs (band)|Thunderbugs]]
* Kes Ingoldsby.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kes |first=Ingoldsby |date=25 April 2007 |title=Kes Kamara |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/6438157-Kes-Noel-Ingoldsby |access-date=4 October 2024 |website=discogs.com}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=October 2024}}

==See also==
* [[List of record labels]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/smallman-and-harrison-evolve-with-new-partnership/025130 Smallman and Harrison Evolve with new partnership | Music Week]
* {{cite book |title=Billboard |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_KBAEAAAAMBAJ |date=1997-06-21 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_KBAEAAAAMBAJ/page/n82 83]}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:British record labels]]
[[Category:Defunct record labels of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Contemporary R&B record labels]]

{{UK-record-label-stub}}

First Avenue Records - Revision history

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