Record Label
UK label. Has offices in London and New York with a recording studio in London. ** Some releases shown as: Mute Records. Please note, some Mute issues also carry an EMI logo. This is not a label and EMI should not be added as a label, it instead indicates that Mute was part of the EMI Group. Founded in 1978 by [[artist:Daniel Miller]], Mute (also known as [[label:36339]]) releases various forms of music, with an emphasis on electronic and experimental pop. In May 2002 the label was acquired by the [[label:EMI Group]]. In 2010 Miller did an agreement with EMI to handle Mute as an independent label again, licensing the trademark from EMI via his company [[label:Mute Artists Ltd.]], but EMI kept the rights over Mute's back catalogue. After the EMI Group was dissolved, in 2012 [[label:206061]] acquired [[label:636]]'s back catalogue. Branch offices exist in Germany ([[label:168349]]) and in North America ([[label:36296]]). Mute has spawned many regional and special-interest sublabels, some of which are still active. One offshoot, [[label:Parallel Series]], even became independent of [[label:636]] Mute also operates Mute Bank Mail Order, which sells the label's merchandise directly to consumers. Mute Bank published two issues of *Mute Statement*, a softcover book that details the entire discography of the label and includes band profiles and photos of release artwork. Another label strongly associated with Mute is [[label:Toast Hawaii]], run by [[artist:Depeche Mode]]'s [[artist:Andrew Fletcher]]. ‘**P**’, included to the catalog numbers, generally stand for promo copies. ‘**L**’, included to the catalog numbers, generally stand for limited editions.