Independent Record Labels
of the Early Rock Era
- 1942
-
- Savoy (Herman Lubinsky) Newark
-
- Beacon (Joe Davis) New York
-
- Excelsior (Leon & Otis Rene) Los Angeles; Exclusive in 1941
- 1943
-
- Apollo (Ike & Bess Berman) New York
-
- Premier (Robert Sherman) Los Angeles (Atlas, 1945)
- 1944
-
- National (Al Greene) New York
-
- Delux (Jules Braun) New York
-
- Gulf-Gold Star (Bill Quinn) Houston
-
- King (Syd Nathan) Cincinnati
-
- Gilt-Edge (Richard Nelson) Los Angeles
- 1945
-
- Modern (Jules, Joe, Saul Bihari) Los Angeles
-
- Philco-Aladdin (Ed & Leo Mesner) Los Angeles
-
- Bronze (Leroy Hurte) Los Angeles
-
- Four Star (Richard Nelson) Los Angeles (replaced Gilt-edge)
-
- Super Disc (Irving Feld, Viola Marsham) Los Angeles
- 1946
-
- Bulliet (Jim Bulliet) Nashville
-
- Mercury* (Irving Green) Chicago
-
- Specialty (Art Rupe) Los Angeles
- 1947
-
- Atlantic (Ahmet Ertegun & Herb Abramson) New York
-
- Aristocrat-Chess (Leonard & Phil Chess) Chicago
- 1948
-
- Jubilee (Jerry Blaine) New York
- 1949
-
- Freedom (Saul Kaul) Houston
-
- Macy's (Macy Lela Wood) Houston
-
- Peacock (Don Robey) Houston
-
- Imperial (Lew Chudd) Los Angeles
- 1950
-
- Trumpet (Willard & Lillian McMurry) Jackson, Miss
- 1951
-
- Red Robin (Bobby Robinson) New York
-
- Dot (Randy Wood & Gene Nobles) Gallatin, Tenn
-
- Nashboro-Ernie Y (Ernie Young) Nashville >
- 1952
-
- Herald/Ember (Al Silver) New York
-
- Duke (James Mattias) Memphis
-
- Sun (Sam Phillips) Memphis
-
- Vee-Jay (James & Vivian Bracken) Chicago
-
- Meteor (Lester Bihari) Los Angeles 1955
-
- Liberty (Al Bennett) Hollywood
- 1953
-
- Rama (George Goldner) New York
-
- Cadence (Archie Bleyer) New York
-
- Excello (Ernie Young) Nashville, Tenn
- 1955
-
- Ace (Johnny Vincent) Jackson, Miss
By Area of the Country
East Coast:
- 1942
-
- Savoy (Herman Lubinsky) Newark
-
- Beacon (Joe Davis) New York
- 1943
-
- Apollo (Ike & Bess Berman) New York
- 1944
-
- National (Al Greene) New York
-
- Delux (Jules Braun) New York
- 1947
-
- Atlantic (Ahmet Ertegun & Herb Abramson) New York
- 1948
-
- Jubilee (Jerry Blaine) New York
- 1951
-
- Red Robin (Bobby Robinson) New York >
- 1952
-
- Herald/Ember (Al Silver) New York
- 1953
-
- Rama (George Goldner) New York
-
- Cadence (Archie Bleyer) New York
Mid-West:
- 1944
-
- Gulf-Gold Star (Bill Quinn) Houston
-
- King (Syd Nathan) Cincinnati
- 1946
-
- Bulliet (Jim Bulliet) Nashville
-
- Mercury* (Irving Green) Chicago
- 1947
-
- Aristocrat-Chess (Leonard & Phil Chess) Chicago
- 1949
-
- Freedom (Saul Kaul) Houston
-
- Macy's (Macy Lela Wood) Houston
-
- Peacock (Don Robey) Houston
- 1950
-
- Trumpet (Willard & Lillian McMurry) Jackson, Miss
- 1951
-
- Dot (Randy Wood & Gene Nobles) Gallatin, Tenn
-
- Nashboro-Ernie Y (Ernie Young) Nashville
- 1952
-
- Duke (James Mattias) Memphis
-
- Sun (Sam Phillips) Memphis
-
- Vee-Jay (James & Vivian Bracken) Chicago
- 1953
-
- Excello (Ernie Young) Nashville, Tenn
- 1955
-
- Ace (Johnny Vincent) Jackson, Miss
West Coast:
- 1942
-
- Excelsior (Leon & Otis Rene) Los Angeles (Exclusive in 1941)
- 1943
-
- Premier (Robert Sherman) Los Angeles (Atlas, 1945)
- 1944
-
- Gilt-Edge (Richard Nelson) Los Angeles
- 1945
-
- Modern (Jules, Joe & Saul Bihari) Los Angeles
-
- Philco-Aladdin (Ed & Leo Mesner) Los Angeles
-
- Bronze (Leroy Hurte) Los Angeles
-
- Four Star (Richard Nelson) Los Angeles (replaced Gilt-edge)
-
- Super Disc (Irving Feld & Viola Marsham) Los Angeles
- 1946
-
- Specialty (Art Rupe) Los Angeles
- 1949
-
- Imperial (Lew Chudd) Los Angeles
- 1952
-
- Meteor (Lester Bihari) Los Angeles 1955
-
- Liberty (Al Bennett) Hollywood
-
*By 1950s Mercury was considered a major