Record Labels That Disrupted Norms Then Went Bankrupt

Co-founded by Seymour Stein, Sire Records shaped the sound of punk, new wave, and 1980s pop by signing seminal icons like Ramones, Talking Heads, The Cure, and Madonna. Operating as an adventurous independent label, Sire consistently struggled with the massive capital required to manufacture and distribute global hits, ultimately selling out to Warner Music Group to clear accumulated debts.