Dark Horse Records is an independent record label founded by former Beatle George Harrison in 1974. In 2020, Harrison’s son Dhani Harrison and David Zonshine reactivated the label, making available its back catalog and becoming the new home of Yusaf Cat Stevens, Steve Perry, Billy Idol, Joe Strummer, and other artists.
For a company name, Harrison used the title of a song he had written in 1973, "Dark Horse." The inspiration for the Dark Horse Records logo came from a label on a tin that Harrison found during a trip to India. The logo centers the seven-headed horse Uchchaisravas, a figure in Indian art and mythology.
History
1968-1973
The formation of The Beatles' EMI-affiliated Apple Records in 1968 allowed Harrison to work closely with up-and-coming artists he signed to the label, including Jackie Lomax, Billy Preston and Ali Akbar Khan. Following the Beatles' break-up in 1970, Harrison continued to produce music as well as maintain his solo career, adding establish artists such as Ravi Shankar and Ronnie Spector to Apple's roster.
By 1973, Apple Records was winding down as John Lennon and Ringo Starr severed their ties with Beatles manager Allen Klein. Harrison sought a new avenue for his extracurricular projects. He was producing an "East-meets-West" album by Shankar and the debut by a duo from South Shields, Splinter. Harrison and Starr considered buying Apple in 1973 and running it themselves,
In late 1973, Harrison began recording his fifth studio album, Dark Horse'.
thumb|left|160px|First trade ad for Dark Horse Records, August 1974
1974-2001
In early 1974, he began a dialogue with David Geffen, head of Asylum Records in Los Angeles, about setting up his own independent label. Harrison also consulted Leon Russell, co-founder of Shelter Records. Harrison eventually partnered with A&M Records, the label owned and operated by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, for worldwide distribution.
Later that year, George Harrison launched Dark Horse Records, based in Los Angeles. The first singles Dark Horse Records released were Ravi Shankar’s “I Am Missing You” which was produced and arranged by Harrison and Splinter’s “Costafine Town,” which went top 10 in Australia and South Africa and made the UK top twenty. Splinter’s album The Place I Love was produced by Harrison.
Attitudes, Stairsteps and Keni Burke were among the other artists who recorded for Dark Horse. While Harrison owned the label, as a solo artist, he wasn't able to be signed to Dark Horse Records until January 27, 1976. All of his subsequent recordings were released through the label, starting with that year's Thirty Three & 1/3 and ending with Live in Japan in 1992.
2002-2018
After a ten-year period of inactivity, the label returned in 2002 with the posthumous release of Harrison's final studio album, Brainwashed, was produced by Harrison, his son Dhani Harrison and Jeff Lynne. It featured musicians like drummers Jim Keltner and Ray Cooper, pianists Jools Holland and John Lord, keyboardists Mike Moran and Marc Mann, harpist Jane Lister, guitarist Joe Brown and bassist/tuba player Herbie Flowers.
Harrison's back catalog on the label was remastered and reissued as the Dark Horse Years 1976–1992 box set in 2004.
Dark Horse Records issued the Shankar–Harrison compilation box set Collaborations in 2010, distributed by Rhino Entertainment.
2019-present
Dark Horse Records was revived in 2020 under the guidance of Dhani Harrison and David Zonshine. They subsequently signed a distribution deal with BMG Rights Management. Its inaugural releases included an Attitudes compilation, reissues of Shankar’s In Concert 1972, Shankar’s 1997 Chants of India and the single “For Real–For Tom,” honoring the late Tom Petty, featuring Harrison, Jakob Dylan, Amos Lee, Lukas Nelson, Micah Nelson and Willie Nelson. Dark Horse re-released out of print albums from the label’s 1974-1977 back catalog, its Indian label imprint, HariSongs, and Leon Russell's catalog. Since its relaunch, Dark Horse Records has released work from Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Billy Idol, Steve Perry, Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers), Huun-Huur-Tu, Nina Simone, Jon Lord (Deep Purple/Whitesnake) Robin Nolan, the 101ers and Traveling Wilburys.
In March 2021, the record label released Assembly, a new remastered collection of Joe Strummer's solo work. Part of the publishing deal for Strummer’s catalog included the three Mescaleros albums, his scores, hundreds of his songs, and the final Clash album, Cut The Crap.
In February 2023, Harrison’s twelve solo albums and publishing became part of Dark Horse Records, in partnership with BMG. Harrison’s solo studio albums were released in Dolby Atmos on Apple Music.
Dark Horse released the Steve Perry & Willie Nelson duet of the Journey song "Faithfully," with profits going to Farm Aid in May 2025. The label’s release of Billy’s Idol’s 2025 album, Dream Into It made the Top 10 on the Billboard Album Sales Chart, a first for Idol. It was one of the highest charting non-George Harrison releases in Dark Horse Records’ history, reaching #2 on the Germany Top 100. Also that year, Finn Wolfhard directed the music video of Harrison’s 1973 hit "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth).”
In 2025, Dark Horse Records released two of Billy Preston’s remastered albums that George Harrison produced, That’s The Way God Planned It and co-produced Encouraging Words. Sometimes referred to as the fifth Beatle, Preston died in 2006.
The George Harrison-produced The Radha Krsna Temple album was reissued in 2025. Originally released in 1971, it had been out of print since 2010. It features the singles “Hare Krishna Mantra,” and “Govinda.”
Traveling Wilburys, which consisted of George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and Jim Keltner won the 32nd Grammy Award in the Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal Award for its album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 in 1990. The band followed the record up with Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3. Both records were released digitally in 2026.
Distribution
The label was distributed internationally by A&M Records for the first two years of its operation. Following a highly publicized split with A&M, Harrison and Dark Horse formed a long-term partnership with Warner Bros. Records that lasted until the expiration of his contract in 1994.
Dark Horse was distributed by A&M Records (1974–76), Warner Bros. Records (1976–94) and EMI (2002–04).
In 2017 all original Apple and Dark Horse Records albums were reissued and distributed by Universal Music Group.
On 22 January 2020, Dark Horse signed a distribution deal with BMG Rights Management.
Artists
Dark Horse Records continues to release George Harrison's catalog, in addition to the following roster of artists:
|2020
|
|-
|
|DH0002 / DH0002CD / DH0002CS
|Joe Strummer
|Assembly
|2021
|2021
|-
|
|
DH0003
|Joe Strummer
|Junco Partner
(Record Store Day 12" Picture Disc Single)
|2021
|2021
|-
|
|DH0004 / DH0004CD
|Billy Idol
|The Roadside EP
|17.09.21
|17.09.21
|-
|
|DH0005 / DH0005CD
|Billy Idol
|Happy Holidays
|2021
|2021
|-
|
|DH0006
|Joe Strummer
|Johnny Appleseed
(Record Store Day 12" Pink Vinyl Single)
|2021
|2021
|-
|
|DH0008 / DH0008CD
|Billy Idol
|The Cage EP
Standard 1LP Black Vinyl / Limited Edition 1LP Blue Vinyl / 1CD
|2022
|2022
|-
|
|DH0009 / DH0009CD
|Joe Strummer
|002
Box Set
|2022
|2022
|-
|
|DH0012
|Dark Horse Records
|Dark Horse Records The Best of 1974–1977
|2022
|2022
|-
|
|DH0013
|Joe Strummer
|Live at Music Millennium
|2022
|2022
|-
|
|538856301
|Yusuf / Cat Stevens
|King Of A Land
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0010 / DH0010CD
|Ravi Shankar
|Shankar Family & Friends
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0011 / DH0011CD
|Leon Russell
|Signature Songs
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0014
|Stairsteps
|2<sup>nd</sup> Resurrection
|2023
|2033
|-
|
|DH0015
|Joe Strummer
|Streetcore 20th Anniversary
White vinyl
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0022 / DH0022CD
|Joe Strummer
|Streetcore 20th Anniversary
Black vinyl w/art print
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0016 / DH0016B / DH0016CD
|Joe Strummer
|Live at Acton Town Hall
Limited Edition 2LP Clear Vinyl
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0018
|Ravi Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan
|In Concert 1972
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0019
|Leon Russell
|Hank Wilson Vol. II
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0020
|Ravi Shankar
|Ravi Shankar's Music Festival From India
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0021
|Splinter
|The Place I Love
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|538856301
|Yusuf/Cat Stevens
|King of A Land
|2023
|2023
|-
|
|DH0024/DH0024XUS
|Nina Simone
|Little Girl Blue
|2024
|2024
|-
|
|DH0032/DH0048/DH0048CD
|Joe Strummer
|Rock Art and the X-Ray Style 25th Anniversary
|2024
|2024
|-
|
|DH0049 / DH0049CD
|Steve Perry
|The Season 3
|2024
|2024
|-
|
|DH0033Z/DH0033CD
|George Harrison
|Wonderwall Music
|2024/2025
|2024/2025
|-
|
|DH0034Z
|George Harrison
|Electronic Sound
|2024
|2024
|-
|
|DH0035CD
|George Harrison
|Let It Roll
|2024
|2024
|-
|
|DH0050 / DH0050CD/DH0050Z
|George Harrison
|Living in the Material World (50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary)”
|2024
|2024
|-
|
|DH0051
|Leon Russell
|Hymns of Christmas
|November 29, 2024
|November 29, 2024
|-
|
|DH0036
|Huun-Huur-Tu, Carmen Rizzo & Dhani Harrison
|Dreamers In The Field
|2024
|2024
|-
|
|DH0025
|Yusuf/Cat Stevens
|Numbers
|April 20, 2024
|April 26, 2024
|-
|
|DH0026
|Yusuf/Cat Stevens
|Izitso
|April 20, 2024
|April 26, 2024
|-
|
|DH0029
|Yusuf / Cat Stevens
|Roadsinger
|2024/2025
|2024/2025
|-
|
|DH0027
|Yusuf / Cat Stevens
|Back To Earth
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0034CD
|George Harrison
|Electronic Sound
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0035
|George Harrison
|Let It Roll
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0037/DH0037CD/DH0037Z
|George Harrison
|All Things Must Pass 50 Anniversary
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0038/DH0038CD
|George Harrison
|Dark Horse
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0039/DH0039CD
|George Harrison
|Extra Texture
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0040/DH0040CD
|George Harrison
|Thirty Three & 1/3
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0041/DH0041CD
|George Harrison
|George Harrison
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0042/DH0042CD
|George Harrison
|Somewhere In England
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0043/DH0043CD
|George Harrison
|Gone Troppo
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0044/DH0044CD
|George Harrison
|Cloud Nine
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0045/DH0045CD
|George Harrison
|Live In Japan
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0046/DH0046CD
|George Harrison
|Brainwashed
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0047/DH0047CD
|George Harrison
|Early Takes
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0017 / DH0017EX / DH0017CD
|Benmont Tench
|The Melancholy Season
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0023
|Jon Lord
|Gemini Suite
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0031
|Jon Lord
|Windows
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0052
|Billy Idol
|Dream Into It
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0056
|Ivan Shopov, Carmen Rizzo, Dhani Harrison featuring New Bulgarian Voices & Georgi Petkov
|Ascending Into Silence
|2025
|2025
|-
|
|DH0028
|Yusuf / Cat Stevens
|An Other Cup
|2026
|2026
|-
|
|DH0030
|Yusuf / Cat Stevens
|Tell 'Em I'm Gone
|2026
|2026
|-
|
|DH0057
|Billy Preston
|That's The Way God Planned It
Purple Vinyl Resissue
|2026
|2026
|-
|
|DH0058
|Billy Preston
|Encouraging Words
Gold Vinyl Reissue
|2026
|2026
|-
|
|DH0059
|Leon Russell
|The Best of Hank Wilson
A Record Store Day 2026 release
|2026
|4/18/2026
|-
|
|DH0060/964212791
|R. Carlos Nakai
|Canyon Trilogy
Double-vinyl reissue for Record Store Day 2026
|2026
|4/18/2026
|-
|
|DH0061
|Joe Strummer
|Global A Go-Go
Splatter Color Vinyl Reissue
A Record Store Day 2026 release
|2026
|4/18/2026
|-
|
|DH0062
|The Radha Krsna Temple
|The Radha Krsna Temple
Orange Vinyl Reissue
A Record Store Day 2026 release
|2026
|4/18/2026
|-
|}
Digital releases
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!ARTIST
!TITLE
!RELEASE DATE
|-
|Jakob Dylan, Dhani Harrison, Amos Lee, Lukas Nelson,
Micah Nelson & Willie Nelson
|"For Real–For Tom"
|2019
|-
|Splinter
|“Harder To Live”
|2022
|-
|Splinter
|“Two Man Band”
|2022
|-
|Henry McCullough
|"Mind Your Own Business"
|2022
|-
|Jiva
|Jiva
|2022
|-
|Attitudes
|Attitudes
|2022
|-
|Attitudes
|Good News
|2022
|-
|Keni Burke
|Keni Burke
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|A Mighty Flood
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Almost Piano
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Angel In Disguise
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Bad Country
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Best of Hank Wilson
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Crazy Love
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Face In The Crowd
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Guitar Blues
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Hank Wilson Vol. III
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|In Your Dreams
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Live At Gilley's
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Moonlight and Love Songs
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|Rhythm and Bluegrass
|2022
|-
|Leon Russell
|The American Dream
|2022
|-
|Joe Strummer
|002 (Dolby Atmos)
|2022
|-
|The 101ers (feat. Joe Strummer)
|Elgin Avenue Breakdown (Revisited)
|2023
|-
|Yusuf/Cat Stevens
|Here Comes The Sun
|2023
|-
|Yusuf/Cat Stevens
|Majikat
|2023
|-
|Jon Lord
|Sarabunde
|2023
|-
|Jon Lord
|Before I Forget
|2023
|-
|Dick & Mary
|Dick & Mary
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Wonderwall Music (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Electronic Sound (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|All Things Must Pass 50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Living in the Material World 50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Dark Horse (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Extra Texture (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Thirty Three & 1/3 (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|George Harrison (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Somewhere in England (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Gone Troppo (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Cloud Nine (Dolby Atmos)
|2023
|-
|George Harrison
|Concert For Bangladesh (Dolby Atmos)
|2024
|-
|Steve Perry
|The Season (Dolby Atmos)
|2024
|-
|Steve Perry
|The Season 3 (Dolby Atmos)
|2024
|-
|Steve Perry
|Traces
|2024
|-
|Steve Perry & Willie Nelson
|"Faithfully" (Standard audio and Dolby Atmos)
|2025
|-
|Robin Nolan
|For The Love Of George
|2025
|-
|Billy Idol
|Dream Into It includes "’77" feat. Avril Lavigne
(Dolby Atmos)
|2025
|-
|Traveling Wilburys
|Vol. 1
|2026
|-
|Traveling Wilburys
|Vol. 3
|2026
|}
;Notes
<small>
Also released as a picture disc, catalog number K 17423P<br/>
Released by Dark Horse/Parlophone.<br/>
Box set of Harrison's remastered Dark Horse years albums: Thirty Three & 1/3 (1977) to Cloud Nine (1987).<br/>
Box set consisting of Shankar's two Harrison-produced albums on Dark Horse – Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India and Shankar Family & Friends – together with Chants of India (1997) and a DVD containing film of a 1974 Musical Festival from India performance at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
</small>
See also
- Lists of record labels
- George Harrison discography
Bibliography
References
Sources
- Keith Badman, The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001, Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ).
- Alan Clayson, George Harrison, Sanctuary (London, 2003; ).
- Peter Doggett, You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup, It Books (New York, NY, 2011; ).
- The Editors of Rolling Stone, Harrison, Rolling Stone Press/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2002; ).
- Chris Hunt (ed.), NME Originals: Beatles – The Solo Years 1970–1980, IPC Ignite! (London, 2005).
- Ian Inglis, The Words and Music of George Harrison, Praeger (Santa Barbara, CA, 2010; ).
- Peter Lavezzoli, The Dawn of Indian Music in the West, Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ).
- Simon Leng, While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison, Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; ).
- Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium, 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; ).
- Robert Rodriguez, Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980, Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ).
- Bruce Spizer, The Beatles Solo on Apple Records, 498 Productions (New Orleans, LA, 2005; ).
- Gary Tillery, Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison, Quest Books (Wheaton, IL, 2011; ).
- Bob Woffinden, The Beatles Apart, Proteus (London, 1981; ).
External links
- George Harrison