Ultra Records has sold out

Woe to the music world when a respected techno record company such as Ultra Records commits the greatest atrocity known to good music: selling out. Even if you're not familiar with Ultra Records, listen to my requiem for a label.

First, a brief history lesson: Ultra Records was founded in 1995 by former Virgin executives who were tired of the way mainstream techno was being handled and thought they could do it better. In short, they were right. Ultra Records became quite literally the biggest and most respected record label for all things techno, producing records by techno gods like Armin van Buuren, Kaskade, Tiesto, Benny Benassi, and even Paul Oakenfold. Ultra was responsible for the growth of techno in the late 90's as a "mainstream" genre and by 2005, in the age of Cascada, had managed to create a substantial audience for techno with their excellent marketing strategies and command of the market. PS. if you're in business school, by chance, this is the paradigm of capturing a niche market. See me for details.

Here's a sample that's relevant to my discussion. Ultra Records, much to the dismay of #2 rival Robbins Entertainment (responsible for the Cascada/D.H.T. advent of 2005) had ALWAYS been able to draw people in to techno with one excellent tool: Compilations. Ultra consistently put together the BEST compilations of techno singles yearly with such series like "Ultra Dance," (their most popular) "Ultra Trance," "Ultra 200_" (insert year here. My personal favorite series), and "Ultra presents Thrivemix". Samples of some of the best of these compilations are scattered throughout this review.

Now, the thing that was great about these compilations, especially Ultra Dance, was the ability to take killer pop remixes, put together with Billboard Dance Top 20 hits and market it as a hip, sexy way to listen to cool techno music. Note that almost ALL Ultra Records compilations feature nearly-nude models on the covers, some of their older records even including pull-out posters. It's brilliant, really. The customer gets the excellent music, and the satisfaction that they are somehow on the edge of things and being risque or avant-garde. Terrific stuff.

And this is where Ultra Records has failed. On their newest compilation, Ultra 10, Ultra Records has included pop music. Yes, pop music. Not pop remixes. Standard, straight-up pop/hip-hop. Not even remixed. Just pure pop. The techno element is still there, but it's marginalized, shoved towards the back of the album. Hoping that people will keep the CD on long enough to get to the actual dance music and maybe like it. Don't believe me? Well, let's look at the tracklisting, shall we? The first two songs: "Live Your Life" by T.I. and Rihanna and then "Bust It Baby Part 2" by Plies and Ne-Yo. Both Top 40 pop songs by mainstream pop artists, no remixing, no techno.

How much more sell out can you get?! This unprecedented atrocity that Ultra has committed has not gone unnoticed by techno fans, who are quickly abandoning the series. However, as to be expected, the series is now more popular than ever with the pop crowd.

I'm usually not opposed to letting the techno element slide a little bit in favor of drawing people into the genre, but this is TOO MUCH. Ultra compilations were always a little dicey for hardcore dance/electronica fans simply because the pop remix element was so strong. I personally liked it, listened to it, bought into it. Ultra Records now is betraying the very same thing that made them so respectable in the techno community: they NEVER pandered to popular pressure. Ultra always had great taste and went with it, being a LEADER in the industry, not a follower. And it's not like their old formula wasn't working. People respected Ultra. Perhaps with recent economic strings tightening, Ultra was forced to sell out to pay bills, but that's against the spirit of the industry. To be quite frank, what the FUCK is T.I. doing on a TECHNO music compilation?! It's disgusting. And the rest of the compilation is barely-remixed pop songs: no new or original techno tunes involved. It's a nightmare.

Ultra has a difficult choice to make now: continue on the road they're traveling, win more Top 40 pop fans, and lose ALL respect from the people who supported them in the first place, or admit their mistake, repent, say a few hail Mary's and hope that their next compilation album will be able to bridge both gaps.

I personally am quite disappointed. This kind of shit is NOT tolerated in the dance/electronica community. Note that I'm not blogging about this just to whine. I'm blogging about this in the hopes that other people will recognize that this change has occurred, note the consequences it has for all techno music fans, and stop buying Ultra until they change their attitude towards their original fans.

Otherwise, it's R.I.P. Ultra Records in my book.