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Mute Records is a record label formed in 1980 by Daniel Miller primarily to release his own single, "Warm Leatherette", under the moniker The Normal.
Mute Records made a name for itself as the label that was willing to sign post-punk artists like Frank Tovey's Fad Gadget, Einstürzende Neubauten, Throbbing Gristle, and Cabaret Voltaire. Once electronic music hit the British charts in the early 1980s, Mute signed artists like Depeche Mode and Erasure that utilised new technology which would eventually redefine the sound of the dancefloor in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Mute redefined itself again to encompass modern indie-rock, with bands such as Sonic Youth on their Blast First imprint.
Mute Records was famous for being the home of Depeche Mode despite the lack of what is normally considered a contract. Moby is also a Mute mainstay.
Mute Records was the first British record label to have an internet presence, entitled Mute Liberation Technologies. This started out as a dial-up BBS, then becoming a Telnet site and finally a website. They continued to be run in tandem for a number of years until all were finally shut down, with the exception of the website.
On May 10, 2002, EMI Recorded Music acquired Mute Records, extending an existing licensing relationship that Mute had with EMIs Virgin Records for over 15 years. Daniel Miller, Executive Chairman, is responsible for all of the companys global activities.
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