About

After borrowing $5,000 from his parents, the label was an outgrowth of Tom Silverman's Disco News bi-weekly publication (later titled Dance Music Report), which spanned 14 years, beginning in September 1978.

As a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records
In 1985, Warner Bros. Records bought 50% of the label, eventually buying the whole thing in 1990. Silverman and Monica Lynch became Vice Presidents of Warner as well. Warner allowed Tommy Boy to use independent distribution as it saw fit, with the option to put artists through the major-label channel through Warner Bros. Records or its sister label Reprise Records. Silverman bought 50% back from Warner Bros. in 1995. Also in 1995, the first incarnation of Penalty Recordings, a joint venture with Neil Levine, was created, but it was absorbed by Tommy Boy in 1999. The imprint Tommy Boy Gospel was launched in 1998 under the direction of Max Siegel and Marvie Wright. The same year, Tommy Boy Black Label (specializing in underground hip hop music) and Tommy Boy Silver Label (specializing in dance music) were founded as well. Tommy Boy, as part of Warner, also provided independent distribution to sister imprints that already had label deals with WEA, including American Recordings’ Ill Labels, Mute Records’ NovaMute, and Cold Chillin' Records’ Livin’ Large. During this time, label had distribution deals with labels such as Timber Records, Outcaste Records, and 75 Ark Records as well.

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