Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton Records was a Los Angeles-based electronica, hip-hop, and dance-music record label. Among the artists featured on the label were Ladytron, Arling & Cameron, Money Mark, Ugly Duckling, and Fantastic Plastic Machine. Additionally, it released the soundtracks to movies including Lost in Translation, CQ and The Virgin Suicides.

The company was named after Joshua A. Norton, a San Francisco citizen noted for proclaiming himself Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico in 1859. The record label was founded by Peter Getty, and the company was purchased by Rykodisc in 2004 and was then acrimoniously shut down later that year, with Rykodisc inheriting its back-catalog.

On March 23, 2006, it was announced that Warner Music Group acquired the Ryko Corporation for $67.5 million.