Ryko Corporation is a record company that offers more than 1,000 titles in such genres as rock, pop, folk, jazz, blues, country, and world music. The firm owns and distributes several labels including Restless, Hannibal, Tradition, Slow River, and Gramavision, as well as most of the recordings of the late Frank Zappa. Ryko also releases video DVDs and performs distribution of its own and other labels around the United States and in some international markets. The company became part of Warner Music Group in 2006.
Rykodisc's first major coup came when it secured the CD rights to the back catalog of legendary rock satirist, composer, and provocateur Frank Zappa, who owned his own master recordings and had been releasing them on vinyl and tape through EMI. With the latter firm ambivalent about preparing CD releases, he gave the new label a chance based on its early track record. Though Rykodisc had gambled by paying him a large advance, the initial 10,000-disc pressings of 20 different albums quickly sold out when released in 1986, and more Zappa product followed.
