Positiva Records is an dance music record label founded in 1993 by Nick Halkes with a goal of releasing dance music in the UK. It is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group and is one of the only three Dance/EDM labels under EMI Records, the other being Astralwerks in the UK via distribution and PMR Records.
One of the label's first releases was "I Like to Move It" by Reel 2 Real, a moniker by late Colombian-American DJ and music producer Erick Morillo, originally released by New York-based label Strictly Rhythm. Later, the label signed American vocalist Barbara Tucker, who went on to release house tracks such as "Beautiful People", "Stay Together" (both 1995), and "Stop Playing with My Mind" (2000, but was recorded a year prior). Other releases of the same genre in the same period came from Umboza, the Bucketheads, and Judy Cheeks. During the late 90s, the label released tracks from the arising trance scene such as Alice Deejay's most known single "Better Off Alone", which became an enormous hit in Europe, as well as in the U.S. and Canada, Ayla's titular track "Ayla", Binary Finary's "1998", and BBE's "Seven Days and One Week". The label also released tracks from the popular Eurodance scene at the time, including a few from Vengaboys.
Releases in the 2000s included number one hits such as "Toca's Miracle" by Coco Star vs. Fragma, Spiller's "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and the Shapeshifter's "Lola's Theme". Other top 10 hits in the same decade include "Heart of Asia" by Watergate (a moniker by German-Turkish disc jockey DJ Quicksliver, released a year prior in Germany), which is a remix of the 1983 instrumental "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" by late Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, recorded for the film of the same name, Deep Dish's "Flashdance", which is a 2004 cover of "He's A Dream" by Shandi Sinnamon, recorded for the soundtrack of Flashdance, "As The Rush Comes" by Motorcycle, remixes of "You Got The Love" by The Source featuring Candi Staton, and "Watch The Sunrise" by Axwell
Other artists who have been with Positiva for many years include German DJ/producer Paul van Dyk and English duo the Shapeshifters, although the latter have since left to release tracks via Defected Records and concentrated on running their own Nocturnal Grooves label.
In September 2012, Universal Music Group (UMG) purchased EMI, thus acquiring the label's catalog. A year in March, the label was resurrected by UMG and became a sublabel of Virgin EMI Records, which was founded through the merger of Mercury Records UK and Virgin Records, and UMG absorbing Virgin's UK operations. Positiva also became a trading name for the aforementioned Virgin Records and releases from dance acts, such as Armin van Buuren, Avicii, Nicky Romero and Nervo.
After the golden age of EDM had ended, the label continued to sign acts such as CAZZETTE, Martin Solveig, GTA, Gorgon City, Dada Life, Audien, Tujamo, Don Diablo, Marnik, Merk & Kermont, MOTi, Jonas Blue, and others.
On June 16 of 2020, Universal rebranded Virgin EMI Records as EMI Records, with Virgin Records continuing to operate as an imprint of EMI Records. As a result, Positiva has since became a dance music label under the EMI banner.
Wanted DJs[]
| Breakbot |
| GUZ |
| Miane |
| Theo Kottis |
| Floorplan |
| Fabio Neural |
| Krystal Klear |
| Mokoa |