3 Beat Music was founded as a dance music record shop in 1989 by Jon Barlow, Dave Nicholl, Phil Southall and later joined by Phil Beddard and Hywell Williams[1][2][3] who were students at the time.[4] It began as a second hand record stall in Quiggins, Liverpool and later moved into a permanent location on Wood Street where the shop was managed by Rob Jay and Pezz 3 Beat where it won numerous awards including Music Week's independent record shop of the year.[1] In 2002, the shop expanded and moved to Slater Street. As of 2009, the record shop has changed ownership and is now no longer part of the 3 Beat group. The new owners [who were ex employees of 3 Beat] wanted to keep a connection to the history of the shop whilst also showing things had moved on so changed the name to 3B Records.[5][6]
In 1991 Barlow, Nichol and Southall started the independent record label 3 Beat Music which released records by artists such as D:Fuse, New Atlantic, Pianoman and Powerhouse. In 2000 Jon Barlow, Pezz 3 Beat and Andy Jarrod set up the 3 Beat Label Management company which offered distribution services to numerous independent record labels.[7][8] The most notable of these was James Holden's 'Border Community' imprint that bucked the trend of declining vinyl sales by consistently selling in excess of 20,000 units of its 12" single releases. 3 Beat Label Management closed in 2007 after Amato Distribution's collapse left them with an unmanageable debt[9]
In 2003 Jon Barlow and Pezz along with A&R executive Anton Powers and label manager Tim Condran set up Boss Records, with distribution from Ministry of Sound.[10] Over the next four years the label released numerous singles with hit records by artists such as Angel City, Aaron Smith, Mason versus Princess Superstar and Studio B. In 2007, after Boss Records' contract had expired with Ministry of Sound, Barlow and Pezz founded 3 Beat Productions with distribution from Universal.[11] The new label was made up of two sub-labels 3 Beat Blue and 3 Beat Red and has released records by artists such as Agnes, Cahill, Ian Carey, Duck Sauce and Skepta.
In 2011, the label achieved its first UK No. 1 single with "Loca People" by Sak Noel.
In the 2020s, artists who have released records via 3 Beat include Liverpool singer-songwriter Jetta[12] and producer Jonasu, who reached the Top 3 in 2021 with his song "Black Magic".[13][14]
^Talbot, Martin (23 March 2002). "Retail focus: 3 beat". Music Week. Future. GaleA84644401. [...] it was founded by three college friends. Barlow is the only man remaining of those three founders -- who also included Dave Nicoll and Phil Southall
^"High street heroes: Music Week salutes the indie retailers still fighting the good fight". Music Week. Future. 8 June 2012. p. 17. GaleA324588495. Give us a bit of background on 3B Records ... It was originally 3 Beat Records and that went into liquidation four years ago. It had been going for 20 years and me and the other two guys that worked there didn't want to let it go because we loved it. So we bought it and took over.
