OVO Sound

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The roots of OVO Sound trace back to 2006, when Drake released his first official mixtape, *Room for Improvement*, under the unofficial banner "All Things Fresh," which eventually evolved into "October's Very Own." The label was officially founded in 2009 following the success of Drake's breakthrough mixtape, *So Far Gone*. In April 2013, PartyNextDoor became the first recording artist signed to the label. By August 2013, the Toronto duo Majid Jordan joined the roster. The label expanded its reach in 2014 with OB O'Brien and ILoveMakonnen, the latter being the first non-Canadian act after producer Mike Zombie. In-house producers Boi-1da, T-Minus, and Mike Zombie were signed upon the label's founding in 2012, establishing a core creative team that included Nineteen85 as part of the R&B duo Dvsn.

In Their Own Story

On January 23, 2024, Santa Anna Label Group, a subsidiary of Sony Music, announced an investment and partnership with OVO Sound to take over distribution and provide new A&R support. This followed a period where the label operated independently after leaving Warner Music Group in 2022. The journey began earlier with Drake's solo career; he was signed to Republic Records through Young Money and Cash Money for nine years, with his 2018 release *Scorpion* marking his last project under those deals. Meanwhile, artists signed directly to OVO Sound through Warner had their content distributed by the latter. The label also launched "Sound 42" on SiriusXM in March 2021, a 24-hour station featuring the return of OVO Sound Radio, which originally aired on Beats 1 starting July 11, 2015. Drake described the partnership as offering "the closest thing we have to those days of glory radio moments," highlighting the joy of premiering music simultaneously for a wide audience.

Reader's Guide

To navigate OVO Sound's ecosystem, one must understand its dual nature as both an independent label and a cultural brand. The label operates with a specific roster structure: current acts include PartyNextDoor, Roy Woods, Smiley (signed in 2021), Naomi Sharon (the first female artist signed in January 2023), and others like Popcaan and Baka Not Nice. Former signee ILoveMakonnen left in April 2016 to pursue solo interests with Warner. The creative engine is driven by in-house producers like 40, Boi-1da, Nineteen85, Mike Zombie, and T-Minus. Fans can experience the label's content through OVO Sound Radio, which premiered hits like "Hotline Bling" and "One Dance," or via the annual OVO Fest, founded in 2010 by Drake, 40, and Oliver El-Khatib. The festival returned in 2022 for an "October World Weekend" after a hiatus caused by the pandemic, with plans to return annually as of May 2025.

Did You Know?

• The label's roots began in 2006 under the unofficial name "All Things Fresh" before becoming October's Very Own.
• ILoveMakonnen was the first non-Canadian act signed, following producer Mike Zombie who joined as an in-house producer.
• OVO Sound Radio premiered chart-topping singles like "One Dance" during its run on Beats 1 from 2015 to 2018, though "Hotline Bling" had already been released in July 2015 before the show's October 2015 launch.
• In November 2020, NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky modeled for the OVO Clothing Fall and Winter collection alongside former Olympian Ross Rebagliati.