Ultra Records has a new leader. On Thursday (Jan. 20), the venerable dance music label announced David Waxman as its president. Ultra’s parent company, Sony Music, confirmed that it now owns 100% of Ultra Records and that Ultra’s founder and now-former president Patrick Moxey has left the label.
Moxey founded Ultra Records in 1995, and Waxman has been with the label as its head A&R for more than 20 years. The label entered a partnership with Sony Music in 2012, as dance music was experiencing a major rise in popularity in the United States.
As president, the New York-based Waxman will oversee the day-to-day operations of the label, identify and develop new artists and projects and work with Sony Music to expand the Ultra Records roster and back catalog.
During his tenure at Ultra Records, Waxman has been behind myriad hits and worked with the who’s who of dance music, including Kaskade, deadmau5, Tiësto, Steve Aoki, Armin Van Buuren and Alina Baraz. Recent Ultra Records successes include Ten City’s 2021 album Judgment, which earned a 2022 Grammy nomination for a best dance/electronic album. The label’s current roster includes Calvin Harris, Icona Pop, SOFI TUKKER, deadmau5, Kygo, Black Coffee and many other producers.
Before joining the label, Waxman was an established nightclub promoter in New York, where he worked at such legendary venues as The Tunnel and Limelight before becoming a DJ himself. Waxman held down residencies in New York, Miami and Chicago before becoming an editor for Mixmag and an A&R for the publication’s parent company, DMC, and then joining the team at Ultra Records.
