Music Box Records

Overview

Music Box Records is a French record label based in Roullens, France, dedicated exclusively to film and television soundtracks. Founded in 2011 by Laurent Lafarge and Cyril Durand-Roger, the label has released 293 albums as of 2026, with each CD produced in limited editions typically ranging from 500 to 1,000 units. The label's catalog spans French film music heritage, Hollywood studio scores, and international cinema, with a particular focus on composers whose work has been previously unreleased or incompletely released on CD.

For filmmakers and composers, Music Box Records represents one of the few active labels producing physical CD releases of film scores in limited collector editions. The label works directly with major studios including MGM, as well as French publishers and individual rights holders, to source master tapes and produce complete soundtrack editions with liner notes in both French and English.

Founding and History

Lafarge and Durand-Roger founded Music Box Records in 2011 after years of running a fan-based film music review called "Music Box: pellicule sur ecoute" in the 1990s, where they interviewed film composers and reviewed soundtrack CDs. They decided to start a label dedicated to French film music after finding that no existing label represented the kind of soundtracks they wanted to see released. The label was named after their original fanzine, with "Music Box" representing the connection between movies and soundtracks.

The first Music Box Records release was Georges Delerue's L'Incorrigible / Va Voir Maman, Papa Travaille, issued in February 2011. The label initially focused on French film music but expanded into Hollywood scores through a partnership with MGM, with the first MGM release being Alan Silvestri's Overboard. Since then, Music Box Records has released MGM scores by French composers (Francis Lai's Visit to a Chief's Son, Georges Delerue's The House on Carroll Street), previously unreleased scores (Bill Conti's The Fourth War), and comedy scores (Silvestri's Clean Slate, John Williams' Fitzwilly, Howard Shore's She-Devil). The label's 50th release was Lalo Schifrin's Golden Needles, also an MGM film.

The label received IFMCA (International Film Music Critics Association) Award nominations in the Film Music Label of the Year category, recognizing its contribution to film music preservation.

Catalog and Release Model

Music Box Records produces CDs in limited editions, typically 500 to 1,000 units per title. Each release includes a CD booklet with liner notes in both French and English, written by film music writers including Nicolas Magenham, Gerard Dastugue, and Christian Lauliac. Releases are supervised by the composers when possible, with programs assembled by music editors and remastered from original master tapes.

The label's catalog of 293 albums (as listed on filmmusic.com) spans releases from 2011 through 2026. The catalog includes:

• French film music: Extensive releases of scores by Georges Delerue, Philippe Sarde, and other French composers, including world premiere releases of previously unavailable scores
• Hollywood scores: Partnerships with MGM and other studios to release previously unreleased or expanded American film scores
• International cinema: Soundtracks from European and other international productions
• Digital releases: A growing digital catalog alongside the physical CD line

Philippe Sarde Collection

Music Box Records has developed a particular focus on the work of Philippe Sarde, one of France's most prolific film composers. The label has released multiple Sarde collections in collaboration with BMG, each presenting expanded and remastered editions of his scores. These releases are supervised by Sarde himself, with programs assembled by Edouard Dubois and remastered by Christophe Henault from original master tapes.

The Sarde collections demonstrate Music Box Records' approach to film music preservation: combining multiple scores on single CDs, including world premiere releases of previously unavailable material, and providing detailed liner notes that contextualize the films and the music. The Le Choix des Armes / Garcon! / La Garce release (September 2024, MBR-238) included the world premiere release of La Garce, while the Hors-la-loi / La Nuit Ensoleillee release presented two contrasting sides of Sarde's work in a "transatlantic" program featuring both French and American soloists.

What Filmmakers and Composers Should Know

For composers seeking a physical release of their film score, Music Box Records offers a specialized label with established relationships with major studios (MGM, BMG) and French publishers. The label's limited edition model (500 to 1,000 units) targets the collector market rather than mass distribution, meaning releases sell through pre-orders and dedicated soundtrack retailers rather than mainstream music stores.

The label works with composers and rights holders to source master tapes. In cases where rights holders do not possess copies of the music (common with smaller French or independent films), Music Box Records undertakes the research to locate the recordings. For Georges Delerue releases, the label has worked with Colette Delerue to use her personal copies of scores and master tapes.

For filmmakers, a Music Box Records release of your film's score provides a physical product that can serve as a promotional tool for the film itself, particularly for arthouse and international cinema where the soundtrack collector audience overlaps with the arthouse film audience. The label's bilingual liner notes (French and English) make releases accessible to both French and international collectors.

Composers and filmmakers can contact Music Box Records through their website at musicbox-records.com. The label is based at Lieu-dit La Caune, 11290 Roullens, France.

Distribution and Availability

Music Box Records sells directly through its online store at musicbox-records.com, with physical distribution to specialist soundtrack retailers. The label also maintains a digital catalog for digital download and streaming. Releases are listed on filmmusic.com and other film music databases.

The label's online store organizes releases by category: currently available titles, sold out titles, last copies, and digital releases. Sold out titles indicate the limited edition model's scarcity dynamic, with popular releases selling through their print runs. The store also carries titles from other film music labels, functioning as a specialist retailer alongside its role as a label.

See Also

For film music production and scoring resources, see the Audio & Music Tools section. For how soundtrack releases fit into a film's overall distribution and revenue strategy, see Distribution Deals Explained. For the relationship between film music and physical media collecting, see Streaming vs Theatrical Revenue.