West End Records became renowned for influential disco and early dance releases after its founding in New York in 1976.
The label was established by Mel Cheren, a businessman and club-world figure who had already worked with the pioneering disco label Scepter Records. West End’s catalog became closely associated with extended dance tracks, underground DJs, and New York’s developing club culture.
Among its best-known releases was “The Music,” recorded by D-Train, the duo of James Williams and Hubert Eaves III. The label also released important work by artists including Loose Joints, Taana Gardner, and Dinosaur L. Its records were valued by DJs for their dance-floor structure and long-form arrangements.
West End’s history overlaps with the rise of house music. New York disco techniques, including extended mixes and club-focused sequencing, influenced Chicago DJs and producers who later developed house. The label should not be confused with Salsoul or Prelude, two other major New York dance labels. West End’s importance rests less on one crossover pop single than on the lasting impact of its club-oriented recordings and its place in disco’s underground infrastructure.