Which record label signed and then dropped Bruno Mars early in his career?

Motown Records signed and then dropped Bruno Mars early in his career.

Mars signed with Motown in 2004 after moving from Hawaii to Los Angeles to pursue music. The deal did not develop into a successful recording career, and Motown dropped him in less than a year. That setback came before his breakthrough as a solo singer.

Rather than leaving Los Angeles, Mars shifted toward songwriting and production. In 2005, he secured a publishing deal with Westside Independent, where Steve Lindsey and Cameron Strang helped develop his writing. He later formed the Smeezingtons with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine, building a reputation behind the scenes.

A common mix-up is confusing Motown with Atlantic Records. Atlantic eventually signed Mars in 2009, after he had already co-written and produced songs for other artists. His later success as a featured performer and solo artist followed that second major-label chapter.