The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide distribution contract with the Island Def Jam Music Group in 2011.

The label has released two number-one US Billboard Hot 100 singles—"All of Me" by John Legend, and "Panda" by Desiigner—as well as nine number-one US Billboard 200 albums—Finding Forever (2007) by Common; Dark Sky Paradise (2015), I Decided (2017), and Detroit 2 (2020) by Big Sean; The Life of Pablo (2016), Ye (2018), Jesus Is King (2019), and Donda (2021) by Kanye West; and It's Almost Dry (2022) by Pusha T. In 2001, West established a company to forward revenue cuts for his expanding production work.

[8][9] GOOD Music was founded in 2004 by Kanye West in a joint venture with Sony BMG, shortly after the release of his debut album The College Dropout.

During this time, Chicago-based recording artists GLC, Really Doe, Consequence, and Malik Yusef, as well as West's familial relative Tony Williams were added to its roster.

[13] West's second studio album, Late Registration, included guest appearances by each of the label's artists by the time of its August 2005 release.

No disrespect to anybody, my focus is [on] Graduation, I've got a hard enough time calling radio programmers and getting them to play "Can't Tell Me Nothing", a song that's connecting with people but that's only at 1,400 spins.In 2008, British singer-songwriter Mr Hudson was signed, following the release of his debut A Tale of Two Cities (2007).

[26][27] West, Pusha T, Big Sean, Common and Cyhi the Prynce took part in a cypher at the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards.

[32][33] Big Sean's debut Finally Famous was the first album released by GOOD Music with distribution by Def Jam.

[34] The album's lead single "Mercy", was released on April 6, 2012, and features verses from Kanye West, Pusha T and Big Sean, as well as GOOD Music affiliate 2 Chainz.

[40] American Apparel model Kacy Hill was signed to the label December 2014, after appearing as a backup dancer on West's Yeezus Tour.

[43] On June 3, 2016, Kanye West announced GOOD Music's upcoming album, Cruel Winter, in an interview with Big Boy.

[49] The image indicated that several artists had either left or been removed by the label, including D'banj, Malik Yusef, Ryan McDermott, and Mr Hudson.

Later that month, in a radio interview with The Breakfast Club, John Legend announced that his fifth studio album, Darkness and Light, would be his last with GOOD Music.

[52] In 2018, West revealed he would produce upcoming albums by GOOD Music label-mates Pusha T and Teyana Taylor, as well as Nas.

[53] Pusha T's Daytona, "the first project out of Wyoming", was released in May to critical acclaim, although the album's artwork—a photograph of deceased singer Whitney Houston's bathroom that West paid $85,000 to license—attracted some controversy.

[57] On October 29, 2021, Big Sean announced on Twitter that after 14 years, he has stepped away from Kanye West's GOOD Music label, saying "That's a forever brotherhood, but business wise, I had to start getting a bigger cut!

On December 19, 2022, Pusha T announced that he was no longer on speaking terms with West and has stepped down from his post as President of GOOD Music and is officially off the imprint.

In the video, West chastised his lack of control of the label during a phone call with former manager Scooter Braun, to where he said: "[I]t's gon' be a get me out this motherfucking GOOD Music shit now.