[2][3][4] According to Avery Lipman, he and his brother Monte conceived the idea for Republic Records at their apartment in New York.

[6] In January 2000, it was announced that the Universal Music Group acquired the Lipman brothers' Republic Records as a wholly owned subsidiary.

[14] In addition to artists' albums, the label has released soundtracks with the Fox Broadcasting Company (Star),[15] NBC (The Voice), and former UMG parent Universal Pictures (Fifty Shades and Sing),[16] among numerous other partnerships, films, and television series.

[21] In December of that year, Republic partnered with Sony Pictures on the release of the soundtrack for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

[38] Since August 2021, Universal Music Group began to launch and expand the Republic Records imprint in international markets.

[40] In 2022, Republic Records expanded its current partnership with JYP Entertainment to include Itzy and Stray Kids.

[44][45] In 2023, Republic Records had the longest streak for a label atop the Billboard 200 in 25 years, including Morgan Wallen's One Thing at a Time, Taylor Swift's Midnights, and Stray Kids' 5-STAR.

[48][49] Republic Records released the Bloodhound Gang's 1994 EP, Dingleberry Haze,[50] and their first LP, Use Your Fingers.

Kevin Rudolf's single, "Let It Rock", was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

[51] Jay Sean's debut single, "Down", sold six million copies in the United States[52] and received a large airplay on radio worldwide.

[58] Damian Marley's debut album was certified gold and sold one million copies worldwide.

[59] Other prominent Republic releases in recent years have come from acts like Ariana Grande (2013's Yours Truly, 2014's My Everything, 2016's Dangerous Woman, 2018's Sweetener, 2019's Thank U, Next, 2020's Positions, and 2024's Eternal Sunshine);[60] the Jonas Brothers (2019's Happiness Begins and 2023's The Album); Taylor Swift (2019's Lover, 2020's Folklore and Evermore, 2021's Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version), 2022's Midnights, 2023's Speak Now (Taylor's Version) and 1989 (Taylor's Version), and 2024's The Tortured Poets Department); The Weeknd (2013's Kiss Land, 2015's Beauty Behind the Madness, 2016's Starboy, 2020s After Hours, and 2022's Dawn FM);[61] Florence and the Machine (2015's How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, 2018's High as Hope, and 2022's Dance Fever);[62][63] Lorde (2013's Pure Heroine, 2017's Melodrama, and 2021's Solar Power);[64][65] James Blake (2019's Assume Form and 2021's Friends That Break Your Heart);[66] Pearl Jam (2020's Gigaton); Poppy (2022's Stagger) and Kim Petras (2019's Clarity and Turn Off the Light, and 2023's Feed the Beast).

[67] As of 2024, the current Republic Records roster includes AJR, Anitta, Any Gabrielly, Ariana Grande, Bastille, Benee, Bo Burnham, Clairo, Coi Leray, Conan Gray, Drake, Em Beihold, FLO, Ski Mask The Slump God, Florence and the Machine, fripSide, Glass Animals, Itzy, James Bay, James Blake, John Mellencamp, Julia Michaels, Kid Cudi, Kim Petras, Leith Ross, Lil Tecca, Lil Wayne, Metro Boomin, Miranda Lambert, Morgan Wallen, Nagi Yanagi, Nicki Minaj, Nmixx, Noah Kahan, Of Monsters and Men, Peach PRC, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel, Post Malone, Shania Twain, Stephen Sanchez, Stevie Wonder, Stray Kids, Swedish House Mafia, Taylor Swift, the Weeknd, Tomorrow X Together, Twice, SosMula, Vcha, Wargasm and Zayn Malik.