Epic Records is an American record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. The label was founded in 1953 as a jazz label, and was eventually expanded to several genres of music. The label manages several imprints as well.

Epic was launched originally as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 by CBS. Its bright-yellow, black and blue logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz and classical releases. This has included such notables as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Juilliard String Quartet, Antal Doráti conducting the Hague Philharmonic and George Szell conducting the Cleveland Orchestra.

By 1960, the label's musical base was expanded to include all genres of music and became an avenue for Columbia's A&R department to sign newer artists and avoid "overstuffing" the larger sister Columbia label, which at the time leaned on signing better known or already established artists. Many of Epic's signings were newer pop, Rock & Roll, and R&B artists in nature, where Columbia had better known "mainstream" popular artists.