One thing that comes up time and time again when you speak to record label owners is the concept of family. Of groups of artists who have found creative common ground and respect each other's art to the point where they basically become blood relations. Musical ride or dies. "It’s a band of brothers and sisters, a band of people and friends who are out on their own, exploring the creative space," says Skrillex of the OWSLA squad, while Jamie Jones says that the Hot Creations crew "all come from the bottom and we are all growing together". These "families" bring through young artists, incubate new sounds and, ultimately, push dance music forward into the future, where it belongs.

Most labels form around artists who want to break with tradition. Bored with electronic music's status quo, they'll start doing their own thing, on their own terms and, all going well, change dance music forever. That's why, back when minimal reigned supreme, Solomun started a melodic house music label called DIYnamic and it's why, armed with a hard drive of cutting-edge club music that no one else would release, Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990 started Night Slugs. Countless labels begin this way, each one creating a hub for like-minded artists as well as a platform for their music, which is, of course, what we're all here for.

It's clear that record labels are the engine room of electronic music, individual operations powered by blood, sweat and tears. “We do this because of the love of music," Armada co-founder Maykel Piron says. "We are just releasing the music we love." And the last decade, 2007-2017, has seen activity from some of the most important labels in dance music history, which have launched myriad new genres and sub-genres such as dubstep, footwork, French electro, gqom, UK funky, nu disco, LA beats, nu rave, post-dubstep, bass-house, lofi and deconstructed club. It's basically been the best decade for dance music ever so what better way to celebrate than by giving shine to the labels that made it happen?

Below are the top 50 Labels Of The Decade as voted for by Mixmag readers. Thank you all for taking part, we hope you enjoy the results...