Jive Records was formed by Clive Calder in 1981, as a United States branch of the Zomba Recording Corporation. The "Jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African music and dance. Upon its launch, distribution of Jive was handled by Arista Records until 1987. Following the creation of BMG the same year, distribution of Jive switched over to RCA Records. Early signings to Jive included Whodini, A Flock of Seagulls, Billy Ocean, and Samantha Fox.

Free from the authority of Arista head Clive Davis, who at the time was known to be opposed to Rap music, as the 1980s drew to a close, Jive went on to sign a plethora of rap acts (including controversial rappers, Too Short and Schooly D.) By the early-mid 1990s, Jive had become a premiere label in the world of hip hop, thanks to the success of acts like: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Aaliyah, R. Kelly, E-40, and A Tribe Called Quest. By the mid-late 1990s, despite its reputation for dealing heavily in hip hop, Jive signed fledgling pop acts Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears—both of whom achieved massive success as the 2000s dawned, along with *NSYNC in 1999 after their legal battles with their former label RCA, and would become the three best selling acts in the label's history.

Jive's distribution deal with RCA expired in 1991, at which time BMG purchased a large minority stake in the label. That same year, Barry Weiss became CEO and president of Jive Records—a position he holds to this day. From 1992 through 2002, Jive/Zomba operated as an independently managed label, with distribution of its records handled by BMG directly.

In 2002, Bertelsmann Music Group acquired the remainder of Zomba. Now a wholly owned subsidiary of BMG, the company was reconfigured and renamed Zomba Label Group, under which Jive continues to operate.