recordlabels

The Epic Label (CBS)

2008-10-18T18:26:00.003+11:00

Reprise Records

2008-09-27T19:33:00.005+10:00

Reprise was formed in 1960 by Frank Sinatra in order to allow more artistic freedom for his own recordings. He had earlier been with Capitol Records, but was upset when Capitol issued an album, Come Fly with Me, whose cover had a picture of him in front of an airplane with a Trans-World Airlines (TWA) logo. He believed Capitol and TWA were profiting together from his image, and left him out.

Reprise's artists included Sinatra's longtime friend Dean Martin, who was a singer and comedian, with a popular television show. Sinatra's daughter,Nancy Sinatra, became a recording artist and singer, and signed with her father's label. (His advice to her, whoever she signed with, was to "Own your own masters", and she did that. Years later, her catalog was valuable, and she earned more money from her records than if she was not their owner.) Reprise also released records by Jimi Hendrix, and later Neil Young.

Virgin Records

2008-09-13T20:08:00.025+10:00

Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson in 1971. It was later sold to Thorn EMI

1978
(The B-side label was converse; red background with a green streak)

1989

1986

early 90s

and the off-shoot 10 label from 1990.

London Records

2008-09-13T19:36:00.010+10:00

London arose from the split in ownership between the British branch of Decca Records and that same company's USA branch; the American London label released British Decca records in the USA, since it could not use the "Decca" name there. They were noted for their classical albums made in then state-of-the-art stereophonic sound. Such artists as Georg Solti, Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti made many, if not all, of their recordings for the company.

The London name was also used by British Decca in the UK market to release American labels which British Decca licensed, such as Imperial, Chess, Dot, Atlantic, Specialty and Sun, as well as the first few UK releases from Motown. In the sixties more licensing deals were made with Big Top, Monument, Parrot, Philles and Hi. (An unusual feature was the letter code in the numbering system: see Catalog numbering systems for single records.) On Radio Luxembourg, the label was known as "London American".

In America , the label was best known as the American imprint of the pre-1971 recordings of The Rolling Stones ( now owned by ABKCO ) . The label also originally issued some early LPs and singles by Texas based band ZZ Top. ( That catalog went to Warner Brothers in the 1980s )

In the late seventies London signed deals with the legendary Bomp! Records and with Big Sound in Connecticut. This changed the label in the eyes of many from a backwater into something a little more "edgy" compared to the pedestrian contemporary releases from parent company Decca.

After British Decca was acquired by PolyGram in 1979, London followed a more independent course with subsidiary labels as Slash, Pete Tong's Essential Records and FFRR.

Universal Music Group (the owner of American Decca) acquired PolyGram in 1998; however, by this time, London Records had become a semi-independent label within the PolyGram group operated by Roger Ames. When Ames moved to the Warner Music Group, he "took" the label with him, and so London's recent back catalogue was acquired by Warner, which licensed the London name from Decca (which still owns the trade mark and pre-PolyGram back catalogue). The name is still used, mainly for UK-based artists, and for ex-Factory Records artists. Notable artists published by the current incarnation of London, London Records 90, include New Order, Happy Mondays, and Shakespear's Sister.

After PolyGram took over British Decca, classical music albums recorded by British Decca continued to be released on the London label in the U.S., with a logo similar to the Decca classical label logo, until American Decca owner Universal Music bought British Decca owner PolyGram in 1998, after which they were all reissued on the original British Decca label in the U.S.

The London pop music catalogue owned by Universal Music is managed by Polydor Records.

Island Records

2008-09-13T19:34:00.013+10:00

Island Records was founded in Jamaica in 1959 by Chris Blackwell and Graeme Goodall, taking its name from the 1955 Alec Waugh novel, subsequent film and Harry Belafonte hit song 'Island in the Sun'.

The company relocated to the UK in May 1962. Until Blackwell sold the label to PolyGram in 1989, Island was the largest indie record label in history.
In the mid-1970s, Island operated its own record pressing plant, but had problems with quality control; many records were defective and had to be returned.

Island (UK) contracted EMI to manufacture and distribute their works, from 1972-1977, when higher vinyl prices forced Island to a lower quality manufacturer. EMI regained the duty in 1987.

EMI

2008-09-13T19:27:00.016+10:00

The Electric and Musical Industries Ltd formed in March 1931 from the merger of the UK Columbia Graphophone Company and the Gramophone Company, famous at the time for its record label "His Master's Voice".

From its beginning, the company was involved in both the manufacture of recording and playback equipment and the provision of music to play on its machines.

EMI released its first LPs in 1952 and its first stereophonic recordings in 1955 (first on reel-to-reel tape and then LPs, beginning in 1958).

In 1957, to replace the loss of its long-established licensing arrangements with RCA Victor and Columbia Records (Columbia USA cut its ties with EMI in 1951), EMI entered the American market by acquiring 96% of the stock of Capitol Records.

From 1960 to 1995 their headquarters, "EMI House," was at 20 Manchester Square. The stairwell is on the cover of the Beatles' "Please Please Me" album.

MCA

2008-08-27T20:47:00.013+10:00

MCA entered the recorded music business in 1962 with the purchase of the New York-based US Decca Records branch (established in 1934), including Coral Records and Brunswick Records. As American Decca owned Universal Pictures, MCA assumed full ownership of Universal and made it into the top film studio in town, producing hit after hit. In 1966, MCA formed Uni Records and in 1967 purchased Kapp Records.

The Mercury Label

2008-08-27T19:17:00.009+10:00

This is a really early one from the 50's

early 70s

late 70s

early 80s

This version was used from around 1984-

Rare Ones

2008-08-24T19:51:00.008+10:00

Havoc Records..

Blue Parrot records (?)

Q uite a rare one this from 1981, I can't remember seeing another issue on this label..

this one's from 1963

followed by a newer version of the 20th Century Fox label.

and Hickory from the US

Capitol Records

2008-08-24T19:44:00.017+10:00

Capitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood, California and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Capitol's parent EMI is one of the "big four" music companies, the others being Universal Music, Sony BMG and Warner Music. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine. Among the more famous artists who have recorded for Capitol Records are Richard Marx, Tina Turner, Nat King Cole, Megadeth, Peggy Lee, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Duran Duran, Kylie Minogue, the Beastie Boys, Coldplay, Oasis and Radiohead.

Classic Australian Labels

2008-08-24T19:21:00.020+10:00

The Albert Label-Artists included The Angels, AC/DC, Flash and The Pan and the whole Vanda/Young stable

and a slightly different version from the 80's..

The Sunshine label

Powderworks

the Spin Label

the 'Big Time' Label from the late 70's and 80's supporting artists such as The Huxton Creepers and Hoodoo Gurus.

rooArt

and of course Wheatley.

2008-08-23T21:19:00.011+10:00

A few different variations on the theme..
His Masters Voice (now 'HMV')

Stateside

Parlophone

Columbia

..and even Tamla Motown used this black label with the 45 - a copyrighted logo for EMI records.

Interfusion

2008-08-23T21:12:00.001+10:00

The label from the 60's and 70's

and the more modern variation from the 80's.

The Atlantic Label

2008-08-23T20:54:00.004+10:00

Firstly, the basic label from 1965..

This was the version in the 60's
and another 60s version.

This is the white label version from 1970, a release in Italy only.

This is the Atlantic red and black label that hasn't changed much except for the odd nip and tuck here and there over the last 20 years or so..

This one's got the slight variation of the black strip down the left hand side.

and here's the most recent variation.

The Evolution of the Elektra Label

2008-08-23T20:49:00.004+10:00

Some variations of the Elektra label, firstly from the early 70's

the mid 80s..

and the early 90s..

2008-08-23T20:35:00.011+10:00

De-Lite records was big in the 70s and early 80s

The Manhattan Label from EMI

The Apple label was set up by The Beatles after they split with Parlophone.

Decca - It's design didn't really change.

the classic Image label from the 70s.

here's the Australian fable label from the 60s and 70s..

lots of top Aussie songs came out on this one.

RCA has never really had much variation in their labels over the years..
RCA Records was founded in 1901 as the Victor Talking Machine Company, and the RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation Of America, which was the parent corporation in the pre-BMG days.

2008-08-23T20:30:00.009+10:00

I like these five labels..

Neighbourhood Records.

Oz
(This was Jo Jo Zep and The Falcon's first release back in 1976.

Charisma

the Burbank

the Casablanca label ( a division of Pye records..)

and Swan Song :)

The Evolution of The CBS Label

2008-08-18T22:54:00.009+10:00

Here's Simon & Garfunkel's big hit 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' on the original CBS label

and a later version from the mid 80's.
I never did like the idea of barcodes across labels.

and an even later version..

The Evolution of The Festival Label (Australia)

2008-08-09T20:38:00.001+10:00

Here's an earlier version of the Festival Label, from the group Love Machine

and this one an early Johnny O'Keefe single.

..and to the versions from the 70s and 80s.

The Evolution of The Mushroom Label (Australia)

2008-08-09T20:04:00.001+10:00

Firstly, the 1973 version of the Label. The single is Lucille and her song 'Friends'.

Here's a classic Australian song by Split Enz on the Mushroom label from the late 70's.

This is the later version of the Mushroom label (1980-) and a song by Ian Moss (ex - Cold Chisel.)

This is Mushroom's International version of the Label.

and finally the New Zealand version of Mushroom

2008-08-09T19:36:00.000+10:00

This one's from 1970's group Sherbet and their single 'Rock Me Gently' on Australian label Infinity.

2008-08-09T19:27:00.000+10:00

This would have to be one of my favourites of the modern labels. The Motown Label, in particular Lionel Richie's single 'You Are'.

2008-08-09T19:22:00.000+10:00

This is a fine example of the RAK label and the song is by Smokie, 'Take Good Care Of My Baby' from 1980.

2008-08-09T18:44:00.000+10:00

OK, OK..

here's the Sun record label, home in the 50s to artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and The King

2008-08-09T18:40:00.000+10:00

This was Elvis Presley's Label throughout his career (save the few releases on the SUN label earlier on..) RCA.

2008-08-09T18:33:00.003+10:00

This is a classic MGM label from the 50s and 60s.

The song is 'Somewhere, My Love' by Connie Francis.

and a later version from the US

and even later still..

and then from 1979.

2008-08-09T18:18:00.000+10:00

This is a classic W&G Label on The Seekers' single 'A World Of Our Own' which was a major hit for them in Australia and England in 1965.

2008-08-09T18:12:00.000+10:00

Here's a rare sub-label of Island Records Ltd, England - 'Tuff Gong'

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Buffalo Soldier

The First Post !

2008-08-09T17:54:00.001+10:00

Well, here we are..
The beginning of the record labels fans blog.

I'm really into record labels; the old fashioned type that use to be in the middle of those round vinyl things called 'records' (ok, ask your grandmother..)

This is an art form which I believe is slowly being forgotten as old vinyl records are being lost to the relentless march of time.

I especially love the older labels, the Australian Festival, Mushroom and Interfusion labels. The generic Parlophone, Columbia and even the original Motown label with the classic '45' icon in silver on a black back-ground which was used widely in the 60's. and the classic old Astor label (as pictured..) with the much more scenic later version from the 70's.