Recording Company History

The History of Recording Companies
The history of record labels goes far back to the 1900s where vinyl, cylinders and discs have just been invented. During this time many record companies were formed after these inventions were issued, this was the start of the major and independent record labels. The first big record labels in the 1900s were Edison, Victor and Columbia, and soon after these companies were formed, others started to form their own companies after issues of discs became popular in 1913. In 1915 a man called Felix Kahn formed the Okeh Record Company in the U.S, it was this label that introduced the first blues record, and in 1926 it was gained by Columbia.
• Emerson Records was formed in 1916 by a former Columbia executive called

In 1939 Blue Note Records was created by Alfred Lions.
After Decca US was dropped by CBS, they picked up Brunswick in 1942 and in 1947 London Records was formed as an American imprint of Decca's UK artists.
Capitol Records was formed by a singer named Johnny Mercer and an investor named Buddy De Sylva. The record company name started off as Liberty but was soon changed to Capitol. Capitol made a signed deal with Decca in 1947 to distribute its materials in the UK.
In 1947 Mercury Records was established, Atlantic records was formed by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abrahamson in 1947. Many independent companies were being formed in the 1940s;
During the early 1950s there were 5 major record labels, these 5 major labels were Columbia, RCA Victor, Decca, Mercury and Capitol.
Sam Phillip who was Alabama radio personality created Sun Records in 1952. A year after establishing Sun Records he signed Elvis Presley who then went on to sign to RCA in 1956 after multiple hits with Sun Records.
ABC Records was created by Paramount Pictures in 1955 and many of their big hit stars were launched through the ABC TV show called

Motown Records was created by Berry Gordy who was a Ford motor Company assembly line worker. Then in 1961 he created his second record label named Tamla Records and soon after that he created a third one named Gordy Records.
In 1965 the independent labels named valiant and autumn were bought by the warner brothers.
Dot Records was purchased by Gulf and Western in 1965 thus becoming part of the group ABC. ABC purchased Dunhill Records from Lou Adler in 1966 thus making ABC Dunhill label
Warner obtained Reprise label owned by Frank Sinatra in 1963 just after it was launched. Three years later in 1966 Warner Brothers film and records thus making Warner Seven Arts and then gained Atlantic in 1967 and then Elektra in 1968. In 1969 it was sold on to the Kinney Corporation and shortly after, the name was changed to Warner Communications.
In 1967 Blue Note Record was sold to Liberty.
Bubble Gum Pop label was created by Neil Bogart in order to counteract drug influenced music.
Apple Record was created By The Beatles in