Modern Records

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Modern Records was an American record label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers: Jules, Saul, Lester and Joe Bihari.

In the early fifties they launched several subsidiaries: RPM Records, Flair Records and Meteor Records. In the late fifties they launched more subsidiaries: Crown Records and Kent Records. In the sixties they launched a subsidiary Yuletide Records, specialised in Christmas records. Modern Records stopped operating after the death of Jules Bihari, and the back catalogue was sold to various companies in 1984.

1 Label's success
2 Unrelated labels
3 See also
4 Notes
5 External links

[edit] Label's success

Modern was one of the big R&B labels with artists like Etta James, Joe Houston, John Lee Hooker, Floyd Dixon, Roy Hawkins, Jimmy McCracklin, Jimmy Witherspoon, Pee Wee Crayton, Smokey Hogg and Lightnin' Hopkins. Groups signed to the label included The Cadets and Marvin and Johnny.

Having started as an R&B label, Modern later was one of the few R&B labels to routinely cover rhythm and blues hits on other labels, apparently in an attemp to broaden their appeal and reach the popular market. Here they had less success and the company eventually went bankrupt, although the catalogue was maintained with Kent Records under similar management.^[1]

[edit] Unrelated labels

There have been other, unrelated, companies using the name "Modern Records" in later times. One of these labels was formed by Fleetwood Mac member Stevie Nicks, Paul Fishkin, and Danny Goldberg for the release of Nicks' solo material. The label was picked up by Atlantic Records. This label is also now defunct, and Nicks' solo material is now released through Reprise Records.^{[citation needed]}