A&M Records

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A&M Records
Parent company Universal Music Group
Founded 1962
Founder(s) Herb Alpert
Jerry Moss
Distributing label Interscope-Geffen-A&M (US)
Polydor Records (UK)
Genre(s) Various
Country of origin US
Location Santa Monica, California
Official Website http://amrecords.com/

A&M Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.

Contents

[edit] Company history

[edit] Beginnings

A&M Records was formed in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. Their first choice for a name was “Carnival Records,” under which they released two singles, before discovering another label had taken the Carnival name first. The company was subsequently renamed “A&M,” after Alpert’s and Moss’s initials. From 1966 to 1999, the company was headquartered on the grounds of the historic Charlie Chaplin Studio at 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, near Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. (The A&M Studios and executive offices are now the home of Jim Henson Productions, which operates Henson Recording Studios[1] and the financial center is home to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.)

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, A&M was amongst the leading performers of ‘light’ pop music, with such acts as: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Burt Bacharach, Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66, the Carpenters, Captain and Tennille, Fairport Convention, and Paul Williams. A&M, meanwhile, explored a multitude of different genres of music including folk music legend Joan Baez, Brothers Johnson, and Rita Coolidge, the latter of whom enjoyed a 12-year tenure with the label. Its Ode Records subsidiary released albums by such artists as Carole King and the comedy duo Cheech and Chong.

After its inception, A&M became the largest independent record company in America until 1979, when it joined the RCA Records distribution network (which later became BMG.)

A&M’s success sustained during the 1980s with noted acts that included: Joe Cocker, Janet Jackson, Atlantic Starr, Procol Harum, Spooky Tooth, Nazareth, The Tubes, Styx, The Police, Suzanne Vega, Supertramp, Annabel Lamb, Bryan Adams, Joe Jackson and Peter Frampton. [1]

[edit] The PolyGram years

After spending the 1980s having its records distributed through BMG, A&M was sold to PolyGram in 1989 for a reported $500 million. Following the buyout, A&M became one of PolyGram’s strongest and most dominate imprints, while continuing to be independently managed.

During the 1990s, the company continued to release critically and commercially acclaimed albums by such acts as: Soundgarden, Extreme, Amy Grant, John Hiatt, Sting, Blues Traveler, Barry White, and Aaron Neville—as well as from new artists Sheryl Crow, Therapy?, CeCe Peniston, and the Gin Blossoms. The company extended its soundtrack legacy with, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Three Musketeers, Sabrina, The Living Sea, Demolition Man, Lethal Weapon 3, as well as indie classic Empire Records, and many others.

A&M was a leader in innovative music marketing and licensing, and was the first label to license its music for use in videogames with Soundgarden, and Therapy?, appearing in Electronic Arts, "Road Rash 3DO" videogame in 1994[2]

[edit] A&M under Universal and Interscope

In 1998, PolyGram was bought out by Seagrams and folded into its Universal Music Group. The consolidation of these two music giants triggered a shake up of labels. Subsequently, A&M was reduced in size and stature, and merged into Universal Music Group’s Interscope Records division (which at this time also absorbed Geffen Records.)

A&M closed its doors at the Chaplin lot in early 1999. During the farewell celebration, the company’s staff placed a black band over the A&M sign indicating the death of the company. Most of the company’s workforce (some of whom had been with the company for a decade, or more) were let go, while many of its artists were dropped. Alpert and Moss sued Universal Music Group in 2000, claiming that they had violated a contractual agreement that stated A&M Records would be allowed to retain its corporate culture.

The first multi-platinum A&M Records release under Universal Music Group and Interscope Records was Sting’s 1999 album Brand New Day. In addition to Sting, in the time since A&M’s restructuring, the company has continued to attain success with releases by its few retained mainstay acts, such Sheryl Crow and Bryan Adams—as well as by newer acts like The Black Eyed Peas and Pussycat Dolls.

[edit] Labels under A&M

Main article: Universal Music Group

[edit] Former labels

[edit] Current Labels

  • will.i.am Music Group (2006-present)
  • Tropical Records (2007-present)
  • A&M/Octone Records (2007-present)

A&M releases were issued in the United Kingdom by Pye Records until 1967. A&M Records, Ltd. was established in 1970 and distribution was still handled by other labels with a presence in Europe. A&M Records of Canada, Ltd. was formed in 1970, and A&M Records of Europe in 1977.

Over the years, A&M added specialty imprints: Almo International [3] for middle of the road; Omen Records (1964–1966) [4] for soul; Horizon Records [5] for jazz (1974–1978); AyM Discos [6] Latin American division; Vendetta Records (1988–1990) as a dance imprint. Tuff Break Records for hip hop music (1994-1995) was another joint venture.

In 1991, A&M created Perspective Records [7] through a joint venture with producing team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Since the middle 1990s, A&M has distributed its sister label, Polydor Records. In spite of Polydor’s US operations dismantling in 1999, distribution of Polydor’s UK releases remains funneled through A&M in North America—while Polydor distributes A&M's international releases.

[edit] References

  1. ^ A&M Records History 1962-1969. On A&M Records.com. (2003).
  2. ^ A&M Records History 1990-2000. On A&M Records.com. (2003).
  3. ^ Almo International. On A&M Records.com. (2003).
  4. ^ Omen Records. On A&M Records.com. (2007).
  5. ^ Horizon Records History. On A&M Records.com. (2003).
  6. ^ AyM Discos History. On A&M Records.com. (2003).
  7. ^ Perspective Records. On A&M Records.com. (2006).

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

  • On A&M Records - search every artist and recording from A&M Records and its affiliates
  • A&M Corner - Since 1995: the internet's original A&M Records free collector/listener resource
  • MySpace A&M Records - Find A&M Records on MySpace
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