Editing Parlophone

{{Short description|German–British record label}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2011}}
{{Infobox record label <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Music -->
| bgcolor     = #000000
| name        = {{color|white|Parlophone Records}}
| image       = [[File:Parlophone logo.svg|220px|class=skin-invert]]
| image_alt   = The Logo
| parent      = [[Warner Music Group]] (WMG) (7 February 2013&nbsp;– present)
'''Previously'''
*[[Carl Lindström Company]] (1896–1926)
* [[Columbia Graphophone Company]] (1926&nbsp;– 31 March 1931)
* [[EMI|Electric and Musical Industries]] (EMI) (including [[Thorn EMI]]) (31 March 1931&nbsp;– 28 September 2012)
* [[Universal Music Group]] (UMG) (28 September 2012&nbsp;– 7 February 2013)
| founded     = {{Start date and age|df=y|1896}} (as Parlophon Parlograph Company)
| founder     = [[Carl Lindström Company|Carl Lindström]]
| distributor = {{ubl|Self-distributed|(UK/Most of Europe)|[[300 Elektra Entertainment]]/[[Warner Records]]|(United States)|[[Warner Music Group]]|(Outside the UK/Europe and the US)|[[Rhino Entertainment|Rhino Entertainment Company]]|(Reissues)|[[Universal Music Enterprises|UMe]]/[[Apple Records]] (Beatles only)}}
| genre       = Various
| location    = <!-- international -->
| website     = {{URL|parlophonerecords.com}}
}}

'''Parlophone Records Limited''' (also known as '''Parlophone Records''' and '''Parlophone''') is a [[record label]] founded in [[Germany]] in 1896 by the [[Carl Lindström Company]] as '''Parlophon'''. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 1923 as '''the Parlophone Company Limited''' (the Parlophone Co. Ltd.), which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a [[jazz]] record label. On 5 October 1926, the [[Columbia Graphophone Company]] acquired Parlophone's business, name, logo, and release library, and merged with the [[Gramophone Company]] on 31 March 1931 to become [[EMI|Electric & Musical Industries Limited]] (EMI). [[George Martin]] joined Parlophone in 1950 as assistant to Oscar Preuss (who had set up the London branch of the company in 1923), the label manager, taking over as manager in 1955. Martin produced and released a mix of recordings, including by comedian [[Peter Sellers]], pianist [[Mrs Mills]], and teen idol [[Adam Faith]].

In 1962, Martin signed [[the Beatles]], a [[beat group]] from [[Liverpool]] who earlier that year [[The Beatles' Decca audition|had been rejected]] by [[Decca Records]]. During the 1960s, when [[Cilla Black]], [[Billy J. Kramer]], [[the Fourmost]], and [[the Hollies]] also signed, Parlophone became one of the world's most famous labels. For several years, Parlophone claimed the best-selling UK single, "[[She Loves You]]", and the best-selling UK album, ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]'', both by the Beatles. The label placed seven singles at number 1 during 1964, when it claimed top spot on the [[UK Albums Chart]] for 40 weeks. Parlophone continued as a division of EMI until it was merged into the Gramophone Co. on 1 July 1965. On 1 July 1973, the Gramophone Co. was renamed EMI Records Limited.

On 28 September 2012, regulators approved [[Universal Music Group]]'s (UMG) planned [[Takeover|acquisition]] of EMI on condition that its EMI Records group would be divested from the combined group. EMI Records Ltd included Parlophone (except the Beatles' catalogue) and other labels to be divested and were for a short time operated in a single entity known as the Parlophone Label Group (PLG), while UMG pended their sale. [[Warner Music Group]] (WMG) acquired Parlophone and [PLG] on 7 February 2013, making Parlophone their third flagship label alongside [[Warner Records|Warner]] and [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]. PLG was renamed Parlophone Records Limited in May 2013. Parlophone is the oldest of WMG's "flagship" record labels.

==History==

===Early years===
Parlophone was founded "Parlophon" by [[Carl Lindström Company]] in 1896.<ref name="about">{{cite book|last=Womack|first=Kenneth|title=The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xWRyBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA711 |access-date=26 December 2018|date=30 June 2014|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-39172-9 |pages=711– }}</ref> The name Parlophon was used for [[phonograph|gramophones]] before the company began making records of their own. The label's <big>₤</big> trademark is a stylised [[blackletter]] ''L'' (<math>\mathfrak{L}</math>) that stands for Lindström. (Its resemblance to the British [[pound sign]] ''£'' and the Italian [[lira sign]] ''₤'' is coincidental: both derive from the letter ''L'' used as an abbreviation for the Ancient Roman unit of measurement {{lang|la|[[Ancient Roman units of measurement|libra]]}}.) On 8 August 1923, the British branch of "Parlophone" (with the "e" added) was established, led by [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] manager Oscar Preuss.<ref name="about" /> In its early years, Parlophone established itself as a leading jazz label in Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/feb/07/warnewr-music-parlophone-record-deal|title=Warner Music buys Parlophone label |last=Garside |first=Juliette |date=7 February 2013 |website=The Guardian|access-date=2 August 2018}}</ref>

===EMI years and initial success===
[[File:Carl_Lindstrom_Parlophone_ad.jpg|right|120px|"Parlophon" ad from 1927, Berlin]]

In 1927, the [[Columbia Graphophone Company]] acquired a controlling interest in the Carl Lindström Company, including Parlophone.<ref name="about" /> Parlophone became a subsidiary of Electric & Musical Industries ([[EMI]]), after Columbia Graphophone merged with the [[Gramophone Company]] in 1931.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/616485.stm |title=BUSINESS {{!}} EMI: A brief history |publisher=BBC News |access-date=2 August 2018 |date=24 January 2000}}</ref>

In 1950, Oscar Preuss hired producer [[George Martin]] as his assistant. When Preuss retired in 1955, Martin succeeded him as Parlophone's manager. Parlophone specialized in mainly classical music, cast recordings, and regional British music,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbyowsinski/2016/03/14/how-george-martin-changed-the-finances-of-the-record-business/ |title=How George Martin Changed The Finances Of The Record Business |last=Owsinski |first=Bobby |work=Forbes |access-date=2 August 2018 |date=14 March 2016}}</ref> but Martin also expanded the reach into novelty and comedy records. One notable example is ''The Best of Sellers'', a collection of sketches and comic songs by [[Peter Sellers]] undertaken in the guise of a variety of comic characters.<ref>Hall, Julian (2006). [https://books.google.com/books?id=nfi4GcEUWtwC ''The Rough Guide to British Cult Comedy'']. London: Rough Guides. {{ISBN|978-1-84353-618-5}}.</ref> It reached number three in the [[UK Albums Chart]] in 1958. Others include the albums of the comedy music double act [[Flanders and Swann]]. Musicians signed to the label included [[Humphrey Lyttelton]] and [[the Vipers Skiffle Group]].<ref name="Frame2011">{{cite book |last=Frame |first=Pete |title=The Restless Generation: How Rock Music Changed the Face of 1950s Britain |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5-SaAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT616 |access-date=26 December 2018|date=4 November 2011|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-85712-713-6|pages=616–}}</ref>

A consistently successful act for Parlophone was teen idol [[Adam Faith]], who was signed to the label in 1959.<ref name="Thompson2008">{{cite book|last=Thompson|first=Gordon |title=Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IcFBLtl7sq8C&pg=PA291|access-date=26 December 2018|date=10 September 2008|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-971555-8 |pages=291–}}</ref> The label gained significant popularity in 1962 when Martin signed Liverpool band [[the Beatles]].<ref name=":0" /> Parlophone gained more attention after signing [[the Hollies]], [[Ella Fitzgerald]], and [[Gerry and the Pacemakers]] in the 1960s.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ron-richards-record-producer-who-worked-with-the-beatles-the-hollies-gerry-and-the-pacemakers-and-1702080.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ron-richards-record-producer-who-worked-with-the-beatles-the-hollies-gerry-and-the-pacemakers-and-1702080.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Ron Richards: Record producer who worked with the Beatles |website=The Independent |access-date=2 August 2018 |date=11 June 2009 }}</ref> Martin left EMI/Parlophone to form Associated Independent Recording ([[Associated Independent Recording|AIR]]) Studios in 1965.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com.au/pictures-an-australian-photographer-was-in-george-martins-abandoned-air-studio-the-week-martin-died-2016-3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316191159/http://www.businessinsider.com.au/pictures-an-australian-photographer-was-in-george-martins-abandoned-air-studio-the-week-martin-died-2016-3 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 March 2016 |title=A photographer was in George Martin's abandoned AIR studio the week he died |last=Farquhar |first=Peter |date=14 March 2016 |work=Business Insider Australia |access-date=2 August 2018}}</ref> [[Norman Smith (record producer)|Norman Smith]] took over as Parlophone director, though EMI chairman Sir [[Joseph Lockwood]] unsuccessfully attempted to recruit [[Joe Meek]] for the job.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Womack |first1=Kenneth |title=Sound Pictures: The Life of Beatles Producer George Martin, The Later Years, 1966–2016 |date=4 September 2018 |publisher=Chicago Review Press |isbn=978-0-912777-77-1 |page=26 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qghODwAAQBAJ |access-date=23 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

Parlophone became dormant (except for Beatles reissues) in 1973 when most of EMI's heritage labels were phased out in favour of [[EMI Records]],<ref name="launch">{{cite web|title=EMI Label Launch Spurs Logo Plan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA53 |website=Google Books |publisher=Billboard/Nielsen Business Media |access-date=1 March 2013 |date=3 February 1973}}</ref> only to be revived in 1980.<ref name="ATV">{{cite web|title=ATV Northern Developing Production Ties to EMI |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT57 |website=Google Books |publisher=Billboard/Nielsen Business Media |access-date=1 March 2013 |date=13 September 1980 }}</ref> The first single released on the revived label was by British group The Cheaters (Parlophone – R6041).<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/release/3284659-The-Cheaters-Nuthin-Ever-Happens-On-Saturday "Nuthin' Ever Happens On Saturday"]</ref> During the next decades the label signed [[Pet Shop Boys]], [[Duran Duran]], [[Roxette]], [[Radiohead]], [[Supergrass]], [[Guy Berryman]], [[the Chemical Brothers]], [[Blur (band)|Blur]], [[Coldplay]], [[Kylie Minogue]], [[Damon Albarn]], [[Conor Maynard]], [[Gabrielle Aplin]], and [[Gorillaz]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-music-group-integrates-parlophone-667019 |title=Warner Music Group Integrates Parlophone Roster, Including Coldplay, David Guetta and Pink Floyd |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2 August 2018 |date=19 December 2013}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}}

On 23 April 2008, [[Miles Leonard]] was confirmed as the label's president.<ref name="musicweek">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1033997 |title=EMI Rings Changes |magazine=[[Music Week]]|date=23 April 2008 |access-date=16 February 2011}}</ref>

===Acquisition by Warner Music Group===
On 28 September 2012, regulators approved [[Universal Music Group]]'s planned acquisition of Parlophone's parent group EMI for £1.2 billion, subject to conditions imposed by the [[European Commission]] requiring that UMG sell off a number of labels, including Parlophone itself (aside from the Beatles' catalogue, which was kept by UMG and moved to Universal's newly formed [[Calderstone Productions]]), [[Chrysalis Records|Chrysalis]] (aside from [[Robbie Williams]]' catalogue), [[Ensign Records|Ensign]], [[Virgin Classics]], [[EMI Classics]], worldwide rights to [[Roulette Records]] (and its sublabels), and EMI's operations in Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Universal's Capitol takes shape: Barnett in, Beatles on roster|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/steve-barnett-named-chairman-of-universal-s-capitol-records/052695 |work=Music Week |publisher=Intent Media |access-date=18 April 2013 |first=Tim |last=Ingham |date=26 November 2012}}</ref> These labels and catalogues were operated independently from Universal as Parlophone Label Group until a buyer was found. UMG received several offers for PLG, including those from [[Island Records|Island]] founder [[Chris Blackwell]], [[Simon Fuller]], a [[Sony Music|Sony]]/[[BMG Rights Management|BMG]] consortium, [[Warner Music Group]], and [[MacAndrews & Forbes]].<ref name=guardian-emiapproved>{{cite news |title=Universal's £1.2bn EMI takeover approved – with conditions |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/sep/21/universal-emi-takeover-approved |work=The Guardian |access-date=21 September 2012|location=London|first=Mark|last=Sweney|date=21 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Pakinkis |first=Tom |url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/blackwell-fuller-eying-more-umg-emi-assets-as-parlophone-interest-stacks-up-report/052557 |title=Nine groups in Parlophone race, 12 eyeing other UMG/EMI assets |magazine=Music Week |access-date=1 March 2013 |date=15 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainment-us-emi-sonybmg-idUSBRE90600T20130107 |title=Sony, BMG in joint bid for Parlophone, EMI labels |work=Reuters |date=7 January 2013|access-date=1 March 2013 |first=Mayumi |last=Negishi}}</ref>

On 7 February 2013, it was confirmed that [[Warner Music Group]] would acquire Parlophone Label Group for US$765 million. The deal was approved in May 2013 by the European Union, which saw no concerns about the deal because of WMG's smaller reach compared to the merged UMG and Sony. Warner Music closed the deal on 1 July. Parlophone Label Group was the old [[EMI Records]] label that included both the Parlophone and the eponymous EMI labels. The EMI trademark was retained by Universal (as [[Virgin EMI Records]]) while the "old" EMI Records became defunct and was renamed "Parlophone Records Ltd."

Soon after acquiring Parlophone, WMG signed an agreement with [[IMPALA Independent Music Companies Association|IMPALA]] and the [[Merlin Network]] (two groups which opposed the EMI/Universal deal) to divest $200 million worth of catalogues to independent labels in order to help offset the consolidation triggered by the merger.<ref name=nyt-wmgparlophone>{{cite news|title=Warner Music Gains Approval to Buy Parlophone, a Last Piece of EMI |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/16/business/media/warner-music-gains-approval-to-buy-parlophone-a-last-piece-of-emi.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=17 May 2013 |first=Ben |last=Sisario |date=15 May 2013 }}</ref><ref name=nyt-wmgdeal>{{cite news |title=Warner Music Makes a Deal With Small Labels |url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/warner-music-makes-a-deal-with-small-labels/ |work=The New York Times |access-date=17 May 2013 |first=Ben |last=Sisario |date=19 February 2013 }}</ref> In April 2016, the back catalogue of British rock band [[Radiohead]], who had sued Parlophone and EMI over a dispute in music royalties, was transferred to [[XL Recordings]].<ref name=radiohead>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7318964/radioheads-early-catalog-warner-bros-xl |title=Radiohead's Early Catalog Moves From Warner Bros. to XL |website=Billboard.com |date=4 April 2016 |access-date=5 April 2016}}</ref>

WMG treats Parlophone as its third "frontline" label group alongside [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] and [[Warner Records|Warner]].<ref name=billboard-wmgplan>{{cite web|title=Warner Music Group Outlines Parlophone Integration Process, Expects $70 Million in Annual Cost Savings |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/1559599/warner-music-group-outlines-parlophone-integration-process-expects |publisher=Billboard.com |access-date=30 January 2014 |date=25 April 2013}}</ref> In the US, most of Parlophone's artists are now distributed under Warner Records except [[Dinosaur Pile-Up]], distributed by [[300 Elektra Entertainment]]'s  [[Roadrunner Records]], Coldplay and Tinie Tempah, both distributed by Atlantic Records, and [[David Guetta]], distributed by Atlantic's electronic music imprint [[Big Beat Records (American record label)|Big Beat Records]].<ref name=billboard-wmgshuffle>{{cite web |title=Coldplay, David Guetta Go To Atlantic Records; Radiohead & Pink Floyd Catalogs, Kylie Minogue, Damon Albarn To Warner Bros: WMG's US Plans for Parlophone |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/5840082/coldplay-david-guetta-go-to-atlantic-records-radiohead-pink-floyd |publisher=Billboard.com |access-date=30 January 2014 |date=18 December 2013}}</ref>

==Roster==
{{Main|List of Parlophone artists}}

Parlophone's roster includes many popular music artists. Its contemporary [[His Master's Voice (British record label)|His Master's Voice]] was more of a classical music label and mostly ceased issuing popular music recordings in 1967; later replaced by [[EMI Classics]], which was absorbed into [[Warner Classics]] in 2013; English Columbia was replaced by the EMI pop label. Parlophone also operates [[Regal Recordings|Regal]], a contemporary revival of the historic Columbia Graphophone budget/reissue label founded in 1914. [[List of Parlophone artists|The list]] records those who achieved notability.

===The Beatles===
{{Further|The Beatles}}

The Beatles' albums in the U.K. up to ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]'' were issued on the Parlophone label. Subsequent releases&nbsp;– ''[[The Beatles (album)|The Beatles]]'' (also known as the "White Album"), ''[[Yellow Submarine (album)|Yellow Submarine]]'', ''[[Abbey Road]]'' and ''[[Let It Be (album)|Let It Be]]''&nbsp;– were issued on the Beatles' own [[Apple Records|Apple]] record label, manufactured and distributed by EMI and bearing Parlophone catalogue numbers.

On 6 June 1962, producer George Martin signed the Beatles to Parlophone,<ref name="Lewisohn1992">{{cite book |last=Lewisohn |first=Mark |title=The Complete Beatles Chronicle:The Definitive Day-By-Day Guide To the Beatles' Entire Career |year=2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7D1mRwAACAAJ&pg=PA56|access-date=17 January 2021|publisher=Chicago Review Press|isbn=978-1-56976-534-0|pages=56–}}</ref> in turn, making the Beatles' deal one of the cheapest by Parlophone.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Beatles Biography |url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/the-beatles.html |access-date=29 September 2012 |archive-date=14 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914170117/http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/the-beatles.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Despite the separation of Parlophone from EMI as a condition of EMI's acquisition by UMG, Universal was allowed to keep the Beatles' recorded music catalogue, which is now managed by the subsidiary [[Calderstone Productions]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/the-beatles-universal-and-calderstone-3219909 |title=The Beatles, Universal, and Calderstone Productions  |website=thoughtco.com |date=6 March 2017 |access-date=29 May 2017}}</ref>

==Gallery of Parlophone record labels==
<gallery>
File:Vertinsky Parlophone B.23017 02.jpg|Vertinsky Parlophone B.23017, made in Germany
File:EarlyParlophoneLabel.jpg|Early 20th century Parlophone record label of the 78rpm acoustic era
File:Parlophone LP PMC 1202.jpg|''[[Please Please Me]]'' by [[the Beatles]] (side 1) – 1963. Parlophone ''gold and black'' label
File:With the beatles side 1.JPG|''[[With the Beatles]]'' (side 1) – Parlophone ''yellow and black'' label
File:Record Label Parlophone, UK, West End Blues.jpg|[[West End Blues]], British Parlophone record
</gallery>

The labels shown here include those used for 78s and LPs. The label design for 7-inch singles had the same standard template as several other EMI labels, with the large "45" insignia to the right. In recent years, design uniformity has relaxed from release to release.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/parlophonerecords Parlophone] on ''[[YouTube]]''

{{Warner Music Group|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Parlophone| ]]
[[Category:1896 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:British subsidiaries of foreign companies]]
[[Category:Electronic music record labels]]
[[Category:EMI]]
[[Category:German record labels]]
[[Category:British jazz record labels]]
[[Category:Labels distributed by Universal Music Group]]
[[Category:Labels distributed by Warner Music Group]]
[[Category:Pop record labels]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1896]]
[[Category:Rock record labels]]
[[Category:Warner Music labels]]