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ABC Records started in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records, the record label of Am-Par Record Corporation (a subsidiary of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Inc.), formed in New York City in 1955. In addition to producing records directly, ABC licensed finished masters from independent producers and purchased regionally- released records for national distribution. The corporate name of Am-Par Record Corporation was changed to ABC-Paramount Records, Inc. in 1962, and then to ABC Records, Inc. in 1967.

In 1965, ABC-Paramount Records changed its name to ABC Records. They distributed Dunhill Records until this label was purchased to form ABC-Dunhill Records. They also distributed Sire Records and U.K-based Anchor Records. Because the company was suffering financial problems, ABC Records was sold in 1979 to MCA Records, which dissolved the ABC label. The better selling albums in the ABC Records catalog were reissued on the MCA label.

Contents

Sub-labels and Acquisitions

ABC Records sub-labeled Apt Records to release singles. In the early 1960s, they purchased the Westminster Records classical music label and started Impulse Records to distribute jazz releases. Several years later, Bluesway Records was created to distribute their blues releases.

ABC Records purchased Dunhill Records in the summer of 1967, forming "ABC Dunhill Records." They purchased Duke Records and Peacock Records on May 23, 1973. Afterwards, they also purchased the Famous Music record labels from Gulf and Western in 1974 (these included Dot Records and Blue Thumb Records).

In addition to sub-labels, ABC Records purchased all labels from Enoch Light in October, 1959. ABC acquired Audition Records, Command Performance Records, Colortone Records and Waldorf Music Hall Records.

In 1979, ABC Dunhill was acquired by MCA Records which eventually evolved into Universal Music Group. Today, the pop & R&B catalog is part of Geffen Records while the jazz catalogue is part of Verve Records and the classical music catalogue is part of Deutsche Grammophon Records. ABC Records' country music catalogue is managed by MCA Nashville Records.

ABC-Paramount/ABC Records label variations

  • 1955-1961 -- Black label, "ABC-PARAMOUNT" around top perimeter of label (in various colored letters for singles and all white letters for albums) and logo consisting of color spectrum Möbius strip and white jagged line. Bottom perimeter of label reads: "A PRODUCT OF AM-PAR RECORD CORP."
  • 1961-1966 -- Same label as above, but disclaimer at bottom of label now reads: "A PRODUCT OF ABC-PARAMOUNT RECORDS, INC."
  • 1966-1967 -- Label now shortened to ABC Records. Black label with large white circle at top with "abc" in black letters and "wave & jagged line" logo under the letters. This variant was used only for singles.
  • 1967-1974 -- Black label with small white "abc" circle logo in color spectrum box at top (In conjunction with this label, a brief interim label was used from 1973-1974 consisting of three children's blocks spelling out ABC and one block with the "abc" logo in a white triangle at the top).
  • 1974-1978 -- Yellow, orange, red and purple label with "abc Records" (black "abc" circle logo) between two black lines at top
  • 1978-1979 -- Same multi-colored label as above, but with 1/8 note featuring "abc" inside the bottom of the note. Late pressings show "Mfg. & Dist. by MCA Distributing Corp..." at the bottom perimeter, just before the ABC label was discontinued and its artists transferred to MCA.

Types of Output

Artists associated with ABC Records and its labels

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Labels associated with ABC Records

Management of ABC Records catalogue today

The catalogues of ABC Records and its sublabels are now controlled by Universal Music Group with exceptions being the Jim Croce catalog being controlled by Saja Records along with Jim's estate and distributed primarily by the Warner Music Group, the Ray Charles catalog which is controlled by Ray's estate and distributed by the Warner Music Group, and the Amazing Rhythm Aces catalog, which is controlled by Sony Music Entertainment. The pop music catalogue is managed by Geffen Records, the jazz catalogue is managed by Verve Records, the country music catalog is managed by MCA Nashville Records and the classical music catalogue is managed by Deutsche Grammophon Records.

See also

External links
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