Label Guide: Parlophone

Founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company, the brand name Parlophon was initially used for gramophones before the company began making records. The £ trademark is a German L, for Lindström, that it resembles the British pound sign is coincidental. In 1923, the British branch of "Parlophone" (with the "e" added) was established, which became a leading jazz label in the UK.

In 1927 the Columbia Graphophone Company acquired a controlling interest in the Carl Lindström Company and thereby in Parlophone. In 1931 Columbia merged with the Gramophone Company to form Electric & Musical Industries Ltd (EMI). Under EMI the Parlophone company initially maintained its status as a jazz label.

George Martin became Parlophone label manager in 1955, and in 1962 it was Martin who signed The Beatles who quickly turned Parlophone into one of the world's most famous and prestigious record labels. In 1965, the Parlophone Company was absorbed into EMI's Gramophone Company unit (renamed EMI Records in 1973) with the Parlophone label maintaining its identity.

The label was rendered dormant in 1973 when most of EMI's heritage labels were phased out in favour of the new EMI Records label, but it was revived in 1980. The label is now part of Warner Music Group, which aquired the Parlophone Label Group in February 2013.