Label Guide: ABC
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated by the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
In 1961 ABC launched its new Impulse! label to record and distribute jazz. Several years later, Bluesway Records was created to distribute ABC's blues releases. 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.
ABC Records purchased Dunhill Records in the summer of 1967, forming ABC Dunhill Records. Because the company was suffering financial problems, ABC Records was sold in 1979 to MCA Records, which discontinued the ABC label on March 5, 1979. The better selling albums in the ABC Records catalog were reissued on the MCA label.
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78rpm Label Variation
78rpm ABC-Paramount label (1950s)
The 78rpm ABC-Paramount label with text 'A PRODUCT OF AM-PAR RECORD CORP.' at the bottom rim.
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1. Label Variation
first ABC-Paramount label (1955 - 1962)
The first ABC-Paramount label with text 'A PRODUCT OF AM-PAR RECORD CORP.' at the bottom rim.
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2. Label Variation
second ABC-Paramount label (1962 - 1966)
The second ABC-Paramount label with text 'A PRODUCT OF ABC-PARAMOUNT RECORDS, INC.' at the bottom rim.
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3. Label Variation
third ABC label (1966 - 1974)
ABC-Paramount turned into ABC Records Inc. for this third label variation. It features a boxed logo with rainbow colours and was used from 1966 to 1974.
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4. Label Variation
fourth ABC label (1973 - 1974)
In 1973 ABC introduced a new label with a unique logo composed of children's toy blocks in a white triangle. It appears that this label was used concurrently with the rainbow box design.
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5. Label Variation
fifth ABC label (1974 - 1978)
The orange label was launched in 1974 and kept alive for several years.
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6. Label Variation
sixth ABC label (1978 - 1979)
The last ABC label (1978 - 1979) came with a new note logo on a similar background than the previous design.
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UK Label Variation
UK ABC label (1970s)