Label Guide: ATCO
ATCO Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was intended as a home for acts that did not fit the format of Atlantic, which at the time was only releasing blues, jazz, and R&B/soul. The Atco name is simply an abbreviation of Atlantic Corporation.
Atlantic deemphasized Atco in the mid-1970s, using the label mostly for releases by hard rock acts and some British and European bands. The label is now operating as a division of Warner Music Group.
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1. Label Variation
first ATCO label (1957 - 1962)
The first Yellow Harp ATCO label was used for catalogue numbers 33-100 to 33-138 (1957 - 1962).
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2. Label Variation (Mono)
second ATCO label, mono (1962 - 1968)
The primary ATCO label for the 1960s comes in two colour variations: yellow and blue for the mono releases, and purple and brown for the stereo albums. This label was used until catalogue number 33-265 (1968).
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2. Label Variation (Stereo)
second ATCO label, stereo (1962 - 1968)
The primary ATCO label for the 1960s comes in two colour variations: yellow and blue for the mono releases, and purple and brown for the stereo albums. This label was used until catalogue number 33-265 (1968).
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3. Label Variation
third ATCO label (1968 - 1974)
The first coloured wheel label has a '1841 Broadway, New York' address at the bottom rim. It should be found on ATCO 33-266 to 33-389 (1972) and on the SD-7000 series (1972 - 1974).
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4. Label Variation
fourth ATCO label (1974 - 1977)
The second coloured wheel label has a '75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York' address with the Warner Bros. logo and 'A Warner Communications Company' text. It was used for the ATCO 36-100 series (1974-1977).
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5. Label Variation
fifth ATCO label(1978 - 1982)
The silver label of the ATCO 38-100 series (1978-1982).
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6. Label Variation
sixth ATCO label (1982 - )
The 1980s ATCO label in a modern design with a new angled ATCO logo.
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1. UK Label Variation
first UK ATCO label (1960s)
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2. UK Label Variation
second UK ATCO label (1982)
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3. UK Label Variation
third UK ATCO label (1982)
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1. French Label Variation
first French ATCO label (1969)
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2. French Label Variation
second French ATCO label (1971)