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.
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78rpm Label Variation (I)
UK 78rpm Parlophone label (1948)
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78rpm Label Variation (II)
UK 78rpm Parlophone label (1956)
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1. Label Variation
black and gold Parlophone label (until April 1963)
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2. Label Variation
first black and yellow Parlophone label (1963 - 1964)
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3. Label Variation
second black and yellow Parlophone label (1964 - 1965)
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4. Label Variation
third black and yellow Parlophone label (1965 - mid 1969)
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5. Label Variation
fourth black and yellow Parlophone label (late 1969)
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6. Label Variation
first silver on black Parlophone label (late 1969 - 1971)
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7. Label Variation
second silver on black Parlophone label (1971 - 1973)
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8. Label Variation
third silver on black Parlophone label (1974 - 1979)
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9. Label Variation
modern Parlophone label (1980s)
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10. Label Variation
modern Parlophone label (1990s)
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US Label Variation
U.S. Parlophone label (1970s)
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1. Australian Label Variation
first Australian Parlophone label (1960s)
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2. Australian Label Variation
second Australian Parlophone label (1960s)
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3. Australian Label Variation (Mono)
third Australian Parlophone label, mono (1960s)
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3. Australian Label Variation (Stereo)
third Australian Parlophone label, stereo (1960s)
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4. Australian Label Variation
fourth Australian Parlophone label (1969)
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1. Italian Label Variation
first Italian Parlophone label (1960s)
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2. Italian Label Variation
second Italian Parlophone label (1960s)
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Danish Label Variation
Danish Parlophone label (1965)
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Venezuelan Label Variation
Venezuelan Parlophone label (1970s)