Label Guide: Reprise
Reprise Records was started by Frank Sinatra in 1960 who sold it to Warner Brothers in 1963. In 1976, the Reprise label was deactivated by Warner Brothers and all of its roster (except Frank Sinatra and Neil Young) was moved to the main Warner Bros. label.
An unconfirmed explanation for this move is that Sinatra wanted to be the only artist on Reprise, and Neil Young is said to have been the only Reprise act who refused to agree to a change in labels.
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1. Label Variation (I)
first Reprise label (1963 - 1968/1970)
The Tri-Colour Steamboat Label was in use until the end of 1968 in the USA, but it was kept alive in the U.K. (and other international markets) well into 1970. This is the label design that is usually referred to when talking about the "steamboat label," even though the later designs also use a version of the steamboat image.
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1. Label Variation (II)
first Reprise label (1963 - 1968/1970)
The Tri-Colour Steamboat Label was in use until the end of 1968 in the USA, but it was kept alive in the U.K. (and other international markets) well into 1970. Here is an example of a 1970 UK version.
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1. Label Variation (III)
first Reprise label (1963 - 1968/1970)
Another variation of the Tri-Colour Steamboat Label.
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1. Label Variation (Sinatra)
first Reprise label (1963 - 1968/1970)
The Frank Sinatra branded Reprise label was used for all Sinatra releases in the 1960s.
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2. Label Variation
second Reprise label (1969 - 1970)
The Two-Tone Label was used for the US market between 1969 and 1970. This tan and orange design was not used in the U.K. or Europe as far as we know.
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3. Label Variation (I)
third Reprise label (1970 - )
In 1970 the label was changed internationally to this tan steamboat design. Here a very early version with trademark (R) and stereo label in the middle.
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3. Label Variation (II)
third Reprise label (1970 - )
Another version with the stereo label at the bottom.
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3. Label Variation (III)
third Reprise label (1970 - )
A German version for the Twen Series from 1970.
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3. Label Variation (IV)
third Reprise label (1970 - )
The UK version of this design had no horizontal line at the top.
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4. Label Variation (I)
fourth Reprise label (late 1980s - )
The modern Reprise label comes with a very different steamboat image.
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4. Label Variation (II)
fourth Reprise label (late 1980s - )
The modern Reprise label comes with a very different steamboat image.