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A&M Records

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A&M Records, Inc.
Parent companyUniversal Music Group(UMG)
Founded1962;62 years ago(1962)
FounderHerb Alpert
Jerry Moss
Defunct1999;25 years ago(1999)
StatusDefunct (absorbed byInterscopeandVerve Records)[1]
Distributor(s)Interscope Capitol Labels Group
(United States)
Polydor Records
(United Kingdom)
GenreVarious
Country of originUnited States
LocationSanta Monica,California
Hollywood, California(1966–1999)
Official websiteinterscope

A&M Recordswas an Americanrecord labelfounded as an independent company byHerb AlpertandJerry Mossin 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired byPolyGramin 1989 and began distributing releases fromPolydor Ltd.from the UK.

PolyGram was acquired bySeagramand dissolved intoUniversal Music Groupin 1998, and A&M's operations ceased in January 1999 when it was merged withGeffen RecordsandInterscope Recordsto form therecord companyInterscope Geffen A&M Records(a unit of Interscope Capitol Labels Group, since 2024). In 2007, Interscope Geffen A&M announced that A&M was revived as trademark and brand and was to be merged withOctone Recordsto formA&M Octone Records,which operated until 2014, when A&M Octone was folded into Interscope. Today, A&M's catalog releases are managed byVerve Records,Universal Music Enterprisesand Interscope. Most of Alpert's catalog on the label has been released on his own label, Herb Alpert Presents.

Despite the shutdown in 1999 and the name being phased out during the 2000s, present-dayStingreleases continue to bear the A&M name & logo.

History

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Founding

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A&M Records was formed in 1962 byHerb AlpertandJerry Moss.[2]Their first choice for a name wasCarnival Records,under which they released two singles before discovering that another label had already taken the Carnival name. The company was subsequently renamed A&M, after Alpert's and Moss's initials. From 1966 to 1999, the company's headquarters were on the grounds of the historicCharlie Chaplin Studiosat 1416 North La Brea Avenue, nearSunset BoulevardinHollywood.[3]

A&M Studios Main Gate 1988

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, A&M had such acts asHerb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass,Baja Marimba Band,Burt Bacharach,Antônio Carlos Jobim,Sérgio Mendes& Brasil ’66, Ralph Williams/The Marauders,the Sandpipers,Boyce & Hart,We Five,the Carpenters,Chris Montez,Elkie Brooks,Lee Michaels,Captain and Tennille,the Flying Burrito Brothers,Quincy Jones,Lucille Starr,Stealers Wheel,Gallagher and Lyle,Barry DeVorzon,Perry Botkin, Jr.,Marc Benno,Liza Minnelli,Rita Coolidge,Gino Vannelli,Wes Montgomery,Paul Desmond,Bobby Tench,Hummingbird,Toni Basil,andPaul Williams.Folk artistsJoan Baez,Phil OchsandGene Clarkalso recorded for the label during the 1970s.Billy Prestonjoined the label in 1971, followed byAndre PoppandHerb Ohtain 1973.

In the late 1960s, through direct signing and licensing agreements, A&M added several British artists to its roster, includingCat Stevens,Joe Cocker,Procol Harum,Humble Pie,Fairport Convention,Free,the Move,StrawbsandSpooky Tooth.In the 1970s, under its manufacturing and distribution agreement withOde Records,A&M released albums byCarole Kingand the comedy duoCheech & Chong.Other notable acts of the time includedNazareth,Y&T,the Tubes,Styx,Supertramp,Joan Armatrading,Bell and James,Chris de Burgh(who went on to greater mainstream success in the 1980s),Rick Wakeman,the Ozark Mountain Daredevils,Chuck Mangione,Squeeze,andPeter Frampton.On March 10, 1977, A&M "signed" theSex PistolsoutsideBuckingham Palacein a mock signing ceremony after the band had been dropped byEMI,although the real signing had actually occurred the prior day;[4]however, A&M dropped the band within a week.[5]

A&M sustained its success during the 1980s with a roster of noted acts that includedOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark;Henry Badowski;Janet Jackson;the Police;Sting;the Brothers Johnson;Falco;Atlantic Starr;the Go-Go's;Bryan Adams;Suzanne Vega;Righeira;Brenda Russell;Jeffrey Osborne;Oingo Boingo;the Human League;Ozark Mountain Daredevils;Sharon, Lois & Bram;Annabel Lamb;Jim Diamond;Vital Signs;Joe Jackson;Charlie Peacock;and Scottish rock bandGun.They also, through a deal with Christian music labelMyrrh,distributed back catalog recordings ofAmy Grantas well as her new recordings, starting with 1985'sUnguarded,to the mainstream marketplace, a vital component in her subsequent breakthrough as a mainstream artist.

Within a decade of its inception, A&M became the world's largest independent record company.[6]A&M releases were initially issued in the United Kingdom byEMI'sStateside Recordslabel, and then under its own name byPye Records,who released the first Herb Alpert records on the Pye International label before issuing the records on the A&M label until 1967. From 1969, A&M set up its own UK base appointing John Deacon (not to be confused withQueen's bass guitarist of the same name) as general manager, a post he held until 1979. Several A&R men were recruited including Larry Yaskiel, Derek Green and Mike Noble and major UK acts such as the Police, Supertramp, Rick Wakeman, Squeeze, Gallagher & Lyle, Elkie Brooks, the Strawbs and Peter Frampton as well as many others were all signed to the UK label. A&M releases were also issued in Australia throughFestival Recordsuntil 1989. A&M Records Ltd.[7]was established in 1970, with distribution handled by other labels with a presence in Europe. A&M Records of Canada Ltd.[8]was also formed in 1970, and A&M Records of Europe in 1977. In 1979, A&M entered a distribution agreement withRCA Recordsin the US,[9]and withCBS Recordsin many other countries.

Over the years, A&M added specialty imprints: Almo International[10]for middle of the road; Omen Records (1964–1966)[11]for soul; Horizon Records[12]for jazz (1974–1978); AyM Discos[13]for Latin-American;Vendetta Records[14]for dance music (1988–1990); and Tuff Break Records for hip-hop music (1993–1995).[15]

Acquisition by PolyGram

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A&M was bought byPolyGramfor $500 million in 1989.[16]Alpert and Moss continued to manage the label until 1993. In 1998, Alpert and Moss sued PolyGram for breach of the integrity clause, eventually settling for an additional $200 million payment.[17]

In 1991, A&M launchedPerspective Records[18]as a joint venture with producing teamJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.Jam and Lewis stepped down as CEOs of the imprint in 1997, but they remained on as consultants. In 1999, the label was absorbed into A&M. In the mid-1990s, A&M began distributing its PolyGram sister labelPolydor Recordsin the US.[19]

During the 1990s, the company continued to release albums bySoundgarden,Extreme,Amy Grant,John Hiatt,Sting,Blues Traveler,Barry White,andAaron Neville,as well as material from new artistsSheryl Crow,Monster Magnet,Therapy?,CeCe Peniston,Intelligent Hoodlum,Dred Scott,Ridel HighandGin Blossoms.The company released the soundtracksRobin Hood: Prince of Thieves,The Three Musketeers,Sabrina,The Living Sea,Demolition Man,andLethal Weapon 3.[citation needed]

Universal Music Group merging and Interscope Geffen A&M

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In 1998, PolyGram was bought bySeagramand merged intoUniversal Music Group,[20]which was formed in 1996 as the successor to MCA Music Entertainment Group, of whichMCA Recordshad been the flagship. A&M was subsequently merged into Universal Music Group's then newly formedInterscope Geffen A&Mlabel group. Its Canadian division was absorbed intoUniversal Music Canadaat that time, which includedJann Ardenalongside other artists from Canada.

The A&M lot on La Brea Avenue was shut down in January 1999. During the farewell celebration, the company's staff placed a black band over the A&M sign above the main entrance, indicating the death of the company.[21]The old A&M studios and executive offices are now the home ofthe Jim Henson Company,which operatesHenson Recording Studios.Most of the company's workforce, some of whom had been with the company for a decade or more, were let go while many of its artists were dropped. The label's more prominent acts such as Sting, Sheryl Crow, Bryan Adams andChris Cornell,however would remain on its roster.

In response to the down-sourcing, Al Cafaro stated,

This isn't about Universal or Seagram. The record business is changing fundamentally. Don't think that there are calm seas on the other side of this threshold. If the quake that devoured A&M and Geffen is a 6.0 on the Richter scale, there is a 7.0 coming in this industry. It's a Wall Street world now. Get ready.[22][verification needed][21]

A&M catalog albums that did not fit the current pop music format (which also includes rock, rap and R&B) of their new parent division were transferred to other Universal divisions for management - for example,Verve Recordsnow manages A&M's jazz catalog, not including Herb Alpert's recorded output which Alpert acquired in the settlement with Universal Music (however, Verve does manage the Horizon Records catalog).[23]

Despite the shutdown, the A&M name continued to be used on albums from artists such asSnow Patrol,the Black Eyed PeasandKeyshia Cole—a result of Alpert and Moss's 1998 lawsuit—until February 2007, whenInterscope-Geffen-A&Mpartnered with Octone Records to relaunch the A&M label fully. Now headed byJames Dienerand calledA&M/Octone Recordswith worldwide distribution handled by parent Universal Music Group, the existing Octone roster was transferred to the A&M/Octone label and all newer artist signings were made under the A&M/Octone joint venture.[24]Acts that were already signed to the label before the merger with Octone, however, would remain on the main A&M label.

After six successful years of operation, in September 2013, Octone initiated its buy/sell rights in the joint venture, resulting in Interscope-Geffen-A&M purchasing Octone Records' 50% interest in A&M/Octone, absorbing and restructuring the artist roster into Interscope operations in 2014 as announced.[25]

Subsidiary and associated labels

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Former

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Theatrical film release

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See also

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References

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  1. ^Chuck, Phillips; Hilburn, Robert (January 22, 1999)."A&M Records Closes; Geffen Lays of".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedSeptember 27,2015.
  2. ^Bronson, Fred (2003).The Billboard Book of Number One Hits.Billboard Books.ISBN9780823076772.
  3. ^"A&M Album Discography".bsnpubs.
  4. ^"The Sex Pistols signed with A&M outside Buckingham Palace 35 years ago today".
  5. ^Southall, Brian (2007).Sex Pistols: 90 Days at EMI.Bobcat Books Ltd., London. pp. 138–9.ISBN978-1-84609-779-9.
  6. ^"Independent record labels roll over as the conglomerates go rocking on".The Independent.January 25, 1999.RetrievedJuly 29,2020.
  7. ^"A&M Records Ltd".On A&M Records. 2007.
  8. ^"A&M Records Canada".On A&M Records. 2003.
  9. ^Passman, Donald."Pressing & Distribution Deals".taxi.Taxi: The World's Leading Independent A&R Company.RetrievedDecember 20,2015.
  10. ^"Almo International".On A&M Records. 2003.
  11. ^"Omen Records".On A&M Records. 2007.
  12. ^"Horizon Records History".On A&M Records. 2003.
  13. ^"AyM Discos History".On A&M Records. 2003.
  14. ^"Vendetta Records".On A&M Records. 2007.
  15. ^"Tuff Break".On A&M Records. 2007.
  16. ^"PolyGram Announces Acquisition of A&M Records".AP NEWS.RetrievedJune 8,2022.
  17. ^"Herb Alpert's Vivendi Deal Has $200-Million Encore Performance".Los Angeles Times.March 12, 2003.Archivedfrom the original on July 21, 2020.
  18. ^"Perspective Records".On A&M Records. 2006.
  19. ^"At Polygram NV's first annual meeting as..."Los Angeles Times.May 2, 1990.
  20. ^"Seagram buys PolyGram from Philips for $10.6bn".The Independent.May 22, 1998.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.
  21. ^abGumbel, Andrew (January 25, 1999)."Independent record labels roll over as the conglomerates go rocking on".The Independent.Los Angeles.RetrievedJuly 24,2020.
  22. ^Black Thursday: A&M Shuts Its Doors
  23. ^"Herb Alpert".Shout! Factory. Archived fromthe originalon July 16, 2011.RetrievedJuly 16,2011.
  24. ^Martens, Todd (February 20, 2007)."Interscope Geffen A&M Shifting To Octone".Billboard.Los Angeles:The Nielsen Company.Archived fromthe originalon February 23, 2007.RetrievedJuly 24,2020.
  25. ^"Interscope Geffen A&M Acquires Remaining Share of A&M/Octone Records".Billboard.
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