A&M Records
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A&M Records is a record label formed in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. Their first choice for a name was Carnival Records and they released two singles under that name before they learned another label had taken the Carnival name first. Alpert and Moss changed the name to "A&M." Over the years, A&M added specialty imprints, Omen Records (1964-1966) for soul, Horizon Records for jazz (1974-1978) and Vendetta Records (1988-1990) as a dance record imprint.
A&M releases were issued in the United Kingdom by Pye Records until 1967. A&M Records, Ltd. was established in 1970 and distribution was still handled by other labels with a presence in Europe. In 1970 A&M Records of Canada, Ltd. was formed and A&M Records of Europe in 1977.
A&M has a long history of distributing records for other labels, including Dark Horse Records (1974-1976), IRS Records (1979-1985), Windham Hill Records (and their subsidiary labels) (1982-1985), Gold Mountain Records (1983-1985), Word Records (and their subsidiary labels) (1985-1990), Cypress Records (1988-1990 and Perspective Records (1990-1996).) A&M also distributed Ode Records and Vault Records and purchased Shelter Records.
A&M was sold to PolyGram in 1989 for about half a billion dollars. In 1998, PolyGram merged with Universal and A&M was made part of the Interscope Records group, which also includes Geffen Records. Universal Music Group is owned by the French water company Vivendi.
From 1966 to 1999, A&M Records was located on the grounds of the historic Charlie Chaplin Studio near the corner of Sunset and La Brea Blvds. in Hollywood, California (the studio is now the location of Jim Henson Productions).
Artists signed to A&M Records
- Bad Boys Inc
- Bryan Adams
- Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass
- Burt Bacharach
- Julius Wechter & The Baja Marimba Band
- The Captain & Tennille
- Joe Cocker
- Carpenters
- Rita Coolidge
- Sheryl Crow
- The Dream Syndicate
- Extreme
- The Human League
- Janet Jackson
- Joe Jackson
- Sergio Mendes
- Chris Montez
- Phil Ochs
- The Police
- Raffi
- The Ronettes
- Soundgarden
- Sting
- Styx
- Supertramp
- Ike & Tina Turner
See also
External links
- On A&M Records (http://www.onamrecords.com/) - search every artist and release from A&M Records and its affiliates
- A&M Corner (http://www.amcorner.com/) - A&M Records collector/listener resourcefr:A&M Records