| 1 | [[quoteright:325:[[Music/TheBeatles https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_beatles_i_want_to_hold_your_hand_capitol_45.jpg]]]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:325:The iconic "swirl" label design used on Capitol singles from 1962 to 1968.[[note]]It was also used from 1979 to 1981 on singles by Music/TheKnack.[[/note]]]] |
| 3 | |
| 4 | Capitol Records is one of the major record labels in the United States. |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Founded in 1942 by UsefulNotes/LosAngeles businessman Glenn Wallichs (owner of the Wallichs Music City record store) with songwriters Johnny Mercer and Buddy [=DeSylva=], Capitol was the first West Coast-based US label. By the end of the decade, having already acquired a stable of prominent artists that included Music/NatKingCole, Stan Kenton, Peggy Lee, Jo Stafford, Margaret Whiting, and many others, it had earned a place among the "Big Six" American labels.[[note]](The other five were [[Creator/RCARecords RCA Victor]], Creator/{{Columbia|Records}}, Creator/{{Mercury|Records}}, [[Creator/DeccaRecords US Decca]], and Creator/{{MGM|Records}} -- all of which, along with Capitol, had their own pressing plants.)[[/note]] A Canadian division was established in 1949. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | British music conglomerate Creator/{{EMI}} purchased 96% of Capitol's stock in 1955, effectively acquiring the company.[[note]]EMI had already lost the right to distribute US Columbia releases in Europe, and their contract with RCA was about to expire, so they wanted to make sure they would still have access to top American talent. A few years later, EMI's Dutch competitor [[Creator/PhilipsRecords Philips]] bought Creator/MercuryRecords for similar reasons.[[/note]] The landmark Capitol Tower building in Hollywood (aka "The House That Nat Built") began construction soon afterward and was completed the following year. Several additional artists joined the label during the 1950s, including Music/FrankSinatra, Music/DeanMartin, Music/TheFourFreshmen, Creator/StanFreberg, Creator/DinahShore, and The Kingston Trio. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | The 1960s saw the arrival of the label's most famous artists: Music/TheBeachBoys and Music/TheBeatles. The former were signed to a seven-year contract in 1962 following their local success with "Surfin'" on the independent Candix label. Meanwhile, despite the latter's huge popularity in England, Capitol, which had the right of first refusal on American distribution of EMI artists, turned down the Fab Four's first few singles, which were handled instead by the smaller labels Vee-Jay and Swan. But they changed their mind with "I Want to Hold Your Hand", which in January 1964 became The Beatles' first major stateside hit and kick-started "Beatlemania" in the U.S. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | The aforementioned Canadian branch also had their own right of first refusal for EMI releases. Since they had an A&R department of their own, this meant several [[UsefulNotes/TheBritishInvasion British Invasion]] artists that were passed over by Capitol in the U.S. were released by Capitol in Canada, including Music/TheHollies, Music/ManfredMann, Music/TheYardbirds, The Dave Clark Five, Gerry and the Pacemakers and The Beatles' pre-"I Want to Hold Your Hand" material. In American collectors' eyes, it is quite the curiosity to see those artists and early Beatles singles on the famous Capitol "swirl" label. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | From 1964 to 1970, Capitol had a subsidary label called Tower Records (not to be confused with the chain of record stores), which released "lower profile" artists such as The Standells and Chocolate Watch Band, as well as Music/PinkFloyd's first three albums. As several of those artists would come to be recognized as "garage bands", Tower acquired a reputation as a GarageRock label. The Tower label was unique to the United States -- its artists were distributed on the main Capitol label in Canada, while overseas, the releases appeared either on Capitol or Stateside (an EMI imprint that was the foreign licensee for several smaller American labels). Capitol was also the North American distributor of The Beatles' Apple Records and EMI's "underground" imprint Creator/HarvestRecords. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | After several years of near-total ownership,[[note]](EMI increased their stake in Capitol Records to 98% in 1968 only to have Capitol merge with Audio Devices, Inc., causing their ownership to drop to 68% -- they increased their holdings back to 70.84% in 1972)[[/note]] EMI purchased the remaining shares of Capitol by 1976. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | In 2012, the American music operations of EMI were sold to the Creator/UniversalMusicGroup, bringing Capitol Records under UMG ownership.[[note]]EMI's British and European operations became part of Creator/ParlophoneRecords, which went to Creator/WarnerMusicGroup-- although UMG made sure they got the rights to the Beatles' catalog, and the backlogs of many of EMI's former talents (most notably Music/{{Radiohead}}, who were also previously signed onto Capitol in the US) would be granted to the independent labels they were now operating under as part of WMG's agreement with the Independent Music Companies Association. EMI's publishing division went to Creator/SonyMusicEntertainment.[[/note]] Since the acquisition, Capitol has expanded to the British market and began developing its own roster of artists, something they had never done under EMI. In 2014, the legendary label Creator/{{Motown}} became part of the UMG-owned Capitol Music Group. |
| 19 | ---- |
| 20 | !!Capitol performers, past and present, with Website/TVTropes pages: |
| 21 | |
| 22 | [[index]] |
| 23 | * Music/FiveSecondsOfSummer |
| 24 | * Music/FiftyCent |
| 25 | * Music/{{ABBA}} |
| 26 | * Music/TraceAdkins |
| 27 | * Music/{{Alcatrazz}} |
| 28 | * Music/AliceInChains |
| 29 | * Creator/WoodyAllen [[note]]One of his 1960s albums of RecordedAndStandUpComedy, ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Third Woody Allen Album]]'', was originally released by Capitol.[[/note]] |
| 30 | * Music/{{America}} |
| 31 | * Music/TheAndrewsSisters |
| 32 | * Music/TheAnimals † |
| 33 | * Music/AshtonGardnerAndDyke |
| 34 | * Music/AvengedSevenfold |
| 35 | * Music/CharlesAznavour (Europe only) |
| 36 | * Creator/LongJohnBaldry [[note]]Canada only[[/note]] |
| 37 | * Music/TheBand |
| 38 | * Music/TheBeachBoys |
| 39 | ** Music/BrianWilson |
| 40 | * Music/BeastieBoys |
| 41 | * Music/TheBeatles + |
| 42 | ** Music/GeorgeHarrison + |
| 43 | ** Music/JohnLennon + |
| 44 | ** Music/PaulMcCartney + |
| 45 | ** Music/RingoStarr + |
| 46 | ** Music/{{Wings|Band}} |
| 47 | * Music/{{Beck|Musician}} |
| 48 | * Music/TheBeeGees |
| 49 | * Music/DierksBentley |
| 50 | * Creator/MelBlanc [[note]]He released singles as himself and as his various ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' characters on Capitol before Creator/WarnerBros created [[Creator/WarnerBrosRecords its own label]].[[/note]] |
| 51 | * Music/MaryJBlige |
| 52 | * Music/GarthBrooks |
| 53 | * Music/BrothersOsborne |
| 54 | * Music/LukeBryan |
| 55 | * Music/ButtholeSurfers |
| 56 | * Music/CatfishAndTheBottlemen |
| 57 | * Music/EricChurch |
| 58 | * Music/GeorgeClinton |
| 59 | * Music/CocteauTwins + |
| 60 | * Music/{{Coldplay}} + |
| 61 | * Music/LloydCole |
| 62 | * Music/NatKingCole [[note]]Both as part of the King Cole Trio and as a solo artist.[[/note]] |
| 63 | * Creator/HarryConnickJr |
| 64 | * Creator/BillCosby |
| 65 | * Music/ElvisCostello + |
| 66 | * Music/BingCrosby |
| 67 | * Music/CrowdedHouse |
| 68 | * Music/DickDale |
| 69 | * Music/TheDandyWarhols |
| 70 | * Music/BobbyDarin |
| 71 | * Music/MilesDavis [[note]]He had a nonet from 1948-1950 that recorded 12 tracks for Capitol; they were issued on various singles and compilation albums before receiving a definitive release as the ''Birth of the Cool'' LP in 1956.[[/note]] |
| 72 | * Music/TheDecemberists + |
| 73 | * Music/NeilDiamond |
| 74 | * Creator/MarleneDietrich |
| 75 | * Music/ThomasDolby |
| 76 | * Music/TheDoobieBrothers |
| 77 | * Music/{{Eagles}} |
| 78 | * Music/DukeEllington |
| 79 | * Music/{{Everclear}} |
| 80 | * Music/FatboySlim |
| 81 | * Music/TheFireman + |
| 82 | * Music/EllaFitzgerald |
| 83 | * Music/FooFighters |
| 84 | ** Music/DaveGrohl |
| 85 | * Music/TennesseeErnieFord |
| 86 | * Music/TheFourFreshmen |
| 87 | * Creator/StanFreberg |
| 88 | * Creator/JudyGarland |
| 89 | * Music/GentleGiant + |
| 90 | * Music/LisaGermano |
| 91 | * Creator/JackieGleason |
| 92 | * Creator/BarryGordon |
| 93 | * Music/GrandFunkRailroad |
| 94 | * Creator/AndyGriffith |
| 95 | * Music/DavidGuetta |
| 96 | * Music/MickeyGuyton |
| 97 | * Music/MerleHaggard |
| 98 | * Music/{{Halsey}} |
| 99 | * Music/MCHammer |
| 100 | * Music/CoreyHart |
| 101 | * Music/WalkerHayes |
| 102 | * Music/{{Heart|Band}} |
| 103 | * Music/HermansHermits † [[note]]The Canadian branch released their debut single in Canada.[[/note]] |
| 104 | * Creator/BennyHill + |
| 105 | * Music/UnknownHinson |
| 106 | * Music/TheHollies † |
| 107 | * Creator/BobHope |
| 108 | * Music/PhyllisHyman |
| 109 | * Music/IceSpice |
| 110 | * Music/AlanJackson |
| 111 | * Music/TheJesusLizard |
| 112 | * Music/JimmyEatWorld |
| 113 | * Creator/GraceJones |
| 114 | * Music/TomJones ‡ [[note]]The label acquired six songs he recorded with Joe Meek in 1963, which were released on the strength of "It's Not Unusual" in 1965.[[/note]] |
| 115 | * WesternAnimation/JosieAndThePussycats |
| 116 | * Music/CaroleKing |
| 117 | * Music/KingsOfLeon |
| 118 | * Music/{{Klaatu}} |
| 119 | * Music/TheKnack |
| 120 | * Music/KottonmouthKings |
| 121 | * Music/{{Kraftwerk}} |
| 122 | * Creator/CherylLadd |
| 123 | * Music/LadyA |
| 124 | * Music/MaryLambert |
| 125 | * Creator/JerryLewis [[note]]He recorded a few novelty singles for Capitol back in his "[[Creator/DeanMartin Martin]] and Lewis" days.[[/note]] |
| 126 | * Music/LittleBigTown |
| 127 | * Creator/DavidMcCallum [[note]]A classically trained musician as well as an actor, he recorded a few instrumental albums for Capitol during the height of ''Series/TheManFromUNCLE'''s popularity.[[/note]] |
| 128 | * Music/ManfredMann † |
| 129 | * Music/MarcyPlayground |
| 130 | * Music/DeanMartin |
| 131 | * Music/RichardMarx |
| 132 | * Music/MazzyStar |
| 133 | * Music/{{Megadeth}} |
| 134 | * Radio/RoyDMercer |
| 135 | * Music/SteveMillerBand |
| 136 | * Music/MissingPersons |
| 137 | * Creator/RobertMitchum |
| 138 | * Music/TheMove + |
| 139 | * Music/OkGo |
| 140 | * Music/YokoOno |
| 141 | * Music/BuckOwens |
| 142 | * Music/SarinaParis |
| 143 | * Roger Payne, Katie Payne and Frank Watlington: |
| 144 | * Music/KatyPerry |
| 145 | * Music/LizPhair |
| 146 | * Music/PinkFloyd ‡ |
| 147 | * Music/ThePlasmatics |
| 148 | * Music/{{Poison}} |
| 149 | * Music/{{Queen|Band}} + |
| 150 | * Music/{{Radiohead}} + (left in 2003; distribution rights to their material from before then are now owned by Creator/XLRecordings) |
| 151 | * Music/BonnieRaitt |
| 152 | * Music/RedHotChiliPeppers |
| 153 | * Creator/CarlReiner |
| 154 | ** Creator/MelBrooks[[note]]Capitol released two of their RecordedAndStandUpComedy albums.[[/note]] |
| 155 | * Music/{{Renaissance}}+ |
| 156 | * Music/MinnieRiperton |
| 157 | * Creator/RoyRogers |
| 158 | * Music/LindaRonstadt |
| 159 | * Music/DariusRucker |
| 160 | * Music/DanSeals |
| 161 | * Music/BobSeger |
| 162 | * Music/{{Selena}} |
| 163 | * Creator/PeterSellers + |
| 164 | * Music/RaviShankar + |
| 165 | * Creator/DinahShore |
| 166 | * Music/FrankSinatra |
| 167 | * Music/TroyeSivan |
| 168 | * Music/SamSmith |
| 169 | * Music/RickSpringfield |
| 170 | * Music/BillySquier |
| 171 | * Music/StatusQuo + |
| 172 | * Music/{{Steppenwolf}} (Mexico only) |
| 173 | * Music/JohnStewart |
| 174 | * Music/RodStewart |
| 175 | * Music/TheStranglers |
| 176 | * Music/{{Supergrass}} + |
| 177 | * Music/SwedishHouseMafia |
| 178 | * Music/{{Sweet}} + |
| 179 | * Music/ArtTatum |
| 180 | * Music/{{Television}} |
| 181 | * Music/RichardThompson |
| 182 | * Music/TanyaTucker |
| 183 | * Music/TinaTurner |
| 184 | * Music/CarrieUnderwood |
| 185 | * Music/KeithUrban |
| 186 | * Music/TheVines |
| 187 | * Music/SteveWariner |
| 188 | * Music/{{WASP|Band}} |
| 189 | * Creator/MaeWest ‡ (released on Capitol in Canada) |
| 190 | * Music/WeirdAlYankovic [[note]]His debut single, "My Bologna"/"School Cafeteria", was released by Capitol.[[/note]] |
| 191 | * Creator/JackWild |
| 192 | * Creator/RonWhite [[note]]the album ''Behavioral Problems''[[/note]] |
| 193 | * Creator/TimWilson |
| 194 | * Music/XXXTentacion (via Caroline Distribution) |
| 195 | * Music/TheYardbirds † |
| 196 | * Music/{{Yellowcard}} |
| 197 | * Music/PeteYorn |
| 198 | * Music/FrankZappa + [[note]]An early version of ''Music/LumpyGravy'' was released by Capitol, but quickly withdrawn due to a lawsuit by Creator/{{MGM|Records}}, who claimed the release violated Zappa's contract with their subsidiary Creator/{{Verve|Records}} despite the fact that said contract did not in theory prevent Zappa from conducting music for an album released by another label. The litigation gave Zappa time to reedit the album into its definitive form, which was released by Verve the following year.[[/note]] |
| 199 | [[/index]] |
| 200 | |
| 201 | [=+=]: Signed in the U.S. and Canada only\ |
| 202 | †: Signed in Canada only\ |
| 203 | ‡: Tower Records artists |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext Creator / CapitolRecords
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
