Paramount Records (1969)
Encyclopedia
Paramount Records was a record label
started in 1969
by Paramount Pictures
(then a unit of Gulf+Western
) after acquiring the rights to the name from George H. Buck. The previous label
with the same name had been unconnected to Paramount Pictures. The new Paramount label reissued pop releases by sister label Dot Records
, which became a country label. It also released new albums from other pop musicians and soundtracks to Paramount films, among others. One notable artist signed on with the label was The Brady Bunch
, from the TV series of the same name.
After Gulf+Western sold its record label holdings to ABC
(which happened to have aired the Brady Bunch TV series) in 1974
, the Paramount label was discontinued in favor of ABC Records
, which itself was sold to MCA Records
in 1979. The Paramount catalog is now owned by Universal Music Group
and managed by Geffen Records
(whose founder, David Geffen
, later became a co-founder of DreamWorks
, which was a sister studio to Paramount from 2006-08, and whose own record catalog is now owned by Universal).
On a side note, MCA continued to release soundtracks to some later Paramount films into the 1990s. 1998's Sliding Doors
was the last Paramount release to have its soundtrack issued by MCA.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
started in 1969
1969 in music
-Events:Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. At a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, California, a fan was stabbed to death by Hells Angels, a biker gang that had been hired to provide security for the event...
by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
(then a unit of Gulf+Western
Gulf+Western
Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., for a number of years known as Gulf+Western, was an American conglomerate.- History :Gulf and Western's prosaic origins date to a manufacturer named Michigan Bumper Co. founded in 1934, though Charles Bluhdorn treated his 1958 takeover of what was then Michigan...
) after acquiring the rights to the name from George H. Buck. The previous label
Paramount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
with the same name had been unconnected to Paramount Pictures. The new Paramount label reissued pop releases by sister label Dot Records
Dot Records
Dot Records was an American record label and company that was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC in Nashville and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen...
, which became a country label. It also released new albums from other pop musicians and soundtracks to Paramount films, among others. One notable artist signed on with the label was The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
, from the TV series of the same name.
After Gulf+Western sold its record label holdings to ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
(which happened to have aired the Brady Bunch TV series) in 1974
1974 in music
-January–April:*January 3 – Bob Dylan and The Band kick off their 40-date concert tour at Chicago Stadium. It's Dylan's first time on the road since 1966.*January 17...
, the Paramount label was discontinued in favor of ABC Records
ABC Records
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
, which itself was sold to MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
in 1979. The Paramount catalog is now owned by Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
and managed by Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
(whose founder, David Geffen
David Geffen
David Geffen is an American record executive, film producer, theatrical producer and philanthropist. Geffen is noted for creating Asylum Records in 1970, Geffen Records in 1980, and DGC Records in 1990...
, later became a co-founder of DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
, which was a sister studio to Paramount from 2006-08, and whose own record catalog is now owned by Universal).
On a side note, MCA continued to release soundtracks to some later Paramount films into the 1990s. 1998's Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors is a 1998 British-American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Howitt and starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah, and featured John Lynch, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Virginia McKenna. The music was composed by David Hirschfelder...
was the last Paramount release to have its soundtrack issued by MCA.