His Master's Voice was a British record label established in 1909. Whilst mainly releasing in the United Kingdom, the label also released in select European and African territories. Sister labels were also created, such as an Indian version, that lasted until 2003.[1]
| His Master's Voice | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parent company |
|
| Founded | 1909 |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Status | Replaced by EMI Classics, and brand divested to HMV |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
"His Master's Voice" was a trademark of the Gramophone Company Limited (later part of EMI). In 1909, the Gramophone Company replaced the "Recording Angel" trademark with the image of Nipper the dog, listening to "His Master's Voice" on their record labels; thereafter, the records were commonly referred to as "His Master's Voice" (or HMV) records, due to the prominence of that phrase along the upper rim of the labels. The "His Master's Voice" trademark was used worldwide by The Gramophone Company/EMI and affiliated labels, except for most of the Western Hemisphere and Japan, where the rights to the trademark were owned by the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor and the Victor Company of Japan/JVC, respectively. In 1973, HMV became a sub-label of EMI Records as a result of a corporate restructuring.
From 1990, the His Master's Voice label began being phased out in favour for the newly-established EMI Classics label. The final His Master's Voice release was Morrissey's live album, Beethoven Was Deaf, in May 1993.
In 2003, EMI divested the "His Master's Voice" intellectual property to HMV, the retail business it had previously spun-off in 1998.
History
editHis Master's Voice was founded as a classical label.[2] From December 1899, the predecessor to EMI, the Gramophone Company, had purchased the His Master's Voice painting from Francis Barraud, and, from 1909, began using the phrase "His Master's Voice" and likeness of Nipper on its releases. In 1921, the Gramophone Company established His Master's Voice as a music retail chain.[3] In 1931, the Gramophone Company merged with Columbia Graphophone Company to form EMI, with Gramophone Company continuing as a label, and His Master's Voice continuing as a sub-label, under EMI.[4]
In 1952, the label entered the pop music genre, and used a POP number prefix.[citation needed] It also signed American talent such as Elvis Presley for British distribution. This continued until 1967, when its domestic pop artists moved to either Columbia Graphophone or Parlophone, and American performers were moved to Stateside Records, reserving His Master's Voice for classical recordings.[2]
In July 1973, the Gramophone Company became EMI Records, with His Master's Voice continuing as a sub-label.[5] From 1990, His Master's Voice began to be phased out as a record label, and gradually replaced for EMI Classics. The final His Master's Voice release was Morrissey's Beethoven Was Deaf, a live album released in May 1993.[6]
In 1998, EMI spun off its HMV retail business, becoming its own entity, and in 2003, divested the "His Master's Voice" intellectual property to the retail business.[7]
His Master's Voice POP artist list (1952 to 1967)
edit- The Ames Brothers
- Louis Armstrong
- Eddy Arnold
- Frankie Avalon
- The Blue-Belles
- Bernard Bresslaw
- Al Caiola
- Ray Charles
- Alma Cogan
- Jerry Colonna
- Perry Como
- Danny and the Juniors
- Dion
- Fabian
- Ferrante and Teicher
- Eddie Fisher
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Eydie Gorme
- The Highwaymen
- The Impressions
- Spike Jones
- Johnny Kidd and the Pirates
- Eartha Kitt
- Julius LaRosa
- Steve Lawrence
- John Leyton
- Manfred Mann
- Johnny Mathis
- Mickey & Sylvia
- Jaye P. Morgan
- The Olympics
- Gene Pitney
- The Poni-Tails
- Perez Prado
- Elvis Presley
- Lloyd Price
- Tommy Roe
- Soupy Sales
- Dinah Shore
- Jimmy Smith
- Kay Starr
- The Swinging Blue Jeans
- Philip Upchurch Combo
- Danny Williams
- Hugo Winterhalter
References
edit- ^ "Tracing a century of HMV, the label which laid the foundation of Indian music industry". Firstpost. 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
- ^ a b "EMI Revamps Three Labels". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1967-11-11. p. 51.
- ^ "EMI: A brief history". BBC. 24 January 2000. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ "Gramophone Company Discography". EMI Archive Trust. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
- ^ "The Beatles U.K. LP Stereo/Parlo#2". Yokono.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- ^ "EMI Records: The Story of EMI Music Publishing". Musicgateway.com. 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- ^ Lara (2024-03-27). "Nipper and His Master's Voice". Huguenotmuseum.org. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
External links
edit- HMV singles discography including POP series
- HMV POP, 45worlds.com