Columbia Records

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Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Sony Group Corporation. It was founded in 1887, evolving from the American Graphophone Company, the successor to the Volta Graphophone Company. Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in the recorded sound business, and it is the second major company to produce records.

History

Columbia Records was originally founded in 1887 by Edward D. Easton and was initially a distributor of Edison phonographs and phonograph cylinders. The company derived its name from the District of Columbia, where it was headquartered. In 1901, Columbia began selling disc records and phonographs, which were initially made by the American Graphophone Company.

In 1925, Columbia introduced the "Viva-tonal" recording process, which significantly improved the quality of sound recordings. The label was acquired by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in 1938, and it became a major player in the music industry.

Innovations

Columbia Records has been at the forefront of several major innovations in the music industry. In 1948, the label introduced the 33⅓ RPM long-playing record (LP), which allowed for longer recordings and better sound quality compared to the previous 78 RPM records. This innovation revolutionized the music industry and set the standard for the format of albums.

Notable Artists

Columbia Records has signed and produced music for many notable artists across various genres. Some of the most famous artists associated with Columbia include:

• Bob Dylan
• Miles Davis
• Bruce Springsteen
• Adele
• Beyoncé
• Johnny Cash
• Barbra Streisand

Subsidiaries and Imprints

Over the years, Columbia Records has operated several subsidiary labels and imprints, including:

• Epic Records
• Okeh Records
• Date Records
• Portrait Records

Legacy

Columbia Records has played a significant role in shaping the music industry and has a rich legacy of innovation and artistic excellence. The label continues to be a major force in the industry, signing new artists and producing hit records.

See Also

• Sony Music Entertainment
• Record label
• Long-playing record
• Epic Records
• Okeh Records