ABC-Paramount Records was the record label of the Am-Par Record Corporation (a subsidiary of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theaters, Inc) was formed in New York City in 1957. In 1965 the name was changed to ABC Records. It continued to operate, distributing a wide variety of music under many subsidiary labels until it was purchased by Music Corporation of America (MCA) in 1979. In addition to producing records directly, ABC licensed finished masters from independent producers and purchased regionally released records for national distribution.

Purchases all the record labels from Enoch Light in October 1959: Audition Records, Command Performance Records, Colortone Records and Waldorf Music Hall Records.
Has a sub-label Apt Records which only releases singles. Early sixties Impulse Records is started as a sub-label to distribute their jazz releases. A few later Bluesway Records is started to distribute their blues artists.

Types of Output

Pop, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Rock and Roll, Children's, Ethnic music (including Irish, Polka, Calypso, Flamenco and Hawaiian), Spoken Word

Artists associated with ABC Records and its labels

Paul Anka, Joe Bennett, Art Blakey, Charles Brown, Roy Brown, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, Ray Charles, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Danny and the Juniors, the Dells, Fats Domino, the Dramatics, the Elegants, the Four Tops, Ferrante and Teicher, Edie Gorme , Coleman Hawkins, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Freddy Hubbard, the James Gang, The Impressions, B. B. King, Yusef Lateef, Steve Lawrence, Shelly Manne, Charles Mingus, Poco, the Poni-Tails, Lloyd Price, Cliff Richard, Jimmy Reed, Sonny Rollins, Royal Teens, Jimmy Rushing, Archie Schepp, Shirley Scott, Otis Spann, Steely Dan, Joe Turner, Eddie (Cleanhead) Vinson, T-Bone Walker, Josh White, Chico Williams, Jimmy Witherspoon

Labels associated with ABC Records

Anchor Records, Apt Records, Bluesway Records, Blue Thumb Records, Chancellor Records, Command Records, Dunhill Records, Grand Award Records, Impulse Records, LHI Records, Probe Records, Shelter Records, Sire Records, Tangerine Records.

See also

• List of record labels

External Link

• The ABC-Paramont Records Story (including discograpy)