Record Label
Multinational record label initially founded in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., in 1945. Also appears as "Mercury Records" or "Mercury Record." *Parent companies:* [[label:Mercury Record Corporation]] (1945 to 1960s) A product of [[label:Mercury Record Productions, Inc.]] (circa 1969) [[label:Phonogram, Inc.]] (circa 1973) A [[label:Polygram]] company (circa 1974) [[label:PolyGram Records, Inc.]] (circa 1981) A [[label:Universal Music]] Company (circa 1999) [[label:Republic Records]] (2022) [[label:Republic Corps]] (2024) **The 7-digit numerical catalogue numbers were introduced in April 1970. Any item with such a catalogue number is after that date.** For a list of albums/singles by catalogue number, see the given jazzdisco link below. For all unofficial/bootleg releases purporting to be on this label, please use [[label:Mercury (2)]]. **History** Mercury is one of the oldest labels of the [[label:Universal Music Group]]. It was launched in 1945 by [Irving Green](/artist/3642025-Irving-B-Green), [[artist:Berle Adams]], Ray Greenberg, and [[artist:Art Talmadge]] of the [[label:Mercury Record Corporation]] of Chicago, Illinois. In late 1955, Mercury began experimenting with three omnidirectional microphones to make stereo recordings on three-track tape. And in June/July 1958, Mercury released their first stereo disks. In 1961, the Dutch company [[label:Philips Phonografische Industrie]] (PPI), having lost its distribution deal with [[label:Columbia]] Records outside North America, signed an exchange agreement with Mercury, and PPI subsequently bought the Mercury Record Corporation and its labels to expand its U.S. base. This meant that the Mercury label was then marketed worldwide via PPI's affiliated record companies (mostly Phonogram companies). In the U.S., Mercury was distributed by [[label:Phonodisc, Inc.]], starting June 1, 1975. In 1962, PPI formed a joint venture with [[label:Deutsche Grammophon GmbH]], and in 1972, they merged to form [[label:PolyGram]]. Mercury became one of Polygram's flagship labels. In July 1966, Mercury became the first U.S. record label to release cassette music tapes. In December 1998, after Seagram acquired Polygram, Mercury became part of the [[label:Universal Music Group]] with the takeover effective from January 1999, and Mercury Records was closed and folded into [[label:Island Def Jam Music Group]]; the pop roster was taken over by [[label:Island Records]], the hip-hop roster to [[label:Def Jam Recordings]], and the country roster to [[label:Mercury Records Nashville]]. Reactivated in 2007 until 2013, and operated under The [[label:Island Def Jam Music Group]] in the U.S., and by [[label:Mercury Records Ltd.]] in the UK. The label was also revived by [[label:Universal Music France]]. In the UK, the label was known as the [[label:Mercury Music Group]] from approximately 2007 to 2011. Following the closure of the [[label:Island Def Jam Music Group]] in April 2014, the label division was shuttered and phased out again, in 2015, and merged operations with [[label:Island]] Records. The label itself remained in use worldwide. In the U.S. on April 11, 2022, [[label:Republic Records]] acquired and relaunched the label with some artists from Republic, and it will continue as their imprint. In 2024, Mercury Records became part of [[label:Universal Music Group]]-owned, New York-based [[label:Republic Corps]]. **45 RPM catalog number, date and label identification:** 5000 through 8999 (1949–1952): Maroon label. 70000 through 71039 (1949–1957): Maroon or black label, though maroon ends around 71100. Also used in this series was a label picturing Mercury (Roman mythological messenger of the gods) in a square, which appeared on maroon, black, pink (R&B), and green (C&W) stock. 71040 through 72320 (1957–1964): Maroon or black label, with the Mercury ellipse (or oval), or square logo. 72321 and higher (1964–): Red label. **U.S. LP label identification:** 1949: Black label with gold print. 1951: Black or maroon label with silver print. 1957: Black or blue label with round logo. 1963: Red label with small notch logo. 1969: Orange/red label with oval logos around the perimeter. 1972: Orange/red label with oval logos around the perimeter, [[label:Phonogram, Inc.]], in rimtext. 1974: Skyscraper label. 1976: Skyscraper label with "A [[label:PolyGram]] Company" in rimtext. 1978: Skyscraper label with [[label:PolyGram Distribution, Inc.]], in rimtext. 1982: Black label with neon logo. 1996: Black label with diamond logo. **Please note:** For late 1960s releases that credit both Smash and Mercury, please credit both labels (example: [r=9401738]).