PolyGram

PolyGram was the name from 1972 of the major label recording company started by Philips as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1998, it was sold to Seagram and made part of Universal Music Group.

GPG and PolyGram, 1962-1980

In 1962, PPI and DGG formed the Gramophon-Philips Group (GPG), with

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Philips taking a 50% share in DGG and Siemens a 50% share in PPI. In 1972

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the companies formally merged to form PolyGram, of which Philips and

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Siemens each owned 50%. In 1977 both organisations merged operationally,

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integrating the recording, manufacturing, distribution and marketing into a

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single organisation.

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The various record labels within PolyGram continued to operate separately. PolyGram gave its labels, as A&R

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organisations, great autonomy.

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GPG needed to move into the US and UK markets, and did so by a process of

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acquisition: Mercury (US) in 1962, RSO (UK) in 1967, MGM Records and Verve (US) in 1972, Casablanca (US) in 1977 and Decca

Related Topics:
Mercury - 1962 - RSO - 1967 - MGM Records - Verve - 1972 - Casablanca - 1977 - Decca

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(UK) in 1980. PolyGram acquired United Distribution Corporation (UDC)

Related Topics:
1980 - United Distribution Corporation

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in 1973 and signed distribution deals with MCA and 20th Century Records in 1976.

Related Topics:
1973 - MCA - 20th Century Records - 1976

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In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Philips had been at work on a new

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consumer magnetic tape format for music. The Philips compact cassette came out in 1963. It was small, played longer than an LP and was

Related Topics:
Magnetic tape - Compact cassette - 1963

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robust. In 1965 the cassette accounted for 3% of revenues, growing in 1968

Related Topics:
1965 - 1968

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to 8% and in 1970 to 10.6%.

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In the late 1960s and through the 1970s, GPG/PolyGram diversified into film

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and television production and home video. RSO's successes included

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Saturday Night Fever and Grease. PolyGram's highly successful

Related Topics:
Saturday Night Fever - Grease

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marketing during the disco craze included the Casablanca film Thank God It's Friday and its associated soundtrack. During the boom in disco, PolyGram's US market share had gone from 5% to

Related Topics:
Disco - Thank God It's Friday

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20%. For a short while, it was the world's largest record company.

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