Parlophone

Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded in 1923 as the Parlophone Company Limited. In 1926, the Columbia Graphophone Company acquired Parlophone’s business, name, logo, and release library, and merged with the Gramophone Company in 1931 to become Electric & Musical Industries Limited (EMI).

The label largely operated as a Jazz and Novelty label until manager, George Martin, signed the The Beatles in 1962. As a result of its subsequent success and profile, the label was earmarked for phasing out in 1973 in favour of EMI (the label), however the Parlophone imprint continued to be used by registered trademark owner EMI Records Ltd. and affiliated companies.