Parlophone (original) (raw)

Parlophone is a record label which was founded in Germany prior to World War I.

During the war, the Transoceanic Trading Company was set up in the Netherlands to look after its overseas assets. In the 1920s, Parlophone had a master leasing arrangement with United States based Okeh Records. In 1927, Columbia Graphophone of the United Kingdom acquired a controlling interest in its successor and thereby in Parlophone. In 1931, Columbia merged with The Gramophone Company to form EMI. Under EMI, Parlophone was mainly a novelty/comedy label until the rock-and-roll era. The Beatles are probably the most famous act to have appeared on the label. Others have included Coldplay, Queen, Kylie Minogue, Blur, Pet Shop Boys, Radiohead, and The Hollies.