Established in August 1985 as a joint venture of RCA Records and Bertelsmann AG. RCA Corporation had a 75% share and Bertelsmann a 25% share. RCA Records had worldwide operational control except for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where Bertelsmann had a 51% majority and operational control. This led to the fact that for Germany the joint venture was called label and for the rest of the world RCA/Ariola. Subsequently, for distribution in German speaking countries the company was called label and for the rest of the world RCA/Ariola-Ariola/RCA. In 1986, after General Electric acquired the RCA Corporation, Bertelsmann acquired the remaining share of RCA Records from GE, and created the Bertelsmann Music Group, integrating RCA/Ariola International.
Also credited as RCA-Ariola INTERNATIONAL