Multinational label
Label Code: LC 18070
Originally Zonophone Record, the Zonophone brand (trademark) was first registered in the UK on 27th May 1903, with the rights / ownership to the imprint being acquired by The Gramophone Co. Ltd. in Great Britain. following its acquisition of label GmbH. Zonophone proper appears around the mid 20s under administration of The British Zonophone Co. Ltd.
In 1932 following the formation of Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. (EMI) through the merger of The Gramophone Co. Ltd. and label (rights owner the Regal brand) these two independent imprints (labels) are brought together to form the Regal Zonophone label).
The Gramophone Co. Ltd. remained the direct owner of the (dormant) label until 1973 when the trademark rights / ownership was reassigned to successor EMI Records Ltd., who subsequently revived Zonophone in the 1980s in the UK, assigning several post-punk acts to the label. The label logo does not appear on any releases from this time and the company allowed artists to have vanity labels instead. After being discontinued in 1985 in favour of Regal Zonophone the label was used again mostly for reissues for about another decade from the late 1990s.
On the 27th April 2004 EMI Records Ltd. transfers ownership to sister company EMI (IP) Ltd. (intellectual property holding company of ultimate parent EMI Group Plc), with EMI Records Ltd. subsequently then becoming a licensee, this licencee contract was officially cancelled on the 5th June 2013, however ownership and rights to the label were acquired by Warner Music Group, Inc. subsidiary label (formerly known as EMI Records Ltd.) following the formation of the label (PLG Holdco Ltd), which was created through the divestment of label.