US label. The Ode label was founded by Lou Adler in 1967, soon after he had sold his successful Dunhill label to ABC Records. Ode was distributed by Columbia/CBS from 1967 to 1969, and A&M Records from 1970 to 1976. (For 1970 only, to highlight the change of distribution and re-launch the label, the circular Ode logo had a '7' prepended, making it appear as 'Ode 70.' The logo was reverted in 1971.) In 1977, Adler put the Ode catalog up for sale so he could focus on motion pictures. In August, the catalog was acquired by Epic, with Adler becoming a consultant. Records would carry the combined Epic / Ode branding. In the US, CBS took over shortly afterwards with records returning to the 'Ode' branding.
Meanwhile, Adler had started Ode Sounds & Visuals for his motion picture efforts. By the end of the 1970s, the two labels were largely dormant.
In 1989, Adler reactivated the Ode Sounds And Visuals label.
The CBS-distributed Ode albums (namely the Carole King and Tom Scott material) is now owned by Sony Music Entertainment while the Cheech & Chong albums went with the stoner comedy duo to Warner Bros. Records. The remainder of the Ode catalog (excluding the Rocky Horror recordings, which Adler still owns) now rests with Interscope Records and UMe.
See Ode (8) for company credits that mention just Ode or Ode, USA. Related publisher credits are label & label.
Label Code: LC 1193 / 01193