Multinational label of US origin; also appears as "United Artists" or "UA" only. Label code: LC 0379 / LC 00379.
For all unofficial / bootleg release of this label please see label.
For the record company see United Artists Records Inc., for the publishing company see United Artists Music Co., Inc.
History
1958: United Artists Records, a subsidiary of the United Artists film studio, was founded by movie producer Max E. Youngstein initially to distribute records of its own soundtracks. It soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.
1960: United Artists Ultra Audio, a label for special wide ranged stereo recording, was introduced. US mono releases commonly mention the Wall To Wall Sound series & the cat# prefix WW. US stereo releases Wall To Wall Stereo series and the WWS cat# prefix.
1967: In May the Transamerica Corporation acquired 95,7 % of United Artists Records, Inc., as mentioned on the front page of Billboard 30. Sept. 1967. The 'Unart' label was revived as a budget label in September.
1968: Liberty bought by Transamerica Corporation in June. Both labels got under one umbrella now.
1971: Liberty was shut down and merged into UA.
1979: After successful years in the 1970s, especially in the jazz and mainstream pop branches, United Artists Records was bought by UA executives Artie Mogull and Jerry Rubinstein from the holding company Transamerica Corporation. When United Artists Records lost the distribution deal with Jet Records and with it the whole sales of the Electric Light Orchestra in the same year, the company was swallowed by the EMI Group.
1980: EMI revived the Liberty label, transferred all UA-Artists and closed down the label in the same year.
International
Belgium: represented by S.A. Fonior N.V. between ca. 1961-1964, afterwards by S.A. Gramophone N.V.
Netherlands: manufactured by Philips Phonografische Industrie between ca. 1960-1963, represented by Artone Gramofoonplaten between 1964-1969 and by Bovema afterwards.
UK: distributed by E.M.I. Records Limited until approximately middle of 1968, when the company changed to Liberty Records Limited.