Labelcode: LC 02970
Formed by Robert Stigwood, RSO Records began operations in January 1973 in the US and March 1973 in the rest of the world. The label's name stands for the Robert Stigwood Organisation. For the 45rpm reissues "RSO Oldies" see RSO Oldies
Worldwide aside from North America, RSO was distributed throughout its lifetime by Polydor.
In North America it was originally distributed by the Atlantic Recording Corporation from 1973 to 1975, the label briefly became an independent entity until the beginning of 1976, when it was distributed by PolyGram, through both Polydor and through PolyGram itself.
Although it managed several top acts including Eric Clapton and Bee Gees, it was the release of several soundtracks including Fame, the Star Wars movies, and most notably Grease and Saturday Night Fever in the late 1970s, that made RSO one of the most financially successful labels of the 1970s and early 1980s.
Stigwood ended his involvement with the label by 1981. It was eventually absorbed into PolyGram a few years later in 1984.