Do not confuse with the European label Imperial (2) or Brazilian/Venezuelan releases on Imperial (4). Please use Imperial (12) for unofficial/bootleg items. US independent record label formed by Lew Chudd in 1946 in Hollywood. They announced in July 1958 that they would be entering the stereo market in September of 1958 with non-compatible stereo disks. The label was sold to Liberty Records, Inc., in 1964. Liberty was purchased by United Artists in 1968, and then UA was bought by EMI in 1979. The catalogue and brand are now owned by Universal Music Group. The name was re-launched in 2006 when entrepreneur and music industry veteran Neil Levine joined Imperial to establish a unit focused on the independent, urban music market. Imperial is a full-service label group specializing in artist, brand development, releasing critically acclaimed albums from Fat Joe, Evidence (of Dilated Peoples), Jin, and Anthony Hamilton (previously unreleased tracks). See , Imperial Records, Inc., Imperial Record Company or Imperial Record Company Inc. for the companies. The early 45rpm singles were blue and had the Western Avenue address on them. The label lasted until 1954, when a Hollywood address replaced it. At the beginning (late 1950?), the 45s corresponding to 78s in the 1000 series were assigned to a 6000 series. By March 1951, Imperial was releasing the most popular members of their "Hillbilly" series (8000s) as 45s. In January 1952, Imperial began issuing R&B singles in the new format. When these came out, they had a 45‐ prefix, and at the start, only the most popular singles were released as 45s. The new black label style began in July 1958, with approximately single 5531. It was black with a color spectrum at the top of the label. Some pressing plants added the words "Imperial Records, Inc.," and "Hollywood USA" to the label, but others did not. By September 1961, Imperial was dropping the "X‐" prefix for 45rpm singles; however, some pressing plants kept the "X" all the way to October 1963. The month of October 1963 saw another completely new design adorn Imperial singles. Associated with the purchase of Imperial by Liberty Records, the new labels have an "IR" logo at the left side and sport rim print declaring "A Subsidiary Of Liberty Records, Inc. • Los Angeles, California." Two colors, white and hot pink, adorn the left side of the label containing the Imperial logo. A new label, starting with approximately 66160 in February 1966, features a red Imperial logo with "A Product Of Liberty Records" underneath it. The rim text has been altered slightly to read "A Division Of Liberty Records..." instead of "A Subsidiary." The white and pink motif was replaced with lime green. Some pressing plants show the record with an IM‐ prefix. 45 RPM Catalog Number, Date and Label Identification: 5000 through 5300 (1952–1954): Blue label with Imperial name in script lettering. 5301 through 5357 (1954–1955): Red label with Imperial name in script lettering. 5358 through 5460 (1955–1957): Maroon label with Imperial name in block lettering. Red labels with silver print also exist in this range (i.e. 5463). 5461 and higher (1957 forward): Black label. Opaque red vinyl pressings occur in the 5200–5235 series. Clear red is used on 5262 and "hold to a light" purple can be found in the 5340s. There was a great deal of overlapping, from one style to another, throughout the Imperial catalog. Numbers prior to the beginning of 45 rpm production are issues of material first issued on 78 rpms.

Discography

6,101 albums
search
swap_vertexpand_more

Stabat Mater

Pergolesi - K. Küster, B. Klaembt, Madrigalchor Köln E La Kölner Bach-Orchester Dir. Hermann Schroeder · 1985

Studio Album

California Girls

The Beach Boys · 1965

Studio Album

Focus II

Focus · 1971

Studio Album

Paloma Blanca

George Baker Selection · 1975

Studio Album

Suíte Quebra Nozes

Tchaikovsky / Regida Por John Hollingsworth, Orquestra Sinfonia Of London · 1962

Studio Album

Carmen

Bizet - Wiener Philharmoniker Dirigent Johannes Schüler · 2012

Studio Album

A Little Bit More

Dr. Hook · 1976

Studio Album

The Progressive Blues Experiment

Johnny Winter · 1969

Studio Album

Focus 3

Focus · 1972

Studio Album

Swan Lake, Op. 20

Tchaikovsky, Sinfonia Of London O.l.v. John Hollingsworth · 1962

Studio Album

In And Out Of Focus

Focus · 1970

Studio Album

Nutbush City Limits

Ike & Tina Turner · 1973

Studio Album

Ricky

Ricky Nelson · 1957

Studio Album

Eres Tu

Mocedades · 1973

Studio Album

Engelbert

Engelbert Humperdinck · 1969

Studio Album

Peer Gynt

Edvard Grieg · 1963

Studio Album

The Fabulous Shirley Bassey

Shirley Bassey · 1959

Studio Album

Stop! Stop! Stop!

The Hollies · 1966

Studio Album

Sinfonie Nr. 5 E-moll Op. 64

Peter Tschaikowsky, Wilhelm Schüchter, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie · 1956

Studio Album

Gorilla

Bonzo Dog Doo/Dah Band · 1967

Studio Album

Bensonhurst Blues

Oscar Benton · 1973

Studio Album

This Is Fats Domino !

Fats Domino · 1956

Studio Album

Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson · 1958

Studio Album

Stabat Mater

Giovanni Pergolesi / Karin Küster, Bertamaria Klämbt, Madrigalchor Köln Og Kölns Bach-orkester Dirigent: Hermann Schroeder · 2012

Studio Album

Hippy Hippy Shake

The Swinging Blue Jeans · 1973

Studio Album

Rock And Rollin' With Fats Domino

Fats Domino · 1956

Studio Album

Konzert Für Klavier Und Orchester Nr. 1 B-moll Op. 23

Peter Iljitsch Tschaikowsky, Xenia Prochorowa Und Die Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie , Dirigent: Wilhelm Schüchter · 1953

Studio Album

Forellenquintett (Klavierquintett A-dur Op. 114)

Franz Schubert, Hans Priegnitz Und Das Hamann-Quartett

Studio Album

Sun Of Jamaica

Goombay Dance Band · 1980

Studio Album

Johnny Rivers At The Whisky À Go-Go

Johnny Rivers · 1964

Studio Album

Let There Be Drums

Sandy Nelson · 1961

Studio Album

The Sonny Side Of Chér

Chér · 1966

Studio Album

All I Really Want To Do

Chér · 1965

Studio Album

Walking To New Orleans

Fats Domino · 1968

Studio Album

Chér

Chér · 1966

Studio Album

Realization

Johnny Rivers · 1968

Studio Album

Wild Things!

The Ventures · 1966

Studio Album

Tadpoles

Bonzo Dog Band · 1969

Studio Album

Porgy and Bess

George Gershwin, Lawrence Winters, Isabelle Lucas, Ray Ellington, Barbara Elsy, Pauline Stevens And The The Linden Singers With The The New World Show Orchestra · 1951

Studio Album

Sings Million Record Hits

Fats Domino · 1960

Studio Album

Traces

Classics IV Featuring Dennis Yost · 1969

Studio Album

Spanish Eyes

Al Martino · 1965

Studio Album

This Is Fats

Fats Domino · 1957

Studio Album

Rock And Rollin'

Fats Domino · 1956

Studio Album

Brainbox

Brainbox · 1969

Studio Album

Vestiges & Claws

José González · 2015

Studio Album

Rick Nelson Sings For You

Rick Nelson · 1963

Studio Album

Fats Domino Swings

Fats Domino · 1959

Studio Album