PolyGram

German-Dutch global record label (1962–1999)

Parent label: Universal Music Group·Est. 1972·NetherlandsNetherlands

universalmusic.comen.wikipedia.org

PolyGram was established in 1972. The company oversaw Phonogram International B.V. and Polydor International GmbH. It was formed following a reorganization of the "Grammophon-Philips Group". GPG was a joint venture between Philips Phonografische Industrie (PPI) and the Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, existing since 1962. The Polygram name was not new though. It had been used by Philips' Belgian affiliate Polygram SA since 1962. The New Zealand Philips company too was named PolyGram Records Ltd from June 1970 until November 1972 (when it was renamed Phonogram Ltd.). From 1978 onwards the Polygram name became more common as most of the Phonogram companies worldwide were renamed to Polygram. The local Polygram companies handled all PolyGram labels, most notably Philips, Verve Records Mercury and Deutsche Grammophon. Over the years some of the companies also started using the Polygram brand as a label. In 1985 Siemens reduced its stake in PolyGram to 10%. Two years later it sold its remaining stake to Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken B.V. In 1989, Polygram completed a worldwide public stock offering, reducing Philips' ownership to 75%. PolyGram acquired the recorded music and publishing arm of Island International Limited in July 1989 and the recorded music business of A&M Records, Inc. in January 1990. This was followed by Motown Records in 1993, part of Def Jam Recordings in 1994, and Rodven Discos in 1995. In December 1998, Philips sold PolyGram to Seagram, which already owned the Universal Music Group. Seagram combined PolyGram with the Universal Music Group, forming the largest recorded music business in the world. Starting in the mid-1970s and continuing into the late 1980's, the center labels of US PolyGram sublabels began showing two-digit number ID codes signifying from which pressing plant the record originated. A partial list of confirmed plants and their corresponding numbers are as follows. 6 = 16 = Sonic Recording Products, Inc. (pre-ca. 1975), Goldisc Recording Products, Inc. (1975 to ca. 1983), Electrosound Group Midwest, Inc. (post-ca. 1983) 18 = Presswell 19 = Bestway Products Inc. 22 = Allied Record Company 24 = Monarch Record Mfg. Co. 25 = Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria 26 = PRC Recording Company, Compton, CA 49 = Specialty Records Corporation 53 = Keel Mfg. Corp. (pre-1981), (post-1981) 54 = 56 = Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman 57 = (post-1981) 60 = Sound Makers 70 = 72 = PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN (post-Dec. 1972) 73 = Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute 75 = GRT Record Pressing 76 = Hub-Servall Record Mfg. Corp. (post-1970) There are some numeral codes which have so far been unconfirmed as to their corresponding pressing plants, including 30 (either or Peter Pan Industries); plus other manufacturing codes (i.e. for cassettes) including 12, 15 and 35.

Discography

9,583 albums
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Nevermind

Nirvana · 1991

Studio Album

Master Of Puppets = Maestro De Titeres

Metallica · 1986

Studio Album

Ride The Lightning

Metallica · 1984

Studio Album

Metallica

Metallica = 金属乐队 · 1991

Studio Album

...And Justice For All

Metallica · 1988

Studio Album

Kill 'Em All

Metallica · 1983

Studio Album

The Joshua Tree

U2

Studio Album

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits · 1985

Studio Album

Achtung Baby

U2 · 1991

Studio Album

Violator

Depeche Mode · 1990

Studio Album

Sticky fingers

The Rolling Stones · 1971

Studio Album

War

U2 · 1983

Studio Album

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground, Nico · 1967

Studio Album

The Unforgettable Fire

U2 · 1984

Studio Album

Are You Experienced

The Jimi Hendrix Experience · 1967

Studio Album

Moving Pictures

Rush · 1981

Studio Album

Music For The Masses = Musica Para Las Masas

Depeche Mode · 1987

Studio Album

Dire Straits

Dire Straits · 1978

Studio Album

Oxygène

Jean Michel Jarre · 1976

Studio Album

Synchronicity

The Police · 1983

Studio Album

Breakfast In America

Supertramp · 1979

Studio Album

Debut

Björk · 1993

Studio Album

Post

Bjork · 1995

Studio Album

Let It Bleed

Rolling Stones · 1969

Studio Album

Load

Metallica · 1996

Studio Album

Love Over Gold

Dire Straits · 1982

Studio Album

The Beggars' Banquet

The Rolling Stones · 1968

Studio Album

Communiqué

Dire Straits · 1979

Studio Album

2112

Rush · 1976

Studio Album

Homogenic

Björk · 1997

Studio Album

Crime Of The Century

Supertramp · 1974

Studio Album

Boy

U2 · 1980

Studio Album

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones · 1966

Studio Album

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John · 1973

Studio Album

Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14

Berlioz / London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Colin Davis

Studio Album

Sehnsucht

Rammstein · 1997

Studio Album

Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division · 1979

Studio Album

Reload

Metallica = 金屬製品合唱團 · 1997

Studio Album

Use Your Illusion I

Guns N' Roses · 1991

Studio Album

October

U2 · 1981

Studio Album

Speak & Spell

Depeche Mode · 1981

Studio Album

Desintegracion = Disintegration

The Cure · 1989

Studio Album

Making Movies

Dire Straits · 1980

Studio Album

Dummy

Portishead · 1994

Studio Album

Use Your Illusion II

Guns N' Roses · 1991

Studio Album

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem · 2000

Studio Album

Hysteria

Def Leppard · 1987

Studio Album

Pyromania

Def Leppard · 1983

Studio Album