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A&M Records facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
A&M Records
Parent company Universal Music Group
Founded 1962
Founder Herb Alpert
Jerry Moss
Distributor(s) Interscope-Geffen-A&M (US)
Polydor Records (UK)
Genre Various
Country of origin US
Location Santa Monica, California

A&M Records is an American record label. It is owned by Universal Music Group. The company started in 1962. It works through the Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.

History of A&M Records

A&M Records was started by two friends, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. They first made two records under the name “Carnival Records.” They soon found out that the name Carnival was already being used. So, they changed the name to A&M. This new name came from the first letters of their last names: Alpert and Moss.

From 1966 to 1999, the company's main office was in a special place. It was at the historic Charlie Chaplin Studio. This studio is located at 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, near Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.

Pop Music Success

In the 1960s and 1970s, A&M was a top record label. They were known for 'light' pop music. Many popular artists recorded with them.

Some of these artists included:

In 1971, piano player Billy Preston joined the label. He brought success in R&B and funk music. The Carpenters became the label's most successful group in the 1970s. They sold over 100 million albums around the world.

British Artists Join A&M

Towards the end of the 1960s, A&M began to sign British musicians. This helped the label grow even more.

Some of these British artists were:

A&M in the 1970s

In the 1970s, A&M made a deal with Ode Records. This allowed them to release albums for other artists.

These artists included:

Other famous groups who recorded with A&M in the 1970s were:

A&M Around the World

A&M records were first sold in the United Kingdom by EMI's Stateside Records label. Then, they sold records under the A&M name with Pye Records until 1967.

A&M Records, Ltd. was started in the UK in 1970. A&M Records of Canada, Ltd. also began in 1970. A&M Records of Europe was formed in 1977.

In the 1970s, A&M saw a chance to work with English punk rock music. On March 10, 1977, they signed the Sex Pistols. This happened after the band's previous label, EMI, ended their contract. However, A&M also ended their contract with the band within a week.

Continued Success

Within 10 years of starting, A&M became the world's largest independent record company. This means they were not owned by a bigger music group.

In 1979, A&M made an agreement with RCA Records. RCA later became BMG. This deal helped A&M distribute its records in the US. They also made a deal with CBS Records to sell records in many other countries.

A&M's success kept going strong in the 1980s. They signed many popular artists during this time.

These artists included:

Other Record Labels by A&M

Over the years, A&M created its own special record labels. These labels focused on different types of music.

Some of these labels were:

  • Almo International for easy-listening music
  • Omen Records (1964–1966) for soul music
  • Horizon Records for jazz music (1974–1978)
  • AyM Discos for Latin American music
  • Vendetta Records for dance music
  • Tuff Break Records for hip-hop music

Images for kids

  • @ A&M Studios Main Gate, 11 Feb 1988

    A&M Studios Main Gate in 1988

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: A&M Records para niños