Former
stockbroker Edward Lewis formed The Decca Record Company Limited
in the United Kingdom in 1929. The company started releasing
records under the Decca trademark.
A US branch, Decca Records, Inc., was launched in 1934. This
branch was sold off during World War II, but the UK & US
companies continued to release each other’s recordings in their
respective territories. In the UK, US Decca recordings were
released on the Brunswick label from 1934 until 1968, when the
MCA Records label was established. Brunswick was also used elsewhere
in Europe and other countries. However, some European countries
released recordings from the two companies on the same Decca
label, sometimes with the extra slogan “American Series”.
In 1935, The Decca Record Company Limited contracted with EMI
companies in Australia, New Zealand, India and elsewhere for
the release of UK & US Decca recordings in those territories.
This deal gave US Decca the rights to release recordings from
the Parlophone and Odeon labels in North America.
In 1947, The Decca Record Company established the London Records
trademark in the US, Canada, South America, and the Far East,
as they couldn't use their own Decca trademark in those territories
anymore. |