With the EMI / Universal deal going ahead, EMI will broken up into small pieces, signalling the end of over a 100 years of British musical history and an undeserved denouement for a British institution. The Motown and other song catalogues had already been sold to a consortium led by Sony. Now Universal Music, the global market leader in recordings, is being allowed to buy most of EMI’s record labels, although the European Commission is demanding the sale of the Parlophone label – the legendary stable of the Beatles.

Maybe you feel the author is being overly sentimental about the demise of EMI, but for those that grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, you simply can’t underestimate the power and romance of vinyl records and the accompanying record label!! When I was first introduced to pop music in 1973 and 1974, two record labels seemed to dominate the Singles Charts – Bell Records and Rak Records. Each week as I combed through the printed Chart rundowns in my music newspapers, Disc and Record Mirror, Bell and Rak recordings were omniscient.

Bell Records stabled many of the chart thoroughbreds such as Bay City Rollers, Gary Glitter, Showaddywaddy, The Glitter Band, The Partridge Family, David Cassidy, Barry Blue, Barry Manilow, Terry Jacks, Hello, The Pearls and The Drifters. Meanwhile Rak Records housed acts like Suzi Quatro, Mud, Kenny, Hot Chocolate, Smokie, Arrows and later Racey and Kim Wilde. Rak Records also had the distinction of being run by music mogul and producer Mickie Most, the pantomime villain on ATV’s “New Faces” talent show, the forerunner to Simon Cowell’s “X Factor” and “Britain’s Got Talent”. Between them, Bell Records and Rak Records carved up the most glamorous of the Glam Rock artists!!

It seems to me that the vinyl singles offered so much more than just your favourite song / single of the day, week or month. Along with the wonderful tactile nature of the vinyl single, you had the added bonus of a colourful, arty, trendy record label that gave this piece of black plastic a personality and identity that went beyond the song that emanated from it’s grooves when the stylus needle made contact with it!!

If the song was the heart and soul of the vinyl single, then the label was very much the face and personality of the vinyl single. In the early 1970s albums / LPs had the great and superior artwork of their cardboard sleeves; the vinyl single had to rely on that little circle of colour at it’s centre ( these were the days before picture sleeves and picture discs!! ). So let’s celebrate the heritage of the vinyl single, with a Top 10 of my favourite 1970s Vinyl Single Record Label Designs –

Top 10 of 1970s Vinyl Single Record Label Designs

1)  Island Records

2)  Charisma Records

3)  EMI Records

4)  Elektra Records

5)  Bell Records

6)  Chrysalis Records

7)  Polydor Records

8)  CBS Records

9)  A & M Records

10)  Rak Records

Celebrate the vinyl record by ordering your favourite vinyl record; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc souvenir. You can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… 

ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records with a personalised plaque, make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!! 

Other nostalgic products available from MyFirstRecord are your favourite childhood comics ( masthead & front cover ), TV cartoons and pop idol posters. If you would like any of these framed ( with a personalised , engraved plaque, if you wish ) as a lasting memento to your childhood ……… Please E-mail  info@MyFirstRecord.co.uk