Electrola

Electrola is a German record label with roots in the electrical-recording era of the 1920s. The company was established as Electrola GmbH on 8 May 1925 by the British Gramophone Company Limited in Nowawes, near Berlin. Its creation followed the separation of Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft from the Gramophone Company during the political tensions surrounding the First World War. The Electrola name referred to electrically recorded sound and to the Electrola electrical record player associated with RCA Victor. Electrical recording replaced the earlier acoustic funnel-based process with microphones and electrical cutting, producing greater volume, lower noise and a wider frequency range. The label received its record licence in December 1925 and began building a German catalogue during a period of rapid technical change in recorded music. Early recordings were often made at the Singakademie in Berlin. Electrola was already producing electrically recorded records in Britain in 1925 and began doing so in Germany in spring 1926. In March 1931, the Gramophone Company merged with the parent company of the Columbia Graphophone Company to form Electric and Musical Industries Limited, commonly known as EMI. Electrola consequently became part of EMI's German structure. By 1934, a publication rate of approximately 300 releases per month had helped expand its general catalogue to around 11,000 titles. The label's operations were placed under National Socialist administration at the end of 1939, as happened with other German record companies. Wartime disruption then severely damaged the company's infrastructure: approximately 80 percent of facilities belonging to the German subsidiaries were destroyed during the Second World War. Production could not restart immediately, and the uncertain postwar situation in Berlin encouraged Electrola to relocate its operations to Cologne. The company was entered in the Cologne commercial register on 13 February 1952 and formally moved to the city on 8 September 1953. Cologne became a major creative and technical base. Electrola opened a modern recording studio at Maarweg in 1956, where recordings were made for a wide range of German popular performers, including Fred Bertelmann, Conny Froboess, Gitte Hænning and later Herbert Grönemeyer. The studio also hosted later recordings by Marlene Dietrich. The introduction of the compact cassette led Electrola to establish in-house music-cassette production in 1966. The Carl Lindström-Gesellschaft was subsequently merged into EMI Electrola GmbH on 30 November 1972. Electrola's corporate setting changed repeatedly during the late twentieth century. EMI merged with Thorn Electrical Industries in 1979 to form Thorn EMI, which was separated into EMI Group and Thorn plc in 1996. EMI expanded its recorded-music portfolio through the acquisition of Virgin Records in 1992 and the addition of German independent company Intercord Tonträger in 1994. Intercord's Stuttgart site was closed in 2000, with much of its repertoire transferred to EMI Electrola. Electrola moved from Maarweg to Cologne's Mediapark in August 2000, followed by its data centre in December 2002. In spring 2002, EMI Electrola was renamed EMI Music Germany GmbH & Co. KG. The German EMI organization was consolidated further in the 2000s. After the Munich location closed in April 2004, Virgin was combined with Berlin-based Mute and Labels operations, leaving Cologne and Berlin as principal locations for the German business. In 2012, EMI's German operations, including Electrola, were acquired by Universal Music Group. Universal moved the former EMI Music Germany operation from Cologne to Berlin in December 2012, while Electrola was transferred to Munich. The label remains associated with German-language popular music and has released or represented artists including Matthias Reim, Helene Fischer, Brings, Höhner and Santiano, alongside earlier catalogue performers and repertoire inherited through the wid…

Electrola was established on 8 May 1925 in Nowawes near Berlin by the British Gramophone Company Limited. The label was created after Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft had separated from the Gramophone Company amid the political hostility between Germany and Britain during and after the First World War. The name reflected the new electrical recording technology, which used microphones and electrically controlled cutting rather than acoustic recording horns. Electrola received its German record licence in December 1925 and began building a catalogue around the new process. Its German electrical recordings began in spring 1926, while related production had already taken place in Britain. Early work was frequently associated with the Singakademie in Berlin. The Gramophone Company became part of Electric and Musical Industries Limited after the 1931 merger with the parent company of Columbia Graphophone Company. Electrola continued as EMI's German subsidiary. Its catalogue expanded quickly: by 1934, the label was issuing roughly 300 publications per month and had accumulated about 11,000 general-catalogue titles. The political environment changed sharply at the end of the 1930s. Like other German labels, Electrola came under National Socialist administration in late 1939. Wartime controls affected repertoire, and recorded-music production was disrupted. Approximately 80 percent of the facilities of the German subsidiaries were destroyed during the Second World War, preventing an immediate return to normal production. Electrola subsequently decided to leave Berlin, in part because of the city's uncertain postwar status, and establish itself in Cologne. The company was entered in the Cologne commercial register on 13 February 1952, and the formal move took place on 8 September 1953. Its Cologne base developed into both an administrative and creative centre. A modern recording studio opened on Maarweg in 1956, allowing the company to record and produce performers ranging from popular singers to later rock and pop artists. The site was associated with recordings by Fred Bertelmann, Conny Froboess, Gitte Hænning, Marlene Dietrich and Herbert Grönemeyer, among others. The arrival of the compact cassette prompted a further technical investment. Electrola established internal music-cassette production in 1966, one of the final investments made by the Carl Lindström-Gesellschaft before that organization was merged into EMI Electrola GmbH on 30 November 1972. During the 1950s and 1960s, producers and production managers played an important role in shaping the label's German output. Nils Nobach worked for Electrola from 1953 and produced numerous popular recordings, while Heinz Gietz took over pop production management in 1961. Their work contributed to a commercially successful German-language catalogue. Electrola's corporate environment continued to evolve as EMI merged with Thorn Electrical Industries in 1979, creating Thorn EMI. The two businesses later separated in 1996. EMI acquired Virgin Records in 1992 and added Intercord Tonträger to its German operations in 1994. Intercord's Stuttgart site closed in 2000, with much of its repertoire transferred to EMI Electrola. Electrola moved from Maarweg to Cologne's Mediapark in August 2000, and its data centre followed in December 2002. In spring 2002, EMI Electrola was renamed EMI Music Germany GmbH & Co. KG. Further consolidation followed in 2004, when the Munich Virgin location closed and Virgin was combined with Berlin-based Mute and Labels operations. The German organization operated principally from Cologne and Berlin. In 2012, Universal Music Group acquired EMI's German operations, including Electrola. Universal moved the former EMI Music Germany operation to Berlin in December 2012, while Electrola was moved to Munich. Under Universal, Electrola continued as a German label brand associated with established and contemporary German-language artists, including Matthias Reim, Helene Fischer, Brings, Höhner and Santiano.

• 2012

  Acquisition by Universal Music Group

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  Universal Music Group acquired Electrola and EMI's other German operations.

• 2012

  Electrola moves to Munich

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  After Universal relocated the former EMI Music Germany operation to Berlin, Electrola was moved to Munich.

• 2002

  Renamed EMI Music Germany

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  EMI Electrola was renamed EMI Music Germany GmbH & Co. KG in spring 2002.

• 2000

  Move to Cologne's Mediapark

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  Electrola moved from Maarweg to the Cologne media centre, with the data centre following in 2002.

• 1994

  Intercord joins EMI's German operations

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  EMI expanded its German artist and repertoire base through the addition of Intercord Tonträger.

• 1972

  Carl Lindström-Gesellschaft merges into EMI Electrola

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  The Carl Lindström-Gesellschaft was merged into EMI Electrola GmbH on 30 November.

• 1966

  In-house cassette production begins

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  Electrola established internal music-cassette production after the compact cassette entered the market.

• 1956

  Cologne recording studio opens

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  A modern studio opened at Maarweg and became a significant production facility.

• 1953

  Formal relocation to Cologne

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  Electrola completed its move from Berlin to Cologne on 8 September.

• 1952

  Cologne company registration

  [1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  Electrola was entered in the commercial register in Cologne on 13 February.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A historically significant German record-label brand focused on artist recordings, German-language popular music and the exploitation of a long-running catalogue within Universal Music Group.

• Record label · 1925

  Electrola recorded-music releases

  Electrola's core offering is the signing, production, marketing and exploitation of recorded music. Its catalogue has included German-language popular music and recordings by artists such as Matthias Reim, Helene Fischer, Brings, Höhner and Santiano. Historically, the label issued shellac records, vinyl records and other physical formats before extending into cassette and later digital catalogue exploitation.

• Music catalogue · 1925

  Electrola historical catalogue

  The historical catalogue grew rapidly during the label's early decades and contained approximately 11,000 general-catalogue titles by 1934. It includes recordings made in the Berlin and Cologne eras and repertoire associated with performers from German popular music, jazz and other fields. Catalogue ownership and administration have been shaped by successive Gramophone, EMI and Universal corporate structures.

• 2012

  Transfer to Universal Music GroupM&A

  Background

  EMI's recorded-music assets were sold as part of a major industry consolidation.

  Action taken

  Universal Music Group acquired Electrola and the rest of EMI's German operations, subject to European Commission remedies concerning other EMI assets.

  Aftermath

  Universal relocated the former EMI Music Germany operation to Berlin and moved Electrola to Munich. EMI Classics was divested separately and ultimately became part of Warner Classics through the Parlophone Label Group transaction.

  Source

• 2000

  Move to the Cologne media centreStrategy

  Background

  EMI continued reorganizing its German infrastructure after integrating Intercord's repertoire.

  Action taken

  Electrola moved from the Maarweg site to Cologne's Mediapark in August 2000.

  Aftermath

  The data centre moved in December 2002, while the company was renamed EMI Music Germany in 2002.

  Source

• 1966

  Investment in cassette productionProduct launch

  Background

  The compact cassette was introduced as a new sound carrier and created demand for an additional physical format.

  Action taken

  Electrola set up in-house music-cassette production.

  Aftermath

  The move broadened Electrola's manufacturing capabilities beyond conventional record formats.

  Source

• 1953

  Relocation from Berlin to CologneStrategy

  Background

  Wartime destruction and the uncertain postwar political situation in Berlin made a new operating base desirable.

  Action taken

  Electrola established its company presence in Cologne in 1952 and completed the formal relocation in September 1953.

  Aftermath

  Cologne became the label's principal German production and administrative centre, including the Maarweg recording studio opened in 1956.

  Source

• 2012

  Universal Music Group acquires EMI's German operations[1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Electrola and the rest of EMI's German recorded-music operations became part of Universal Music Group.

• 1994

  EMI adds Intercord Tonträger to its German operations[1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The independent German company Intercord Tonträger joined EMI's German structure, expanding its artist and repertoire base.

• 1956

  Electrola opens a recording studio in Cologne[1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company opened a recording studio at Maarweg, establishing a production base for German popular and other recordings.

• 1953

  Electrola relocates its German operations to Cologne[1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Following wartime destruction and postwar uncertainty in Berlin, Electrola completed its formal relocation to Cologne.

• 1925

  Electrola founded by the Gramophone Company[1]Electrolaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Gramophone Company established Electrola GmbH near Berlin and obtained the label's record licence later that year.

1. 1Electrolaen.wikipedia.org