Mediarts Records

Mediarts Records was a small American record label established by Alan W. Livingston, a former Capitol Records executive, and record producer Nik Venet. The label operated during the early 1970s and developed a roster that combined singer-songwriters, established pop performers, rock and soul-associated artists, composers, and comedy recordings. Its first cited album release was Dory Previn's On My Way To Where in 1970, while its first 45 rpm single was Sioux City Zoo's "Earth Song" backed with "Everybody Has Been Burned," issued as catalog number ME-100. The label's roster also included Don McLean, Spencer Davis and Peter Jameson, Paul Anka, Odia Coates, Bill Conti, Hello People, and Gerry Rafferty. Mediarts remained a relatively small operation, but several artists associated with it later became commercially important through releases on United Artists Records. Its most successful release on the label was the comedy album The Begatting of the President, narrated by Orson Welles. The label also issued or acquired early recordings connected with Dory Previn and Don McLean. The subsequent signing or transfer of relevant artists helped make the label's acquisition strategically valuable to United Artists Records. In particular, Don McLean later achieved a major hit with "American Pie" and its associated album on United Artists, although that success occurred after the Mediarts period. United Artists Records acquired Mediarts Records, and albums by McLean, Previn, and Welles were reissued through United Artists. The acquisition also gave United Artists access to artists who had been associated with Mediarts but had not yet released albums for the label, including Paul Anka, Odia Coates, Bill Conti, and Gerry Rafferty. Those artists subsequently had successful releases connected with United Artists. Mediarts therefore had significance beyond the modest scale of its own catalog: it served as an early platform and talent source within the changing American record-label market of the early 1970s. The Mediarts catalog later became part of the broader United Artists and EMI asset succession. Universal Music Group acquired most of the assets and properties formerly possessed by EMI in 2012. As a result, the Mediarts catalog is now associated with Universal's recorded-music holdings and is managed through Capitol Records, linking the catalog's present administration back to Livingston's earlier Capitol background. Mediarts itself is no longer an active independent label, and publicly available reference material does not establish a precise founding date, headquarters, financial history, or a complete chronology of its operations.

Mediarts Records emerged in the United States during the period around 1970, founded by Alan W. Livingston and producer Nik Venet. Livingston brought experience from Capitol Records, while Venet was known for his work as a record producer. The label appears to have been organized as a comparatively small independent operation rather than a large vertically integrated music company. Its early catalog covered a range of popular recordings rather than a single narrowly defined genre. The label's first cited album release was Dory Previn's On My Way To Where, released in 1970. Its first 45 rpm single was Sioux City Zoo's "Earth Song" backed with "Everybody Has Been Burned," catalogued as ME-100. The roster subsequently included Don McLean, Spencer Davis and Peter Jameson, Paul Anka, Odia Coates, Bill Conti, Hello People, and Gerry Rafferty. This list shows the label's interest in singer-songwriters, pop and rock performers, vocal collaborations, groups, and composers. The label also released the comedy album The Begatting of the President, narrated by Orson Welles, which became its most successful album according to the cited reference material. Mediarts' importance increased when United Artists Records acquired the label. United Artists reissued albums associated with Don McLean, Dory Previn, and Orson Welles. The acquisition also provided United Artists with access to artists connected with Mediarts who had not yet released albums for the label, including Paul Anka, Odia Coates, Bill Conti, and Gerry Rafferty. Several of these artists later achieved hits through United Artists, and McLean achieved his major success there with the single and album American Pie. Thus, Mediarts' commercial legacy was tied not only to the records it issued directly, but also to the talent pipeline that entered the United Artists system. Following the United Artists acquisition, Mediarts ceased to function as an independent label. United Artists Records later became part of the larger EMI asset history. In 2012, Universal Music Group purchased most of the assets and properties held by EMI, bringing the Mediarts catalog into Universal's holdings. The catalog is now managed through Capitol Records. This corporate succession is notable because Capitol was also the company with which Livingston had previously been associated. Available references do not provide a precise incorporation date, detailed staffing history, headquarters, sales figures, or a complete catalog, so the label's history is best documented through its releases, artists, acquisition, and catalog ownership.

• 2012

  Catalog enters Universal Music Group holdings

  [1]Mediarts Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Universal Music Group acquired most assets and properties held by EMI, through which the former United Artists and Mediarts catalog became part of Universal's holdings.

• 1970

  First cited album release

  [1]Mediarts Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Dory Previn's On My Way To Where became the first cited album release associated with Mediarts Records.

• First cited 45 rpm single

  [1]Mediarts Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Sioux City Zoo's "Earth Song" backed with "Everybody Has Been Burned" was released as Mediarts catalog number ME-100.

• United Artists acquisition

  [1]Mediarts Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  United Artists Records acquired Mediarts and reissued selected albums from its catalog.

A small early-1970s American record label focused on artist recordings across pop, rock, singer-songwriter, comedy, and related popular-music categories.

• Album · 1970

  On My Way To Where

  Dory Previn's On My Way To Where was the first cited album released by Mediarts Records and represents the label's early involvement with singer-songwriter material. The album was later among the Mediarts-associated releases reissued by United Artists Records after its acquisition of the label.

• Comedy album

  The Begatting of the President

  The Begatting of the President was a comedy recording narrated by Orson Welles. It is identified in the reference material as Mediarts Records' most successful album, giving the label a notable spoken-word and political-comedy release alongside its music catalog.

• 45 rpm single

  "Earth Song" / "Everybody Has Been Burned"

  The Sioux City Zoo single "Earth Song" backed with "Everybody Has Been Burned" was the first cited 45 rpm single released on Mediarts. It carried catalog number ME-100 and documents the label's early singles activity.

• Recorded music catalog

  Mediarts artist catalog

  The label's broader catalog and artist roster included recordings associated with Don McLean, Spencer Davis and Peter Jameson, Paul Anka, Odia Coates, Bill Conti, Hello People, Gerry Rafferty, and Dory Previn. Some artists later released commercially successful work through United Artists Records after the acquisition.

• United Artists acquires Mediarts RecordsM&A

  Background

  Mediarts was a small label whose roster and catalog included artists with later commercial potential. United Artists Records acquired the label and its associated recordings.

  Action taken

  United Artists absorbed the Mediarts catalog and reissued selected albums by Don McLean, Dory Previn, and Orson Welles. The transaction also connected United Artists with several artists who had not yet issued albums through Mediarts.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition strengthened United Artists' access to artists including Paul Anka, Odia Coates, Bill Conti, and Gerry Rafferty. Don McLean later achieved major success with American Pie through United Artists.

  Source

1. 1Mediarts Recordsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Mediarts Records storybsnpubs.com