Label Guide: Arista
Arista was founded in 1974 as a subsidiary of Columbia, and the various Columbia legacy labels (Colpix Records, Colgems Records, and Bell Records) were folded into the new entity. Columbia sold Arista to German-based Ariola Records in 1979. After Ariola purchased RCA Records in 1986, the combined company was renamed Bertelsmann Music Group, though Arista's US releases would not note BMG until 1987.
After the formation of the joint venture of BMG and Sony Music Entertainment (the former CBS Records) in 2004, Arista began operating under the newly formed RCA Music Group. The Arista label was kept alive until 2011 when it was merged into RCA Records.
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1. Label Variation (I)
first Arista label (1974 - 1976)
The first Arista label has a light blue or grey background and a '1776 Broadway, New York' address at the bottom rim. It was used for the A/AL 4000 series.
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1. Label Variation (II)
first Arista label (1974 - 1976)
The first Arista label has a light blue or grey background and a '1776 Broadway, New York' address at the bottom rim. It was used for the A/AL 4000 series.
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2. Label Variation
second Arista label (1974 - 1976)
The Arista Freedom label was used for Jazz releases in the mid-1970s (A/AL 1000 series).
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3. Label Variation (I)
third Arista label (1976 - 1978)
In 1976 the Arista label changed to a black background. The logo text was shortened from 'ARISTA RECORDS' to just 'ARISTA', and the bottom rim text was removed.
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3. Label Variation (II)
third Arista label (1976 - 1978)
In 1976 the Arista label changed to a black background. The logo text was shortened from 'ARISTA RECORDS' to just 'ARISTA', and the bottom rim text was removed.
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3. Label Variation (III)
third Arista label (1976 - 1978)
This label design was also used with the original light blue background.
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4. Label Variation
fourth Arista label (1979 - mid 1980s)
The label was changed to a blue/tan background. The logo text was moved to the left side of the pyramid logos with several of these pyramids floating around, and the bottom rim text reappeared, now with a '6 W. 57th St., New York' address.
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5. Label Variation
fifth Arista label (mid 1980s - )
In the mid-1980s, the Arista label became more colourful, resembling a landscape at night. The logo was changed to a simple 'ARISTA' sign, but incorporating the previous pyramid 'A' logo.
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German Label Variation
German Arista label (1980s)
International Arista labels used mostly the same designs as their U.S. counterparts, but there are exceptions. Here is a German variation that combines both the fourth and fifth American logos.