Label Guide: Polydor

Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft, the name was first used as an export label in 1924. Polydor became a popular music label in 1946 while Deutsche Grammophon focused on classical music. In the early 1960s orchestra leader Bert Kaempfert signed unknowns Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers - who would later become famous as The Beatles - to Polydor.

In 1972, Polydor merged with giant Philips-owned Phonogram Records to create PolyGram in the US. The Polydor label continued to run as a subsidiary label under the new company and became a major rock label in the 1970s. In 1998, PolyGram was purchased by Seagram and absorbed into its Universal Music Group. During the consolidation of these two music giants, Polydor's US operations were dismantled while its overseas branch remained intact. United Kingdom Polydor remains one of the strongest labels in the country today.