Label Guide: Capitol
Capitol Records released its first record on July 1, 1942 and has been in business ever since. It was the first major West Coast label and competed with RCA-Victor, Columbia and Decca, labels that were all based on the East Coast in New York. By 1946, Capitol had sold 42 million records and was established as one of the "Big Six" record labels.
In 1955, British record company EMI acquired 96% of Capitol Records and built a new studio at Hollywood and Vine to match its state-of-the-art Abbey Road Studios in London. In 1959, with the advent of stereo, Capitol changed its label design from a large "dome logo" with a gray background to a smaller "dome logo" in a silver oval with a black background and a colorband around the edge. At first, the oval was on the left side of the label, with a tapering vertical line extending from the top and bottom. In the early 1960s the oval was moved to the top of the label, while the colorband was slightly narrower.
One of the first groups to sign with Capitol Records in the early 1960s was The Beach Boys. As an EMI label Capitol had first rights of refusal on EMI artists. After initial resistance to issuing records by The Beatles who were signed to sister EMI label Parlophone, Capitol exercised its option in November 1963. Capitol's producers significantly altered the content of the Beatles albums and, believing the Beatles' recordings were unsuited to the US market, modified them. They added equalization to brighten the sound and piped the recordings through an echo chamber located underneath the parking lots outside the Tower.
In the summer of 1969, Capitol modernized its logo and replaced its "dome logo" with what became known as the "target" labels. Those were replaced in November 1972 by a usually orange label with the word "Capitol" printed at the bottom. And in 1978 the "dome logo" returned, usually with purple backgrounds for rock and pop releases and red backgrounds for soul and disco.
By 1976, EMI had purchased the remaining Capitol shares, and in 1979, Capitol was merged into the newly formed EMI Music Worldwide division. After a series of reorganizations and restructurings in the early 2000s, EMI sold its recorded music business in 2013 and Capitol Records is now part of Universal Music Group.
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1. Label Variation
first Capitol label (1949 - 1953)
The first Capitol dome label with text 'LONG PLAYING MICROGROOVE' at the bottom rim. Comes in many colour variations.
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2. Label Variation
second Capitol label (1954 - 1956)
The second Capitol dome label with text 'LONG PLAYING' at the bottom rim and an inner white or gold circle. Used in 1954, maybe also 1955/56. Comes in many colour variations.
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3. Label Variation
third Capitol label (mid 1950s)
The third Capitol dome label with text 'LONG PLAYING - HIGH FIDELITY' at the bottom rim and no inner circle. Used in 1954, maybe also 1955/56. Comes with a blue or grey background.
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4. Label Variation
fourth Capitol label (mid 1950s)
The fourth Capitol dome label with text 'LONG PLAYING' at the bottom rim and no inner circle. Used until 1957/58. Comes with background variations ranging from blue/green to grey.
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5. Label Variation
fifth Capitol label (1959 - 1962)
The first black label with the oval Capitol Records logo and a rainbow circle. The logo is on the left side of the spindle hole.
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6. Label Variation (I)
sixth Capitol label (1962 - 1969)
The second black label with the oval Capitol Records logo and a rainbow circle. The logo is at the top center of the label. This is the dominant Capitol label design for all major 1960s releases as The Beatles or The Beach Boys, ranging from 1962 to 1969.
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6. Label Variation (II)
sixth Capitol label (1962 - 1969)
The second black label with the oval Capitol Records logo and a rainbow circle. The logo is at the top center of the label. This is the dominant Capitol label design for all major 1960s releases as The Beatles or The Beach Boys, ranging from 1962 to 1969.
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7. Label Variation (I)
seventh Capitol label (1969 - 1972)
This is the Capitol label of the late 1960s into early 1970s, the peak years of psychedelic, underground and progressive rock. The oval logo has been replaced by a target logo. The background was usually a light tone of green, less frequently red (most albums released from May 1971 until November 1972).
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7. Label Variation (II)
seventh Capitol label (1969 - 1972)
This is the Capitol label of the late 1960s into early 1970s, the peak years of psychedelic, underground and progressive rock. The oval logo has been replaced by a target logo. The background was usually a light tone of green, less frequently red (most albums released from May 1971 until November 1972).
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8. Label Variation (I)
eighth Capitol label (1972 - 1976)
The target logo was dropped again for the mid-1970s Capitol label. This label features a cut-off 'Capitol' print at the bottom center and comes in various colours, ranging from yellow, over orange, to red.
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8. Label Variation (II)
eighth Capitol label (1972 - 1976)
The target logo was dropped again for the mid-1970s Capitol label. This label features a cut-off 'Capitol' print at the bottom center and comes in various colours, ranging from yellow, over orange, to red.
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8. Label Variation (III)
eighth Capitol label (1972 - 1976)
The target logo was dropped again for the mid-1970s Capitol label. This label features a cut-off 'Capitol' print at the bottom center and comes in various colours, ranging from yellow, over orange, to red.
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9. Label Variation (I)
ninth Capitol label (1977 - 1983)
In 1977 the Capitol dome logo of the very early days (1950s) was brought back, a large scripted 'Capitol' print with an image of the Capitol building. This label was used well into the 1980s and came in many, very colourful background variations (purple, turqouise, orange, red).
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9. Label Variation (II)
ninth Capitol label (1977 - 1983)
In 1977 the Capitol dome logo of the very early days (1950s) was brought back, a large scripted 'Capitol' print with an image of the Capitol building. This label was used well into the 1980s and came in many, very colourful background variations (purple, turqouise, orange, red).
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10inch UK Label Variation (I)
10inch UK Capitol label (early 1950s)
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10inch UK Label Variation (II)
10inch UK Capitol label (early 1950s)
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1. UK Label Variation (I)
first UK Capitol label (late 1950s)
The Capitol labels in the United Kingdom mostly followed the American designs. Here are two versions of the fourth U.S. label, adding 'made by ELETRIC & MUSICAL INDUSTRIES, LIMITED in Gt. Britian' to the upper rim text.
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1. UK Label Variation (II)
first UK Capitol label (late 1950s)
The Capitol labels in the United Kingdom mostly followed the American designs. Here are two versions of the fourth U.S. label, adding 'made by ELETRIC & MUSICAL INDUSTRIES, LIMITED in Gt. Britian' to the upper rim text.
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2. UK Label Variation
second UK Capitol label (1959 - 1964)
The UK version of the fifth U.S. label without the text 'SOLD IN U.K. SUBJECT TO RESALE PRICE CONDITIONS. SEE PRICE LISTS' indicates a pressing earlier than February 1964.
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3. UK Label Variation
third UK Capitol label (1964 - 1965)
As with all EMI-distributed labels in the UK, the text 'SOLD IN U.K. SUBJECT TO RESALE PRICE CONDITIONS. SEE PRICE LISTS' must be present on the label for all original pressings, released between February 1964 and mid-1969.
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4. UK Label Variation
fourth UK Capitol label (1965 - 1969)
The UK version of the sixth U.S. label also shows the text 'SOLD IN U.K. SUBJECT TO RESALE PRICE CONDITIONS. SEE PRICE LISTS'.
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5. UK Label Variation
fifth UK Capitol label (1969 - 1972)
A yellow version of the bullseye label was used for the U.K. from 1969 on.
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6. UK Label Variation
sixth UK Capitol label (1972 - 1976)
And here is the UK version of the eighth American label design, printed from 1972 to 1976.
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Custom Label
custom Capitol label (1971)
A custom label design for Grand Funk Railroad, US 1971.